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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
Hi,
I am willing to pay for a utility that I can download (ISO file) and burn a CD or DVD. My objective is simply to be able to FORMAT, NTFS format, the internal hard drive using a bootable CD/DVD ("live") utility. I have done this many times over the years on various computers, but for FAT16 and FAT32 using a bootable FD or CD. The only way I am able to format (NTFS) is to remove the HD, mount it in a docking station, and connect it to another computer. Note: I only want to FORMAT without installing an OS. Thank You in advance, John |
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
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#4
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
wrote in
: Hi, I am willing to pay for a utility that I can download (ISO file) and burn a CD or DVD. My objective is simply to be able to FORMAT, NTFS format, the internal hard drive using a bootable CD/DVD ("live") utility. I have done this many times over the years on various computers, but for FAT16 and FAT32 using a bootable FD or CD. The only way I am able to format (NTFS) is to remove the HD, mount it in a docking station, and connect it to another computer. Note: I only want to FORMAT without installing an OS. Thank You in advance, John GParted Live CD is Linux-based, but it can format NTFS partitions. https://gparted.org/livecd.php |
#5
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
wrote
| I am willing to pay for a utility that I can download (ISO file) and burn | a CD or DVD. | I like BootIt. It handles pretty much everything: disk imaging, partition operations, multi-booting.... About $40. It actually fits on a floppy, but I put it on a CD. If you want all that I think it's a very good deal. But if all you want is to create NTFS partitions, there should be several free tools you can use. (You do realize you'll need to create either primary or logical partition(s) in order to format NTFS?) You can probably also use Windows to create the partition(s) if this is going to be an extra data disk for a Windows computer. Personally I never use Windows disk functions for anything. Other tools seem to be better and have more functionality. |
#6
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
wrote:
Hi, I am willing to pay for a utility that I can download (ISO file) and burn a CD or DVD. My objective is simply to be able to FORMAT, NTFS format, the internal hard drive using a bootable CD/DVD ("live") utility. I have done this many times over the years on various computers, but for FAT16 and FAT32 using a bootable FD or CD. The only way I am able to format (NTFS) is to remove the HD, mount it in a docking station, and connect it to another computer. Note: I only want to FORMAT without installing an OS. Thank You in advance, John Steps: 1) Boot your W7/W8.1/W10 installer DVD, and select the non-installing route. In there, you will find a command prompt window. 2) In the command prompt window, enter "diskpart" list disk === lists disks by size select disk 2 === we'll assume this disk needs work list partition === listing partitions confirms identity clean === zeros the MBR, all partitions lost! (1 second) clean all === zeros the *entire* disk 2 (2 hours) create partition primary === align=32256 or align=1048576 id=07 (NTFS) Partition created on disk 2, our first partition list partition === should show our single new partition select partition 1 detail partition === drive letter of new partition (at present) select partition 2 === if one existed... detail partition === drive letter of this partition (at present) exit https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...tition-primary 3) Once you exit from diskpart, you can use the traditional "format" command in Command Prompt. If a partition is already in fine shape and you just want to "fluff the pillow" a bit, use format. A cluster size of 4096 is default for NTFS. I got my drive letter using the commands in (2). format D: /FS:NTFS /V:WIN10C /Q /A:4096 The label info isn't always available on a drive, and I leave an empty text file "IM_WINXP.txt" on the root of the drive, as labeling information. Sometimes the Windows Installer wipes the label, which is one way to lose that carefully prepared label :-( 4) The "fsutil" utility can tell you stuff too. Note the inconsistent letter scheme... fsutil fsinfo volumeinfo C:\ fsutil fsinfo ntfsinfo H: The installer itself can prepare partitions, but I don't recommend this (the custom option), due to one bad experience in the past with it. I suppose with enough diskpart/format/fsutil commands, you could also have a bad experience there, so it likely amounts to the same thing in the end. These are disk commands, all powerful, and *very destructive*. If you are a butterfingers (and who isn't), make a backup while you still have your data partitions or whatever. Unplug any drives where you don't want bad things to happen (in an accident). In one "bad outcome" case, I was able to use TestDisk from the Internet, to rebuild the MBR and regain access to my other partitions. I only lost a little hair on that one. HTH, Paul |
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
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#8
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
SNIP
Windows ISO file can do it. Burn it on DVD or USB and boot-up your machine with it. You'll get options to format the HD and when it is done, you can cancel the installation of the OS. Windows is pretty smart. Also, you can use any windows ISO including Windows 10 ISO that is readily available from Microsoft website. FYI: My Windows 7 Professional System DVD does NOT present an option to format the HD. It just prompts you for a New Install or Repair.. My Windows XP SP3 Professional System CD, including my old Windows XP SP1, does NOT present an option to format the HD. Only two options besides "Quit" are "To set up Windows.... (install)" or "To repair a Windows XP...." What version of "Windows" presents "Options to format the HD"? Thanks in advance, John |
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
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#10
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
SNIP
GParted Live CD is Linux-based, but it can format NTFS partitions. https://gparted.org/livecd.php Hi, I downloaded Gparted live & also saved the instructions. Viewing the instructions, I did NOT see anything about "Format" or "Formatting". It does have a lot of features, but the only one I want is NOT mentioned. John |
#11
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
On Tue, 11 Sep 2018 07:35:25 -0400, wrote:
SNIP GParted Live CD is Linux-based, but it can format NTFS partitions. https://gparted.org/livecd.php Hi, I downloaded Gparted live & also saved the instructions. Viewing the instructions, I did NOT see anything about "Format" or "Formatting". It does have a lot of features, but the only one I want is NOT mentioned. John Hi, UPDATE: I went back to https://gparted.org web site and found another instructions manual for the same program. Too bad it isn't a .PDF. I think I found a part that used the word, "format"!!!! If it does what I want, I WILL make a donation. John |
#12
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
In message ,
writes: On Tue, 11 Sep 2018 07:35:25 -0400, wrote: SNIP GParted Live CD is Linux-based, but it can format NTFS partitions. https://gparted.org/livecd.php When quoting a previous post, it is indeed a good idea to snip the parts you aren't referring to. I wish more people would do that! BUT: please don't snip out the attribution, i. e. the line that says who posted the part you _are_ responding to. (It's not difficult to identify: it's the line with one fewer ""s than the lines you're quoting.) [snip] If it does what I want, I WILL make a donation. John Good policy. I do that too from time to time (e. g. I did to IrfanView). -- J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf As for cooking, what a bore that is. It's such a faff, thinking of what to have, buying it and cooking it and clearing up, then all you do is eat it - and have to start all over again next day. Hunter Davies, RT 2017/2/4-10 |
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
On 11/09/2018 12:35, wrote:
SNIP GParted Live CD is Linux-based, but it can format NTFS partitions. https://gparted.org/livecd.php Hi, I downloaded Gparted live & also saved the instructions. Viewing the instructions, I did NOT see anything about "Format" or "Formatting". It does have a lot of features, but the only one I want is NOT mentioned. John https://gparted.org/screens/gparted_7_big.png |
#14
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
wrote
| Viewing the instructions, I did NOT see anything about "Format" | or "Formatting". It does have a lot of features, but the only | one I want is NOT mentioned. | Do you realize that formatting happens to a partition? In other words, you don't format a disk. You create 1 or more partitions and those get formatted. Note that GParted is a partition editor. Formatting for a given filesystem is implied when you create a partition. |
#15
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Seeking a "Format" (format hard drive) Utility
On Sun, 09 Sep 2018 18:34:30 GMT, Mark Blain
wrote: wrote in : Hi, I am willing to pay for a utility that I can download (ISO file) and burn a CD or DVD. My objective is simply to be able to FORMAT, NTFS format, the internal hard drive using a bootable CD/DVD ("live") utility. I have done this many times over the years on various computers, but for FAT16 and FAT32 using a bootable FD or CD. The only way I am able to format (NTFS) is to remove the HD, mount it in a docking station, and connect it to another computer. Note: I only want to FORMAT without installing an OS. Thank You in advance, John GParted Live CD is Linux-based, but it can format NTFS partitions. https://gparted.org/livecd.php +1 on GParted. You can partition and format from a GUI. []'s -- Don't be evil - Google 2004 We have a new policy - Google 2012 |
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