Format external drive.

  • Windows
  • updated

Format external drive

Format external drive: (For Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 systems). New purchased external HDD is usually able "gross", that is unformatted, so Windows "sees" as a unit unformatted (unpartitioned), so in My Computer does not appear at all, we have the illusion that disappeared hard disc, so need formatting in NTFS file system.

Quick tip: Formatting your hard disk changes the file system to be compatible with your computer's operating system and fixes non-physical errors in the drive.

Preparation

Connect your external hard drive on a computer's USB input. If the HDD icon does not appear in My Computer, use the free Disk Management, integrated in Windows.

  • Do the following: Press the buttons simultaneously Windows Logo + R on keyboard.

    • Press the buttons simultaneously Windows Logo R

  • In the apperead Run dialog, enter diskmgmt.msc command. Will start Disk Management.

    • start Disk Manager

    Disk Management Console appears

  • If the external hard drive is perfect, write it Unallocated, and will be represented with a black stripe, which means that the unit is unformatted.

    • If the external hard drive is perfect write it Unallocated

    To take in possession, you can run the New volume wizard.

  • Click with the right button of mouse on free unit, on the side of the strip marked with black, and select New Simple Volume.

    • To take in possession, you can run the New volume wizard

  • For "Format external hard drive" click on the Next button.

    • click on the Next button

  • Can set the new size of the volume in MB, but can leave size calculated by Consol.

    • Can set the new size of the volume in MB

  • Assign a drive letter. Do not change anything here, just click Next.

    • Assign a drive letter

  • Select the NTFS format if the default is FAT32. If it is NTFS do not select anything in this window, just click on the Next button.

    • Do not change anything in this window

  • For finalizing "Format external hard drive" click on Finish button.

    • click on Finish

    To view the result, click on the icon This Pc (My Computer) on Desktop where you can see the new drive. You can restart the computer if necessary.

    Quick tip: Most external hard drives are sold in (NT) NTFS file format, which is designed to work with Windows. Ask for more information before buying the external hard drive and format only if necessary.

    END