6 – The bottom section of the Disk Management window should now list both the SSD and the old hard drive along with the partitions contained on each. You'll want to ignore the SSD (which should be listed as Disk 0) and make all the changes to the hard drive (which should be listed as Disk 1). You can verify which disk is which in the list. Format your SSD on Windows Although many people are used to hard disk drives, the advantages of having an SSD make it an attractive option. Solid-state drives have no moving parts, so the chances of hits causing damage or malfunction are reduced. How should I format my SD card, my USB memory stick, USB external hard disk or my new SSD drive? Should I use the old FAT32 file format or the newer NTFS file format? Or should I try exFAT? It is a tough question for most people, and the right answer differs depending on the type of device that you need to format, as well as how and where you. From Disk Management. If the SSD drive is new installed and not formatted, we won't see it in the.
- Should I Format Ssd Drives
- Do Ssd Need To Be Formatted
- Should I Format Ssd To Ntfs
- Reformat Drive Install Windows 10
- Format External Ssd
Summary :
SSD becomes more and more popular now. Given that fact, knowing how to format SSD or reformat SSD becomes very important now for many Windows users. This article will show you three different ways to format SSD Windows 10.
Quick Navigation :
SSD, the abbreviation of solid-state drive, is a type of data storage device. Unlike traditional hard-disk drives (HDD), SSD uses semiconductor flash memory rather than rotating media. And there is no moving parts at all for an SSD. By using flash memory to store data, it provides better performance and reliability over an HDD.
If you want to learn more about the differences between SSD and HDD, this article could help you: SSD VS HDD: What's Difference? Which One Should You Use in PC?
As the price of SSD decreases these years, SSD becomes more affordable to ordinary home users. Many users migrates OS to SSD to enjoy the fast running speed of SSD and better performance. In this case, to know how to format SSD is of great importance when you want to reuse SSD or clear data on SSD partition.
When Do You Need to Format SSD
If you just buy a new SSD or you want to install a new operating system on SSD, formatting an SSD drive is very necessary. Here are some occasions that you need to format SSD.
1. The SSD drive is unformatted.
New SSD comes unformatted. Some users are confused about that if new SSD needs to be formatted by themselves. Actually, when you get a new SSD, you need to format it in most cases.
That's because that SSD drive can be used on a variety of platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux and so on. In this case, you need to format it to different file systems like NTFS, HFS+, Ext3, Ext4, etc. for use on your system so that it can be mounted as a usable storage volume on your system.
2. You want to install Windows OS on the SSD.
If you want to use SSD partition to install operating system, you need to format the partition to a clean state. If you use system migration to migrate OS, then the migration software will format the drive for you during the migration process.
3. You want to clear all the data on the SSD for reuse.
If the SSD does not contain any important files and you want to delete all the data on the disk, you will need to use a drive formatting utility to format the drive for reuse. Formatting the SSD can quickly clear all the data on the disk.
Formatting an SSD is very simple as long as you use a professional drive formatting tool. Next I will show you three different ways to free format SSD.
How to Format an SSD Windows 10 with Disk Management
You can use Windows built-in hard drive format tool Disk Management to format SSD Windows 10. Disk Management is a Microsoft Windows utility first introduced in Windows XP to replace the very old partition tool FDISK command.
Disk Management can perform some simple disk and partition operations like create partition, delete partition, format partition, change drive letter, extend or shrink partition. So you can use Disk Management to format SSD Windows 10, which is very simple and you don't need to install any third-party software.
Disk Management is not the best utility to manage SSD partitions, but if you just want to format hard drive and that's all, you may follow the steps to go ahead.
Step 1. Right-click the Windows Start menu and select Disk Management to get the main interface of Disk Management or run diskmgmt.msc to open Disk Management.
Step 2. Choose the partition on SSD you want to format. And then right-click it to select Format.
Step 3. You may also specify the volume label, file system and allocation unit size by yourself and then click OK.
Step 4. This note is to tell you that all the data on this volume will be erased. Make sure there is no needed files in this partition and click OK to continue.
Then the SSD partition will be formatted very quickly. All data on the drive will be cleared and they can be reused again.
Now you have learned how to format SSD Windows 10 with Disk management. You can use Disk Management to format SSD at ease, but just make sure that Quick Format is checked before formatting.
Next, I will show you a more convenient and powerful partition manager – the reputable MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition.
Format SSD with MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition is a marvelous disk partition manager. With this utility you can not only format SSD Windows 10 in just a few clicks, but also use this tool to manage SSD partitions with its features like create partition, delete partition, resize partition, extend partition, copy disk and so on.
If you want to perform advanced operations on your SSD, MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition allows you to align SSD partition, convert MBR disk to GPT, migrate OS to HD/SSD, convert FAT to NTFS, measure SSD performance with its Disk Benchmark feature, wipe disk, analyze SSD drive usage .
Step 1. Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition by clicking the following button. Install and launch it to get its main interface.
Step 2. Right-click the drive you want to format and select Format Partition from the left action panel.
Step 3. At this page, specify the partition label, file system as well as cluster size. You can format the drive's file system to FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, Ext2, Ext3, satisfying all your needs (See: NTFS vs. FAT32 vs. exFAT – Differences and How to Format to). After resetting these parameters, you can click OK.
Step 4. At this page, it seems like the SSD partition has been formatted. Actually, it is just a preview. You need to click Apply on the upper left corner to execute the pending operation.
Since MiniTool Partition Wizard Free is such a user-friendly partition manager and trusted by tens of millions of users, why not have a try? Do not hesitate to get one now!
Format SSD Windows 10 with CMD
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition is really convenient for home users to manage disks and partitions. However, for users who really don't want to resort to third-party software, here is another way to format SSD – that is using CMD.
CMD is also known as cmd.exe or Command Prompt, which is a command line interpreter application available in most Windows operating systems.
With command line, users can solve all kinds of Windows issues through a command-line interface like create partition, delete partition, format partition, copy files, perform CHKDSK operation to check and repair hard drive issue.
Command prompts are provided for every Windows NT-based operating system including Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003.
So, if you are running these Windows operating systems, you may also format SSD by typing a few commands in the Command Prompt window provided that you are familiar with CMD.
Now let's see how to format SSD with CMD in detailed steps.
Step 1. Right-click the Windows Start menu, then choose Run and input cmd to open Command Prompt window. You may also input cmd in the Windows 10 Cortana search box and choose the best match to open Command Prompt Window.
Step 2. When the command line is opened, input diskpart and press Enter. You may see a pop-up window as below. Click Yes to open the Diskpart window.
Step 3.Then input the following commands and press Enter after each one.
- list disk
- select disk * (* represents disk number)
- list partition
- select partition * (* represents partition number)
- format fs=ntfsquick
Here I formatted the partition to NTFS file system. You can also format SSD partition to FAT32 using diskpart according to your needs. If you want to format to exFAT, you can try MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition.
Step 4. After DiskPart has successfully formatted the SSD partition, you may type exit to close the Diskpart window.
At this time, you have completed formatting. After showing you the above 3 different methods, you may choose one method you like. But if you want to manage SSD partitions in a flexible way and improve SSD performance in the long run, it is recommended to use the all-in-one partition manager – MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition.
If you accidentally formatted the wrong partition on SSD disk, don't be panic. You can recover data from formatted partition with MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Ultimate Edition's Data Recovery feature. Buy yosemite usb. Click the following button to get one.
There are many other drive formatting software on the market like WD Quick Formatter. However, some users reported that they encountered formatting failure when using WD quick formatter to format SSD. And others said this software is not very easy to use.
So if you want to choose third-party software to format SSD, MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition is your best choice.
Bottom Line
After learning how to format SSD with MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition, Window built-in utility Disk Management and CMD commands, you can choose one of the three methods to format SSD Windows 10 or reformat SSD without a hassle. Hope this post helps you.
If you have any question about how to format SSD Windows 10 or you have any other good SSD format tool to recommend, you can leave a message on the following comment zone and we will reply as soon as possible. If you need any help when using MiniTool software, you can contact us via [email protected].
How to Format SSD FAQ
- Part 1. How to Format SSD in Windows 10/8/7 (3 Ways)
- Part 2. How to Format SSD on a Mac Device
Why Do You Need to Format an SSD
SSD (Solid-State Drive) delivers faster load times for games, applications, and movies. Because of the technology they use, SSDs are lighter and better able to withstand movement and drop page. In addition, SSDs use less energy, allowing computers to run cooler. As a result, most people buy a new SSD to replace the old HDD. Some people also migrate OS to SSD to get better performance. As SSD becomes more and more common, formatting or reformatting becomes important as well.
1.You have bought a new SSD
When you get a new SSD, you need to format it in most cases. The reason for SSD format that the SSD drive can be used on a variety of platforms. These platforms may employ different file systems (NTFS, HFS+, Ext3, or Ext4). You will need to partition and format the drive so that it can be mounted as a usable storage volume on your system.
2.You want to install Windows 10/8/7 on the SSD
If you want to clean install OS on an SSD, you need to format the SSD. If you want to keep your original OS, programs, and data on your system drive, you can use third-party software to migrate OS to SSD without losing data.
3.You want to sell your SSD
If you want to sell or donate the SSD, you need to erase your personal data. Then, formatting the SSD is a nice choice. Also, you can permanently erase the data on the SSD if you are sure that you don't want to keep the data on the SSD.
What to Do Before You Format SSD for Windows 10/8/7
To format a drive (HDD, HDD, USB flash drive, etc.) means preparing the chosen partition on the drive to be used by an operating system by deleting all of the data and setting up a file system. Before you start formatting an SSD, you should do the following things first:
Should I Format Ssd Drives
1.Back up wanted data
Formatting only clears data on the address tables, and data finally disappears once you write new data to the marked space. That is to say, you can recover data with data recovery software if the SSD data is not overwritten. Compared with the recovery method, a regular hard drive backup is easier. Make sure you have backed up wanted files from the drive you are going to format at the very beginning.
2. Enable TRIM to maintain SSD performance
TRIM is an Advanced Technology Attachment command that enables the computer operating system to tell the SSD to erase data blocks when they are no longer in use. If your computer's operating system offers TRIM support, when enabled, your computer will automatically ensure that data saved to your SSD is managed correctly.
Also read:How to Enable/Disable TRIM on SSD in Windows 10
Part 1. How to Format SSD in Windows 10/8/7 (3 Ways)
It is easy to format an SSD. If your SSD is a new one you need to initialize the SSD and create a new partition on it before you can format it. Here are three effective methods to help you format an SSD.
Method 1. Format SSD in Windows 10/8/7 with EaseUS Partition software (Easiest)
Users have to partition SSD drive in Windows 10 in different situations. And this job can be difficult or easy, depending on whether you have a reliable partition software. So what program you can trust? Here we recommend you EaseUS Partition Master.
The program is a professional SSD format tool that is designed to format, resize, copy, convert disk partition. It allows you to format SSD into various formats including NTFS quickly and safely. And then you can successfully install Windows 10 on the NTFS formatted SSD drive. You can watch the video to format your SSD easily and quickly.
You can also learn the detailed guide for how to format SSD with Windows on it:
Step 1: Run EaseUS Partition Master, right-click the hard drive partition you intend to format and choose 'Format'.
Step 2: In the new window, set the Partition label, File system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3), and Cluster size for the partition to be formatted, then click 'OK'.
Step 3: Then you will see a warning window, click 'OK' in it to continue.
Step 4: Click the 'Execute Operation' button in the top-left corner to review the changes, then click 'Apply' to start formatting the partition on your hard drive.
Method 2. Format SSD with Disk Management
Pokemon home screen. In Windows, formatting a partition is usually done from the Disk Management tool. It can perform some simple disk and partition operations like creating a partition, deleting a partition, formatting, extending or shrinking a partition. You can format SSD with this built-in tool with simple steps:
Step 1. At the start, search for 'Disk Management' and press 'Enter'.
Step 2. Choose the SSD partition you want to format. Right-click it and select 'Format'.
Battle net linux. Step 3. Select the file system and set the cluster size. Place a checkmark next to 'Perform a quick format'. Click 'OK' to format the drive.
Do Ssd Need To Be Formatted
- Notice:
- Quick Format VS Full Format: If you choose to select a Full Format on the partition, the SSD format will delete all files on the volume and scan the bad sectors. When you choose the Quick Format option, the format removes the files on a volume, but does not scan the bad sectors of disk.
Formatting an SSD is slightly different from formatting an HDD. SSDs use different technology, so the formatting function is different. That's why it is important to make sure that Quick Format is checked before formatting an SSD. If unchecked, your computer will carry out a Full Format, which would cause your computer to perform a full read/write cycle, which can shorten the life of an SSD.
Method 3. Format SSD Using CMD in Windows 10
If you would rather use a command line to format the drive, Command Prompt would be the first choice. It is an amazing tool that can manage disks by typing relative command lines. You can solve all kinds of Windows issues through this tool like creating, deleting or formatting a partition. you can Perform CHKDSK to check and repair hard drive issues. And here, you can see how to format SSD using CMD step by step.
Step 1. Type cmd in the search box. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose 'Run as administrator'.
Should I Format Ssd To Ntfs
Step 2. On the Command Prompt black window, type diskpart and press 'Enter'. Then, type the following command lines in order. Press 'enter' every time you enter the command:
list disk
select disk X
clean
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
- X is the partition number of your SSD drive
- Typing assign to assign a drive letter to the newly created partition.
Further reading: How to format SSD from BIOS
Many users may ask how to format SSD from BIOS, the clear answer is you can't format SSD from BIOS. If you can't perform formatting SSD in Windows, you can use EaseUS Partition Master to create a bootable USB flash drive, CD or DVD, change the BIOS setting, then run a third-party SSD format tool.
Here is a depth guide to create winpe bootable disk.
Part 2. How to Format SSD on a Mac Device
What if you are using a Mac and you want to format your SSD? How to make it? It's also a piece of cake to format SSD on Mac. The only difference is the file system. Mac drives usually come formatted in FAT32, which will work on both Macs and PCs. Mac can't write files to volumes with NTFS format. The easiest way is to format the SSD using Mac Disk utility. Before you start formatting the SSD on a Mac device, back up important files. Save any important files on your computer to a USB flash drive or external storage drive. Then, you can read on and format your SSD:
Step 1. Verify the SSD or connect your SSD to the Mac with a USB cable.
Step 2. Open 'Go > Utilities > Applications > Utilities'. Locate and click on your SSD in Disk Utility and then click on 'Erase'. Change the 'Volume Format' drop menu to the 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)' option.
Step 3. Reset the drive name and click 'Erase', confirm the operation on the next pop-up window.
Wait for the process to complete and then you'll get a compatible file system.
Reformat Drive Install Windows 10
Conclusion
Format External Ssd
According to the solutions above, you can format your SSD easily. If you are a Windows user, you can directly go to Part 1 to format your SSD with easy steps. If you are a Mac user, you can also format your SSD with detailed steps in Part 2. If you have other problems about how to format SSD, you can always ask us for help.