How to Format An Internal Hard Drive Windows 10? [Latest Tip]

Updated by

Sherly 

Written by

Tracy King 

Updated on Apr 19, 2024

Key Takeaways:

• 1st. Back up your important files before formatting the internal hard drive on Windows 10.
• 2nd. Run the free CNET-recommended software or Windows built-in tools to format an internal HDD or SSD.

Quick Navigation

Option 1. How to Format Internal Hard Drive by Free Partition Manager
Option 2. Format Internal Hard Drive with Command Prompt
Option 3. Format Hard Disk by Disk Management

Try to Format Internal Hard Drive on Windows 10?

This article will address how to format an internal hard drive in Windows 10. No matter what needs you have, you can still here to start formatting:

Scene 1 - If you get a new hard drive, you must format a disk before storing data.

Scene 2 - If the drive becomes full and cluttered, formatting can help free up space and improve performance.

Scene 3 - If the drive is infected with malware or other malicious software, formatting it will remove the infection and allow the user to start with a clean slate.

Scene 4 - If the user plans to sell or dispose of the computer, formatting the hard drive will ensure that all personal data is erased and cannot be accessed by anyone else.

If you are encountering one of the scenes, keep reading!

Choose Your Format for Internal Hard Drive

When it comes to choosing a file system format for an internal hard drive, there are a few things to consider.

One is the operating system that will be used. For example, Windows uses NTFS, while macOS uses HFS+. Another factor is the file size. If the drive is used to store large files, such as video or audio files, then NTFS or exFAT may be a better option. Finally, it's worth considering the compatibility of the file system with other devices.

The best file system format for an internal hard drive depends on the specific needs and requirements of the user.

How to Format An Internal Hard Drive Windows 10 [3 Instructions]

Format a new internal hard drive - Choose EaseUS Partition Master (Recommend) or Disk Management.

Format an existing internal hard drive - Go to use a free formatting software and Diskpart command line.

Option 1. How to Format Internal Hard Drive by Free Partition Manager

EaseUS Partition Master is a comprehensive partition manager that can be used to format an internal hard drive. The software is very user-friendly and provides a step-by-step guide to help users through the process. In addition, EaseUS Partition Master can create, resize, and merge partitions. It also includes support for both MBR and GPT disk formats.

Start with this excellent choice:

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/EXT4/exFAT), and Cluster size for the partition to be formatted, then click "OK".

Step 3. Then you will see a warning window, click "Yes" in it to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button to review the changes, then click "Apply" to start formatting the partition on your hard drive.

Option 2. Format Internal Hard Drive with Command Prompt

How to format the internal disk using Command Prompt - Diskpart Commands:

Step 1. Click the Start icon, and type "Command Prompt" in the search box. And select Run As Administrator".

Want more options? Command Prompt Shortcut

Step 2. Type the command line and hit Enter - diskpart.

Step 3. Continue to type command lines and hit Enter.

• list disk
• select disk X (Change X with your drive number.)
• list volume
• select volume Y (Change Y with your partition number.)
• format fs=ntfs quick (If you choose other file formats, you can replace ntfs with exFAT, FAT32. For example, format fs=fat32 quick.)

Option 3. Format Hard Disk by Disk Management

To format new hard drive (Internal HDD or SSD):

Video Tutorial - How to Initialize and Format Hard Drive:

• Use Disk Management from 0:41.

Step 1. Open Windows 10 Disk Management - Press the "Windows + R" shortcut and type diskmgmt.msc on the box. Click OK.

Step 2. Right-click the internal disk and select Initialize Disk.

• Initialize your disk as MBR or GPT partition style.

Step 3. Right-click the unallocated space and click the New Simple Volume. Click Next.

• See the default simple volume size and click Next.
• Check to assign the drive letter and click Next.
• Check Format this volume with the following settings - Select File system, Allocation unit size, and volume label. Then check Perform a quick format. Click Next.

Step 4. Click Finish.

Bottom Line 

This post discusses how to format an internal hard drive on Windows 10 with three straightforward methods. To safely format the device, we recommend EaseUS Partition Master Free.

Format Internal Hard Drive FAQs

Here are some short answers to the frequently asked questions.

How do I format a hard drive in Windows 10?

1. Right-click on the drive you want to format and select the Format button.

2. Enter the name, select the file system, and allocation unit size.

3. Click OK to continue.

Why can't I format my internal HDD?

One possibility is that the drive is currently in use by another program or process. Try restarting your computer and then formatting the drive. If that doesn't work, you can try using a third-party disk management tool (EaseUS Partition Master) to format the drive. If all else fails, it's possible that the hard drive is failing and needs to be replaced.

Another "Format" error you may be interested in:

How do I format my internal SSD Windows 10?

Disk Management can help you initialize and format partitions for a new internal SSD.

For an existing internal SSD, you can use a third-party partition manager and built-in utilities (Diskpart and Disk Management).