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Quick Format an External Hard Drive in Windows 10 With CHKDSK Pass, or Full Format?

When I obtain a new SATA drive, I know how to format it using the standard Windows tools, which include Quick or Full format options as well as MBR vs. GPT options. I always have trouble deciding whether I truly need to complete a Full Format or if a Quick Format will do.

Best Answered by

Roxanne· Answered on Apr 18, 2024

Quick formatting is the quickest and simplest option, but it merely clears the file system and does not check for damaged sectors. Full formatting is more time-consuming. Scans for bad sectors but do not fix them. You can refer to the following comparison information:

Quick format: Quick format is faster as it only erases the files, making the drive empty.

Full format: It takes longer as it performs a comprehensive disk scan and discovers the bad sectors.

EaseUS Partition Master Free is a perfect tool for external hard drive formatting. With the easy-to-use interface and simplified operation, you can easily format your external hard drive in a few clicks. Below are the detailed steps: 

Free Download 

Windows 11/10/8/7100% Secure

Step 1. Right-click the external drive you plan to format and select "Format."

Step 2. Choose the Partition label, File system, and cluster size from the menu, then click "OK." Press "Yes" to continue.

Step 3. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" > "Apply" buttons to format the external hard drive.

Are you interested in further information about quick format with chkdsk or Full Format? Here is a related article:

Learn More: Format An External Hard Drive That Is Not Visible

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