DiskPart Format Command Options

DiskPart Format Command Options

DiskPart format command that runs on command prompt is used for formatting internal and external storage mediums of hard drives. The command is available in all Windows operating systems like Windows 10, 8 7, Vista, XP and in other older versions too. You can use it to deal with unlocked files means the files that are not currently in use. However, the syntax for the command different from one operating system to another.

The format command syntax for windows  as following:

 format drive: /* /fs:file-system /r:revision /d /v:label /p:count /?
Here * refers to q, c, x, and l

Now understand the syntax in detail:

• drive:
You will write here the letter that represents the drive or the partition for which you require formatting.

• /q
It represents drive will undergo DiskPart quick format without searching a bad sector.

• /c
It will enable compression of folder and file. The option is available only when the drive is being formatted to NTFS (New Technology File System). It is a primary file system that is used in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000, and NT operating system.

• /x
If there is the requirement to dismount the drive before formatting, then this command is used in the format.

• /l
While formatting with NTFS, the command is used on dedupe-enabled drives that consist of files with size more than 100GB.

• /fs:file-system
You will add the file system to which you want the format the drive. The file systems can be FAT, exFAT, FAT32, UDF or NTFS

• /r:revision
It is used to focus the formatting to specific UDF version. The options include 1.02, 1.50, 2.00, 2.01, and 2.50. If you don’t specify any revision, by default it will take 2.01 version. When you are using /fs:udf only then you can use /r: command.

• /d
When formatting is done with UDF v2.50 only then this command can be used to duplicate metadata.

• /v:label
It is used to specify the volume label. If you have not mentioned it before formatting, the systems will enquire about it after the completion of the process.

• /p:count
It will write zero once to all sectors of the drive. If you specify the count, it will write some random number on the drive, as many times as you mention. The random number writing will start once the zero writing completes.
/p cannot be used with /q.

• /?

It is used to show help for the several options of commands.