Format drive from usb boot​

Formatting a drive is one of the most critical maintenance tasks for any computer system. It is the process of erasing all data from a storage device whether it’s a hard drive, SSD, or USB stick and preparing it for fresh use. Formatting is often necessary when you want to reinstall an operating system, set up a new system, or resolve issues like corruption, malware, or partition errors.

While most people perform this task within their operating system using built-in utilities, there are times when you may need to format a drive from a USB boot. This method is especially useful when the computer’s internal operating system is inaccessible or when you need to format a drive that houses the OS itself. Booting from a USB drive to format a hard drive can also be a part of troubleshooting when you’re trying to recover or reinstall the system.

Prerequisites

Before starting the process, make sure you have the following:

A bootable USB drive: You will need a USB stick that contains bootable software. This could be a Windows installation media, a Linux live USB, or a recovery tool.

Access to your computer’s BIOS/UEFI: This is necessary to set your system to boot from the USB device.

A drive to format: This could be your system’s primary hard drive or an external drive. Ensure that you are prepared to lose all data on the drive.

A stable power supply: Formatting can take some time, and you do not want the computer to lose power in the middle of the process.

Preparing a Bootable USB Drive

Before you can format a drive, you need to ensure that you have a bootable USB drive. If you don’t already have one, here’s how to create it.

Step 1: Download the Necessary Files

Depending on the operating system or tool you plan to use, you’ll need to download the appropriate software:

For Windows, you can use the Windows Media Creation Tool to download the latest Windows ISO and make a bootable USB drive.

For Linux, you can use tools like Rufus or UNetbootin to create a bootable USB from a Linux ISO.

If you prefer to use a recovery tool, Hiren’s Boot CD or Ultimate Boot CD are excellent choices.

Step 2: Format the USB Drive

To ensure the USB is ready for the bootable files, format the USB drive first:

Plug in your USB stick to the computer.

Open File Explorer (Windows) or Disk Utility (Mac).

Select the USB drive, right-click it, and choose Format (Windows) or Erase (Mac).

Select the FAT32 file system (or exFAT for larger drives) and proceed with the formatting process.

Step 3: Create the Bootable USB

Using the software you downloaded, follow the steps to create a bootable USB. For example, with Rufus:

Launch Rufus and select your USB drive from the drop-down list.

Choose the ISO file you downloaded (Windows, Linux, or a recovery tool).

Make sure the partition scheme is set to GPT (for modern systems) or MBR (for legacy systems).

Click Start to create the bootable USB drive.

Booting from the USB Drive

Once you have your bootable USB ready, you need to configure your system to boot from it.

Step 1: Restart Your Computer

Shut down your computer and then restart it. As the computer powers on, you need to quickly access the BIOS/UEFI settings.

For most systems, pressing the F2. F10. Esc, or Del key during startup will open the BIOS menu.

If you are unsure which key to press, refer to your computer’s manual or look for a prompt during startup.

Step 2: Access the Boot Menu

Once in the BIOS/UEFI settings, look for a tab or option related to Boot or Boot Order.

In the Boot Order menu, set the USB drive as the first boot device.

Save the settings and exit the BIOS.

Step 3: Boot from the USB

Your computer should now boot from the USB device. You may see a loading screen from your selected tool (e.g., the Windows installation screen, a Linux desktop, or a recovery environment).

Formatting the Drive

Now that your system is running from the USB device, it’s time to format the target drive. The exact method will depend on the tool you’re using.

Option 1: Formatting with Windows Installation Media

If you are using a Windows installation media USB drive, follow these steps to format the drive:

Once Windows installation loads, choose your language and click Next.

Select Install Now (do not proceed with installation yet).

Accept the license terms and click Next.

When you reach the Where do you want to install Windows? screen, select the drive you want to format.

Click Drive options (advanced), then select Format.

Confirm the formatting operation. Be aware that this will delete all data on the drive.

Once the format is complete, you can choose to install Windows on the drive or close the setup if you’re done.

Option 2: Formatting with DiskPart (Windows)

If you’re using a bootable Windows USB but prefer to format the drive using DiskPart, follow these steps:

Boot into the Command Prompt from your USB drive. If you’re using Windows installation media, press Shift + F10 to open the command prompt.

Type the following command to open DiskPart:

bash

diskpart

Type list disk to display all connected drives.

Find the number of the drive you want to format (for example, Disk 0).

Select the drive using the following command:

bash

select disk 0

To clean the drive, type:

bash

clean

This command removes all partitions and data from the drive.

To create a new partition, type:

bash

create partition primary

Format the partition using the NTFS file system with the following command:

bash

format fs=ntfs quick

Once the format is complete, type:

bash

exit

and restart your computer.

Option 3: Formatting with Linux Live USB

If you’re using a Linux-based USB stick (such as Ubuntu), you can format the drive from within the Linux environment.

Once the Linux live environment is loaded, open GParted (a partition editor).

In GParted, select the drive you want to format from the drop-down menu at the top-right.

Right-click on the partition and select Delete to remove it.

Right-click on the unallocated space and select New to create a new partition.

Choose the file system format you want (ext4 for Linux, NTFS for Windows, or FAT32 for cross-platform).

Click Apply to confirm and execute the changes.

Finalizing the Process

Once you have formatted the drive, you may want to reinstall an operating system or transfer data back to it. If you were formatting to install a fresh version of Windows, you can now proceed with the installation. For Linux, you can choose to install the OS or use the drive as storage.

If you’re using the drive for backup purposes or as a secondary drive, you can start transferring files back to it. Ensure that you properly eject the USB stick before removing it from the computer to avoid corruption.

Common Troubleshooting Tips

Drive not showing up in BIOS/UEFI: Ensure that the USB stick is properly formatted and contains a bootable image. Double-check the boot order in BIOS.

Unable to format: If DiskPart or the formatting tool throws errors, it could indicate that the drive is physically damaged or locked. Try using a third-party tool like EaseUS Partition Master or MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Failed format due to write protection: Some drives, especially USB sticks, have physical write protection switches. Make sure this is turned off before attempting to format the drive.