How to use DiskPart to clean and format drive not working on Windows 10

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If a drive is causing problems on Windows 10, it could be a logical issue that can be fixed with a few commands.

DiskPart fix drive on Windows 10
DiskPart fix drive on Windows 10 (Image credit: Future)
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On Windows 10, you can use the DiskPart tool to resolve virtually any logical problem with a storage drive, and in this guide, I'll outline the steps that I typically use to fix most issues (such as data corruption or other logical problems) using DiskPart.

DiskPart is a command-line tool to manage drives, partitions, volumes, and virtual disks through Command Prompt. Usually, it works better than other tools like "Disk Management" and the "Format" feature available on File Explorer.

On Windows 10, you can have different partition styles, including Master Boot Record (MBR) and GUID Partition Table (GPT). The MBR is the legacy partition style for the standard Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). The GPT is a newer partition style, usually found in Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) computers. The difference between the two is that GPT is meant to replace MBR since it supports more than four partitions, and it's required on drives with more than 2TB of space. You typically want to use GPT, but MBR is also a good option for external storage. These instructions will help you use DiskPart on either partition style.

These steps will erase everything on the selected drive, and you cannot undo the changes. If the drive is still accessible, it's recommended to back up the data before proceeding. If multiple drives are connected to your device, disconnect them to avoid selecting the wrong one.

In this how-to guide, I will walk you through the steps to use DiskPart to clean and format a hard drive to fix data corruption and other problems on Windows 10.

How to fix drive (MBR) problems with DiskPart on Windows 10

To fix drive issues on Windows 10 with DiskPart, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  3. Type the following command to launch DiskPart and press Enter: diskpart
  4. Type the following command to list all the active drives and press Enter: list disk
  5. Type the following command to select the drive to clean and press Enter: select disk DISK-NUMBER

In the command, replace "DISK-NUMBER" with the drive number you want to repair as it appears in the "Disk" column. You could erase the wrong drive if you do not perform this step correctly. Proceed with caution.

  1. Type the following command to wipe out the drive and press Enter: clean

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
  1. Type the following command to confirm the drive is still selected, and press Enter: list disk
  • Quick note: The output should include an asterisk (*) next to the selected drive. If the correct storage is not specified, perform step 5 again.
  1. (Optional) Type the following command to convert the drive to an MBR partition style and press Enter: convert mbr
  • Quick note: This step is only required if the storage is configured as GPT, and you must use MBR partition style. If the partition is already MBR, you don't have to run the command, but running the command won't affect the process. You should be able to determine the partition type with the "list disk" command. If the drive doesn't have a GPT mark (*), it's an MBR partition.
  1. Type the following command to create a new partition and press Enter: create partition primary
  2. Type the following command to select the new primary partition and press Enter: select partition 1
  3. Type the following command to make the partition active and press Enter: active
  • Quick tip: You only have to set a partition as active when using MBR. You can determine if the drive uses an MBR or GPT partition style with the "list disk" command. If the partition has a mark in the GPT column, it's not an MBR partition. If you have to set up a GPT partition style, use the other steps (see below).

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
  1. Type the following command to format the partition using the NTFS file system, set a drive label, and press Enter: format fs=FILE-SYSTEM label=DRIVE-LABEL quick

In the command, replace "FILE-SYSTEM" with the name of the file system to use, such as "NTFS" or "FAT32," and replace "DRIVE-LABEL" with the name of the drive as you want it to appear on File Explorer. The "quick" option isn't required, but it will perform a format faster. However, it's best to skip the option if you are unsure about the drive's condition. The format could take a long time, depending on the hard drive's size. This example formats the drive using the NTFS file system and names the partition "myData": format fs=ntfs label=myData quick

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
  1. Type the following command to assign a letter and make the drive available on File Explorer, and press Enter: assign letter=DRIVE-LETTER

In the command, change "DRIVE-LETTER" for the letter to use on the drive, which is not assigned to another device. This example assigns the "G" letter: assign letter=g

  1. Type the following command to terminate DiskPart and press Enter: exit
  2. Type the following command to close Command Prompt and press Enter: exit

Once you complete the steps, if the drive does not have physical issues, it should be accessible again through File Explorer.

How to fix drive (GPT) problems with DiskPart on Windows 10

To use DiskPart to fix drive issues with GPT partition style, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  3. Type the following command to run DiskPart and press Enter: diskpart
  4. Type the following command to list all the active drives and press Enter: list disk
  5. Type the following command to select the drive you want to clean and press Enter: select disk DISK-NUMBER

In the command, replace "DISK-NUMBER" with the drive number to repair, as it appears in the "Disk" column.

  1. Type the following command to wipe out the drive and press Enter: clean

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
  1. Type the following command to confirm the drive is still selected and press Enter: list disk
  • Quick note: The output should include an asterisk (*) next to the selected drive. If the correct storage is not specified, repeat step 5 one more time.
  1. Type the following command to convert the partition style to GPT and press Enter: convert gpt
  2. Type the following command to create a new partition and press Enter: create partition primary
  3. Type the following command to select the new primary partition and press Enter: select partition 1
  1. Type the following command to format the partition with the NTFS file system, set a drive label, and press Enter: format fs=FILE-SYSTEM label=DRIVE-LABEL quick

In the command, replace "FILE-SYSTEM" with the name of the file system you want to use, such as "NTFS" or "FAT32," and replace "DRIVE-LABEL" with the name of the drive as you want it to appear on File Explorer. The quick option is optional to perform a format faster. However, if you are unsure about the drive's condition, it is best to skip the option. The format could take a long time, depending on the hard drive's size. This example formats the drive using the NTFS file system and names the partition "myData": format fs=ntfs label=myData quick

(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
  1. Type the following command to assign a letter and make the drive available on File Explorer, and press Enter: assign letter=DRIVE-LETTER

In the command, change "DRIVE-LETTER" for the letter to use on the drive, which is not assigned to another device. This example sets the "W" letter: assign letter=w

  1. Type the following command to terminate DiskPart and press Enter: exit
  2. Type the following command to close Command Prompt and press Enter: exit

After you complete the steps, the drive should be fixed with a GPT partition style and accessible from File Explorer.

More resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

Mauro Huculak
Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.