How to Format a Secondary Drive

Formatting a drive will delete all of the data on it and create a new file system. You'll need to format a drive in order to install Windows on it, or to start using it if you're installing an extra drive. You can format a drive to quickly erase all of the data on it. You can also shrink existing drives and format the remaining free space to create a second drive on your computer. If you are disposing your computer, you can use special tools to securely erase all of your data.
1-Open the Disk Management utility. When you connect a new external drive or install a new internal hard drive, you'll need to format it before it appears in Windows Explorer. You can do this using the Disk Management utility.
2-Partition the new drive (if prompted). If you're opening Disk Management for the first time after installing a new drive, you'll likely be prompted to initialize the disk. Don't worry if this window doesn't appear.
3-Select the drive you want to format. All of your drives and partitions will be listed in Disk Management. If you've just installed a new drive, it will likely be on its own row with the "Unallocated" label. Expand the "Status" column to see more details about each partition.
4-Create a partition (if necessary). If the drive is Unallocated, you will need to right-click on it and select "New Simple Volume". Follow the prompts to create a partition out of the Unallocated space.
5-Right-click on the drive or partition and select "Format". This will open the Format window.
6-Set your formatting options. You can give the drive a new name (Volume label), as well as choose its file system. For Windows, select "NTFS" as the file system for maximum compatibility. You can choose whether or not you want to perform a quick format. Only uncheck this option if you are worried that your drive is damaged.
7-Wait for the format to complete. Click the Format button once you are satisfied with your settings. The formatting process may take a few minutes. Once the formatting is complete, you can use the drive to store files and install programs to it.
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