You can perform the necessary disk preparation using the Microsoft diskpart utility, or an alternative tool of your choice. Preparation includes partitioning and formatting the hard disk, or removing an existing operating system or files.

This article describes the necessary preparation and how to perform it.īefore an image is applied or an unattended installation is started on a computer using the ManageSoft Windows Deployment imaging agent, the hard disk may require preparation. Windows Explorer: Click to select the Perform a quick format check box.ĭisk Management (Diskmgmt.msc): Click to select the Perform a quick format check box.You may need to prepare the hard drive of a computer on which an unattended installation is to be performed, or on which an image is to be applied. You can use the quick format option for these four methods:ĭiskpart: Use the format command together with the quick parameter.

You can use four methods to format a volume in Windows Vista and later versions. To avoid causing unnecessary on-demand-allocation, you must use the quick format option. In the on-demand scenario, zeros don't have to be written to the whole disk because the volume storage provider initializes the on-demand-allocated data. Problems may occur because the new format behavior prematurely triggers allocation of the backing space.

The new format behavior may cause problems for the on-demand allocation modes that a volume storage provider, such as a Storage Area Network (SAN), supports. In Windows XP and earlier versions of Windows, the format command doesn't write zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed. By default in Windows Vista and later versions, the format command writes zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed. The behavior of the format command changed in Windows Vista and later Windows versions. This article discusses a change in the behavior of the format command in Windows Vista and later Windows versions.Īpplies to: Windows Server 2012 R2, Window 10 – all editions Original KB number: 941961 Introduction

Format quick diskpart