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MarksmanX

Can I format a NTFS primary Hard Drive?

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Hi guys,

 

I just want to know if I can format a primary NTFS ( C: ) drive? I know in Windows 2000 I can set allocation unit size to 4096 bytes in NTFS. Is there a command I can do in the command prompt that will do something like Format C:/s -bytes 4096 or something that will make my primary have 4096 allocation unit size? I was thinking of making my old 2.5 gig and make it primary and load windows 2000 on it and format my 20.5 gig. But that is taking more than 5 hours to do. Please is there any easier way to do this? Thanks smile

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C:\>help format

Formats a disk for use with Windows 2000.

 

FORMAT volume [/FS:file-system] [/V:label] [/Q] [/A:size] [/C] [/X]

 

FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/F:size]

 

FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/T:tracks /N:sectors]

 

FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/1] [/4]

 

FORMAT volume [/Q] [/1] [/4] [/8]

 

volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),

mount point, or volume name.

 

/FS:filesystem Specifies the type of the file system (FAT, FAT32, or NTFS).

 

/V:label Specifies the volume label.

 

/Q Performs a quick format.

 

/C Files created on the new volume will be compressed by

default.

 

/X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary. All opened

handles to the volume would no longer be valid.

 

/A:size Overrides the default allocation unit size. Default settings

are strongly recommended for general use.

 

NTFS supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K.

 

FAT supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,

(128K, 256K for sector size > 512 bytes).

FAT32 supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,

(128K, 256K for sector size > 512 bytes).

 

Note that the FAT and FAT32 files systems impose the

following restrictions on the number of clusters on a volume:

 

FAT: Number of clusters <= 65526

FAT32: 65526 < Number of clusters < 268435446

 

Format will immediately stop processing if it decides that

the above requirements cannot be met using the specified

cluster size.

 

NTFS compression is not supported for allocation unit sizes

above 4096.

/F:size Specifies the size of the floppy disk to format (160,

180, 320, 360, 640, 720, 1.2, 1.23, 1.44, 2.88, or 20.8).

/T:tracks Specifies the number of tracks per disk side.

/N:sectors Specifies the number of sectors per track.

/1 Formats a single side of a floppy disk.

/4 Formats a 5.25-inch 360K floppy disk in a

high-density drive.

/8 Formats eight sectors per track.

 

Cheers,

Steve

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