how to format hard drive windows 7 from boot

Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. % of people told us that this article helped them. When formatting the drive, you can choose. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If, however, you need to securely erase the data from a drive—say you’re tossing the drive or giving it away—consider a third-party tool like Eraser or DBan. But if formatting is all you want to do, there’s an easier way. Join 250,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, comics, trivia, reviews, and more. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. RELATED: What is the Difference Between a Quick and Full Format? DiskGenius is a versatile tool that can help you format partition, wipe hard drive, wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Will my computer boot normally when the hard drive is not connected? But you occasionally might need to format one yourself. In some cases, the key legend will be at the bottom of the screen instead. This article has been viewed 174,554 times. Right-click any drive in File Explorer, and then click the “Format” option. But you occasionally might need to format one yourself. Since we launched in 2006, our articles have been read more than 1 billion times. How to Export Your Google Keep Notes and Attachments, How to Keep Low Power Mode Enabled Permanently on Your iPhone, How to Uninstall Apps and Games on Google TV, How to Use a Real GameCube Controller or Wiimote in Dolphin, © 2020 LifeSavvy Media. By using our site, you agree to our. Formatting will erase any data that's already on the drive. When you format your hard drive, you can clean internal as well as external storage media. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 174,554 times. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you already have an operating system installed and set up on the external hard drive, confirming your hard drive selection will open the operating system. However, no matter what I try (which I will outline below), when I get to the part where it tries to load up the first time, it is still Pro-N and my Pro Product key isn't valid. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Boot-from-an-External-Hard-Drive-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Boot-from-an-External-Hard-Drive-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Boot-from-an-External-Hard-Drive-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5825779-v4-728px-Boot-from-an-External-Hard-Drive-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":258,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"409","licensing":"