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For some reasons, you may need to format an SSD with Windows installed. When you search for the detailed steps online, you will find many questions like "how to format SSD with Windows on it". Here is a common scenario of formatting an SSD with Windows:
Before we get into how to do it, let's first establish whether you can format an SSD with Windows on it.
Can I format an SSD that has Windows on it?
You can format an SSD with the Windows operating system, but you cannot do so using the built-in Windows tools.
Windows offers three ways to format an SSD: via Disk Management, Diskpart, and CMD. However, if you try to format the SSD with Windows installed on it using Disk Management, you may receive the error message: "You cannot format this volume."
If your SSD has Windows installed on it, you'll need to boot from it in order to format it. Formatting the SSD that has Windows on it will delete the operating system, which means you won't be able to boot your computer. As such, the Windows formatting tool won't let you format the Windows SSD from within Windows.
Since the built-in tool of Windows cannot format the SSD where Windows is installed, how can we format C drive then? Don't worry. You can use a professional formatting tool - AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. It can help you solve this problem easily.
How do I format an SSD with Windows installed on it?
AOMEI Partition Assistant is a professional SSD formatter. You can use it to create a bootable disk, and then easily format the SSD with the operating system. The tool has a simple interface that's perfect for beginners, so download it and follow the steps below to format your SSD with Windows.
Guided creation of bootable media
You need to create a bootable disk first to access the drive outside of your current operating system. Only then can you format the SSD with Windows.
Step 1. To create a bootable Partition Wizard disk, you will need a storage medium such as a USB drive, flash drive, or a CD/DVD disc. Connect the drive to your computer properly.
Step 2: Launch Partition Master, find “Bootable Media” on the left side and click it.
Step 3: If you have a drive available, you can choose USB or CD/DVD. However, if no media is available, you can also save the ISO to your local drive and burn it to media later. Click the "Create" button to start after making your selection.
- • Read the warning and click Yes.
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When the process is over, you will see a pop-up asking you if you want to reboot your computer from the bootable USB.
- Restart Now: You want to restart your computer now and boot from the installation media, so you can manage partitions without an operating system.
- Finish: You don't want to restart your current computer, but instead use the startup USB drive on a different computer.
Note: To boot from the USB disk on a new computer, you will need to restart the target computer and press F2/F8/Del to enter the BIOS, where you can set the USB boot disk as the first boot device.
Wait patiently as your computer boots from the USB boot media and loads the WinPE tool desktop automatically.
Guide 2: Booting from a bootable USB
After creating the Partition Master WinPE bootable disk, you can use it to manage your SSD.
Step 1: Restart your computer and press "F2," "F8," or "Delete" to enter BIOS.
Step 2: Boot from the USB drive: Once in BIOS, you'll need to set your computer to boot from the USB drive so you can format the SSD with Windows.
Guide 3: Formatting an SSD with Windows OS
After restarting, you will be operating in the formatted system created by the Partition Master tool. Here, you can easily format your SSD using Windows.
We have two options for clearing your data. Please choose the one you need.
Option 1: Erase the partition
- - Right-click on the partition you want to wipe and select "Erase."
- In the new window, set the time for erasing the partition, then click "OK."
- Click the "Execute 1 Task" button in the bottom right corner to review your changes, then click "Apply."
Option 2: Wipe the disk
- Select HDD/SSD, then right-click and choose "Erase Disk."
Set the number of times you want to overwrite the data (up to 10 times). Then click "OK."
Click "Perform 1 Task" and then click "Apply."
That's it for the simple steps to format an SSD with Windows. Tools like Partition Master can help you do this safely and efficiently. However, if you want to try more advanced methods, such as formatting the C drive via a Windows installation disk or System Repair CD, click on the links below for more details.
How to Format C Drive in Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7?
When you decide to format the C drive, everything will be removed, including the operating system. You cannot perform a quick format on the C drive like other non-system drives, but we can guide you through a special method from start to finish.
What else can AOMEI Partition Assistant do?
In addition to formatting an SSD with an operating system, the Partition Master tool has many other SSD-related features:
- Format SSD to FAT32
- Remove write protection to format SSD
- Clone larger HDD to smaller SSD
- Check disk and fix bad sectors on SSD
- Format Windows 10 hard drive from BIOS
"Partition Master is an all-in-one disk management tool that can be your handy assistant in managing disks."
Conclusion
After reading this post, you'll know how to format an SSD card with Windows on it. You cannot format an SSD card with Windows on it using Disk Management. But you can rely on a reliable tool – AOMEI Partition Assistant.
It can help you create bootable media and easily format an SSD card with Windows. It also has other features to help you manage your disks better.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Format SSD Card on Windows
There are some common questions about how to format an SSD with Windows on it. Read on if you're interested.
1. How to Format an SSD Card That Windows Can't Format?
You need to figure out why Windows is unable to format the SSD card and address those issues. One reason could be that there's an operating system on your SSD, which prevents formatting. You can use the Partition Master tool to create a bootable media and then successfully format the SSD card with the Windows operating system.
2. Can I format an SSD that has an operating system on it?
Of course, you can format an SSD with an operating system. However, you cannot format an SSD with the built-in Windows tools like Disk Management, File Explorer, and CMD, because Windows won't let you delete the operating system. You'll need a third-party tool: Partition Master. With this tool, you can create a bootable media and then format the SSD.
3. Will formatting SSD delete Windows?
Yes, formatting the SSD will also remove Windows. All sectors will be erased, and you'll need to reinstall Windows. So, make sure to back up your SSD before formatting it.