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How to Initialize and Format a Newly Installed Secondary Drive in Windows 10 - Micro Center
<main> <article class="userContent"> <p>You needed more storage space and so you've just installed a new secondary drive in your computer. But when you open file explorer, it's not there! Brand new drives that have never been installed in a computer before usually need to be initialized and formatted before you can save or install things on it. Fortunately, getting your new drive ready to use is quick and easy, just follow these steps:</p><p>1. Right-click the <strong>Windows</strong> icon (typically found at the lower left corner of your screen) and select <strong>Disk Management</strong>.</p><p> </p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/ky/lkoblr86vfg3.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/ky/lkoblr86vfg3.jpg" alt="lkoblr86vfg3.jpg" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p> 2. On the bottom half of the disk management window, locate what will be shown as an unknown disk or "Unallocated Space". Right-click the “Unknown Disk”/Unallocated Space and select <strong>Initialize Disk</strong>.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/gw/drbmlikvz7p9.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/gw/drbmlikvz7p9.png" alt="drbmlikvz7p9.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>3. Select the partition style. <strong>GPT</strong> is preferred for newer drives or drives larger than 2TB in size, then click <strong>Ok</strong>.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/l5/kwri6emcjpeh.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/l5/kwri6emcjpeh.png" alt="kwri6emcjpeh.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>4. Right-click the <strong>Unallocated Space</strong> and select the <strong>New Simple Volume</strong> option.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/ox/3birfhlp9544.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/ox/3birfhlp9544.png" alt="3birfhlp9544.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>5. Click the <strong>Next</strong> button on the New Simple Volume Wizard pop-up window.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/sb/d9a14nqeh6vr.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/sb/d9a14nqeh6vr.png" alt="d9a14nqeh6vr.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>6. You will be asked to <strong>Specify Volume Size</strong>. The default value is the maximum size and will format the entire disk as 1 partition. If you want to create multiple smaller partitions, change the <strong>Simple volume size in MB </strong>value. Then select <strong>Next.</strong></p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/8q/9qwtauh1byew.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/8q/9qwtauh1byew.png" alt="9qwtauh1byew.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>7. Use the <strong>Assign the following drive letter</strong> drop-down menu to select a letter for the new hard drive (you may choose any available letter) or leave the default letter assigned by Windows and click <strong>Next</strong>.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/mn/zlx7lz0qt3k0.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/mn/zlx7lz0qt3k0.png" alt="zlx7lz0qt3k0.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>8. Select <strong>NTFS</strong> under the <strong>File system</strong> drop-down menu</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/5y/nrgx3leepcbm.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/5y/nrgx3leepcbm.png" alt="nrgx3leepcbm.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>9. Select the <strong>Default</strong> option under the <strong>Allocation unit size</strong> drop-down menu</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/s5/38gopnc0fm4c.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/s5/38gopnc0fm4c.png" alt="38gopnc0fm4c.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p><br></p><p> </p><p>10. In the <strong>Volume label</strong> field, type a descriptive name for the drive, or you may leave it as the default option for the drive.</p><p> </p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/xc/w2t3ppk8ny9l.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/xc/w2t3ppk8ny9l.png" alt="w2t3ppk8ny9l.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>11. Check the <strong>Perform a quick format</strong> option.</p><p> </p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/dh/54hx0pjih8u6.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/dh/54hx0pjih8u6.png" alt="54hx0pjih8u6.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>12. Unless necessary, do <strong>NOT </strong>check the <strong>Enable file and folder compression</strong> option.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/sb/b98opwfj9awo.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/sb/b98opwfj9awo.png" alt="b98opwfj9awo.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>13. Click the <strong>Next</strong> button and then <strong>Finish </strong>on the next screen<strong> </strong>to complete this process.</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/pq/f8zkjh5a73ol.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/pq/f8zkjh5a73ol.png" alt="f8zkjh5a73ol.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><p>14. Your disk is now ready to use! You can view it in File Explorer and in Disk Management now:</p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/vm/3qytsvns6fog.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/vm/3qytsvns6fog.png" alt="3qytsvns6fog.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p></p><p><br></p><div class="embedExternal embedImage display-large float-none"> <div class="embedExternal-content"> <a class="embedImage-link" href="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/h3/es1ecn3gcd4b.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener ugc" target="_blank"> <img class="embedImage-img" src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6031942/uploads/editor/h3/es1ecn3gcd4b.png" alt="es1ecn3gcd4b.png" height="180" width="320" loading="lazy" data-display-size="large" data-float="none" data-type="unknown" data-embed-type="image"></img></a> </div> </div> <p><br></p> </article> </main>
