Format-Volume
Formats one or more existing volumes or a new volume on an existing partition.
Syntax
Format-Volume
[-DriveLetter] <Char[]>
[-FileSystem <String>]
[-NewFileSystemLabel <String>]
[-AllocationUnitSize <UInt32>]
[-Full]
[-Force]
[-Compress]
[-ShortFileNameSupport <Boolean>]
[-SetIntegrityStreams <Boolean>]
[-UseLargeFRS]
[-DisableHeatGathering]
[-IsDAX <Boolean>]
[-DevDrive]
[-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-AsJob]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Format-Volume
-ObjectId <String[]>
[-FileSystem <String>]
[-NewFileSystemLabel <String>]
[-AllocationUnitSize <UInt32>]
[-Full]
[-Force]
[-Compress]
[-ShortFileNameSupport <Boolean>]
[-SetIntegrityStreams <Boolean>]
[-UseLargeFRS]
[-DisableHeatGathering]
[-IsDAX <Boolean>]
[-DevDrive]
[-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-AsJob]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Format-Volume
-Path <String[]>
[-FileSystem <String>]
[-NewFileSystemLabel <String>]
[-AllocationUnitSize <UInt32>]
[-Full]
[-Force]
[-Compress]
[-ShortFileNameSupport <Boolean>]
[-SetIntegrityStreams <Boolean>]
[-UseLargeFRS]
[-DisableHeatGathering]
[-IsDAX <Boolean>]
[-DevDrive]
[-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-AsJob]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Format-Volume
-FileSystemLabel <String[]>
[-FileSystem <String>]
[-NewFileSystemLabel <String>]
[-AllocationUnitSize <UInt32>]
[-Full]
[-Force]
[-Compress]
[-ShortFileNameSupport <Boolean>]
[-SetIntegrityStreams <Boolean>]
[-UseLargeFRS]
[-DisableHeatGathering]
[-IsDAX <Boolean>]
[-DevDrive]
[-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-AsJob]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Format-Volume
[-Partition <CimInstance>]
[-FileSystem <String>]
[-NewFileSystemLabel <String>]
[-AllocationUnitSize <UInt32>]
[-Full]
[-Force]
[-Compress]
[-ShortFileNameSupport <Boolean>]
[-SetIntegrityStreams <Boolean>]
[-UseLargeFRS]
[-DisableHeatGathering]
[-IsDAX <Boolean>]
[-DevDrive]
[-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-AsJob]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Format-Volume
-InputObject <CimInstance[]>
[-FileSystem <String>]
[-NewFileSystemLabel <String>]
[-AllocationUnitSize <UInt32>]
[-Full]
[-Force]
[-Compress]
[-ShortFileNameSupport <Boolean>]
[-SetIntegrityStreams <Boolean>]
[-UseLargeFRS]
[-DisableHeatGathering]
[-IsDAX <Boolean>]
[-DevDrive]
[-CimSession <CimSession[]>]
[-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
[-AsJob]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Format-Volume cmdlet formats one or more existing volumes, or a new volume on an existing partition. This cmdlet returns the object representing the volume that was just formatted, with all properties updated to reflect the format operation.
To create a new volume, use this cmdlet in conjunction with the Initialize-Disk and New-Partition cmdlets.
Examples
Example 1: Quick format
PS C:\>Format-Volume -DriveLetter D
This example performs a format of the D volume.
Example 2: Full format using FAT32
PS C:\>Format-Volume -DriveLetter D -FileSystem FAT32 -Full -Force
This example performs a full format of the D volume using the FAT32 file system.
Example 3: Format all D drives across a cluster
PS C:\> Get-Volume -DriveLetter D
DriveLetter FileSystemLabel FileSystem DriveType HealthStatus OperationalStatus SizeRemaining Size
----------- --------------- ---------- --------- ------------ ----------------- ------------- ----
D Server1 NTFS Fixed Healthy OK 126.76 GB 126.87 GB
D Server2 NTFS Fixed Healthy OK 126.76 GB 126.87 GB
PS C:\> Format-Volume -DriveLetter D
DriveLetter FileSystemLabel FileSystem DriveType HealthStatus OperationalStatus SizeRemaining Size
----------- --------------- ---------- --------- ------------ ----------------- ------------- ----
D NTFS Fixed Healthy OK 126.76 GB 126.87 GB
D NTFS Fixed Healthy OK 126.76 GB 126.87 GB
Be careful, if using this cmdlet on a Windows Cluster, it would format all drives returned by the Get-Volume cmdlet.
Example 4: Full format using NTFS and allocation size 8192
PS C:\> Format-Volume -DriveLetter D -FileSystem NTFS -AllocationUnitSize 8192
This example performs a full format of the D volume using the NTFS file system and allocation size 8192.
Parameters
-AllocationUnitSize
Specifies the allocation unit size to use when formatting the volume.
Type: | UInt32 |
Aliases: | ClusterSize |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-AsJob
Runs the cmdlet as a background job. Use this parameter to run commands that take a long time to complete.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-CimSession
Runs the cmdlet in a remote session or on a remote computer. Enter a computer name or a session object, such as the output of a New-CimSession or Get-CimSession cmdlet. The default is the current session on the local computer.
Type: | CimSession[] |
Aliases: | Session |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Compress
Enables compression on all files and folders created on the specified NTFS volume.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | cf |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-DevDrive
Formats the volume as a dev drive. A dev drive is optimized for performance of developer scenarios and gives administators control over what minifilters are attached to the volume.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-DisableHeatGathering
Indicates that the cmdlet does not gather file activity on the specified tiered volume. You can override file placement based on the desired storage tier. This parameter is only valid for tiered volumes.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-DriveLetter
Specifies the drive letter of the volume to format.
Type: | Char[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-FileSystem
Specifies the file system with which to format the volume. The acceptable values for this parameter are:NTFS, ReFS, exFAT, FAT32, and FAT.
Type: | String |
Accepted values: | FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-FileSystemLabel
Specifies the label to use for the volume.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Force
Specifies the override switch.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Full
Performs a full format. A full format writes to every sector of the disk, takes much longer to perform than the default (quick) format, and is not recommended on storage that is thinly provisioned.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-InputObject
Specifies the input object that is used in a pipeline command.
Type: | CimInstance[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-IsDAX
Formats a volume as a DirectAccess (DAX) volume.
DAX provides applications with direct access and byte-addressability options via memory mapping on storage class memory (SCM) devices, such as NVDIMM-N.
If you do not specify the IsDAX parameter, the cmdlet defaults to a regular, non-DAX volume.
Type: | Boolean |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-NewFileSystemLabel
Specifies a new label to use for the volume.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ObjectId
Specifies the ID of the volume to format.
Type: | String[] |
Aliases: | Id |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Partition
Specifies the partition object on which to create the new volume. Enter a Partition CIM object, which is exposed by the Get-Partition and New-Partition cmdlets.
Type: | CimInstance |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Path
Specifies the path of the volume to format.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-SetIntegrityStreams
Enables integrity streams on the volume to be formatted.
Type: | Boolean |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ShortFileNameSupport
Specifies that support for short file names should be enabled on this volume.
Type: | Boolean |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ThrottleLimit
Specifies the maximum number of concurrent operations that can be established to run the cmdlet.
If this parameter is omitted or a value of 0
is entered, then Windows PowerShell® calculates an optimum throttle limit for the cmdlet based on the number of CIM cmdlets that are running on the computer.
The throttle limit applies only to the current cmdlet, not to the session or to the computer.
Type: | Int32 |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-UseLargeFRS
Specifies that large File Record Segment (FRS) should be used.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
NOTE: The WhatIf switch does not work with this cmdlet.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | wi |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
You can use the pipeline operator to pass an MSFT_Volume object to the InputObject parameter.
You can use the pipeline operator to pass an MSFT_Partition object to the Partition parameter.
Outputs
This cmdlet returns an object that represents the newly formatted volume.
Notes
- Be careful, if using this cmdlet on a Windows Cluster, it would format all drives returned by the Get-Volume cmdlet.