Summary: Formatting NVMe SSD on Windows is no different than formatting any other drive. You can access the Disk Management utility to do it. Command Prompt with DiskPart command can also get the work done.
NVMe (Non-volatile Memory Express) is the latest technology, offering greater storage, speed, and compatibility. Specially designed for flash and next-generation Solid-State Drives (SSDs), this transport protocol is getting popular for delivering faster response times and higher throughput for all enterprise workloads.
Gradually becoming the new industry standard, these NVMe SSDs are now being adopted by many Windows users. They are rapidly replacing the older storage models (HDDs and SSDs) using legacy drivers, such as AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface).
You need to format an NVMe SSD right after purchase or, while moving it from one system to another to ensure its compatibility with your system. However, multiple users are facing issues in formatting the NVMe SSDs on their system after installation. In some cases, the NVMe SSD is not showing in the Disk Management while other cases involve the matter of these drives becoming unbootable.
No need to worry though, as this guide talks about the right way to format NVMe SSD on a Windows system. However, before that, go through the to-do list given below.
What to do Before Formatting NVMe SSD?
Here, we list the essential things to take care of before formatting your NVMe SSD drive on the new systems. Those replacing their AHCI drives with NVMe SSDs can’t directly jump onto the methods to format the drive.
- Boot your system, and while it boots, access the BIOS menu using the F2, F12, Del, or ESC key, considering your brand.
- Now check if the PCIe device is set for the boot sequence. Save the changes and exit the menu.
- Turn off your system now, then insert the NMVe SSD in the M.2 slot. (From this to further steps, you’ll need to open your system, which should be done under an expert’s guidance. If any mistake occurs, your entire system will be at stake.)
- Next, connect the pins at a 30° angle and end down flush with the screw mount and fasten the screw.
- Turn on your system with the Windows OS bootable installation media and start the OS installation process.
- Follow the prompted steps and install the drive by confirming the capacity. Further, choose the SSD, select ‘New,’ and proceed with the default settings.
How to Format NVMe SSD?
Below, we’ve listed two ways to format the M.2 NVMe SSD on your Windows system. Make sure you carefully perform the methods to do it the right way.
1. Formatting NVMe SSD through Disk Management
Disk Management is a Windows built-in utility that allows you to Create, Shrink, Extend, or Delete a Hard Drive Partition. You can easily use it to format your NVMe SSD drive with the following steps:
- Go to the Start menu (Press Windows + X), and there, select Disk Management.
- Locate your SSD there, right-click on it, and select Format…
- On the next pop-up window, select the Volume label and File system. Additionally, select the Perform a quick format option and click OK to proceed.
- Once the process is completed, your SSD will be formatted.
2. Formatting NVMe SSD Through Command Prompt
Some users reported that they could not locate NVMe SSD in the Disk Management utility. If so, try to format the M.2 NVMe SSD using the DiskPart command in Command Prompt. Follow the below-mentioned steps:
- Open and run Command Prompt as administrator through Windows Search (Windows + S).· Type Diskpart in the elevated cmd window and hit Enter.
- Now, type list disk to see all the available drives in your system.
- Now, type, select disk 0, and hit Enter. (Replace 0 with your SSD drive number.)
- Afterward, type clean and press Enter.
Further, type the following commands and hit Enter after each one.
create primary partition
format fs=ntfs
assign letter=h
- You can assign any letter to your drive. However, it shouldn’t be the same consumed by other drive partitions (if any are connected to the system).
- On completion, your drive will be formatted.
- Finally, you can open the Disk Management utility to confirm the same.
| Read More – How to Use DiskPart and its Popular Commands? |
I mistakenly formatted my system hard drive before replacing it with NVMe SSD. Can I still recover data?
If you’ve mistakenly formatted your hard drive, worry not! Opt for professional data recovery software, such as Stellar Data Recovery Professional. It is a DIY software that thoroughly scans the drive sector-by-sector to search and find your data from formatted drives. However, if you opt for the Full Format option while formatting the drive, your data will be gone forever.
Wrapping up:
Formatting NVMe SSD can be easily performed through the Disk Management and Command Prompt utilities, as discussed in this blog. You only have to follow the steps carefully. Additionally, if you’re replacing your older drive with this new SSD, backup your older drive, and then proceed with the installation of a new one.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use NVMe SSD on my new computer?
If your motherboard has NVMe slots, only then proceed to install NVMe SSDs on your system. If the system only supports SATA SSDs, consider using an NVMe to SATA adapter to use NVMe SSDs on your system. However, it could limit the NVMe drive’s performance potential.
2. How do I format my SSD to a new computer?
You can format the NVMe SSDs in your new system using Disk Management or Command Prompt.
3. Should I use the Quick or Full Format option while formatting the new SSD?
If you want to format a new SSD, opt for the Full Format option. However, if your drive is already in use and doesn’t have many logical bad sectors, a Quick Format will be enough.
