Diskpart clean partition/usb/ssd and faqs

What does clean command do in diskpart?

Diskpart clean command is to delete disk partition table including the data. If it's an MBR disk, diskpart clean would set its first sector to be 0; if it‘s an gpt disk, diskpart would set its first and last 33 sectors all to be 0.

What does the diskpart command clean do? To make this simple, the diskpart clean command is to delete the information of how your hard drive forms, includes data stored on it. The computer will not be able to recognize its D drive, E, F or any drive including their data once you did a diskpart clean.

Cleaned wrong drive? Get help -> How do undo diskpart clean

When do we need to dispart clean? => To make it new again when the disk is not working properly if it's an old disk; to get started for new disk partition plan if it's a new disk.

Does diskpart clean erase data?

Yes! Diskpart clean command would erase all data including the disk partition table. However the erased files could be restored with a professional tool like iCare Recovery Pro. See guide: recover files after dispart clean

How to run diskpart clean and format

Diskpart clean is often combined with format command for storage drives like usb flash drive, external hard drive, ssd, sd card etc. Here are the steps if your drive or partition is damaged and you want to use diskpart clean and format to get it work.

Preparation: start cmd by Start -> Run, and type 'diskpart'

Insert your disk or usb drive or sd card to computer, and then follow the steps to use diskpart clean.

• type 'list disk'
• type 'select disk *' (replace * with the drive letter of the drive that you want to clean)
• type 'attributes disk clear readonly'
• type 'clean'
• type 'create partition primary'
• type 'format fs=fat32', or 'format fs=ntfs' or 'format fs=exfat' per your need

If you do not want to format your disk, you may omit the step 6. However it would be nessary if you want to use your disk/usb/memory card.

Diskpart clean vs clean all

What's the difference between diskpart clean and clean all?

Diskpart clean will just mark the data to be deleted, while diskpart clean all will erase every byte on your disk that takes much longer time to finish.

How long does diskpart clean all take if you did diskpart clean all ssd?

The diskpart clean all cmd would take about 40 minutes to an hour to finish cleanning a 250GB hard drive or ssd.

Diskpart clean alternative - diskpart clean not working

When diskpart clean does not work, here are two options free for you.

#1 - clean disk under disk management by delete it

Open disk management, delete the drive, and then create new one; or delete disk and then reload it and create new volume under disk management.

#2 - wipe disk with freeware IM-Magic Partition Resizer Free

If you want to wipe disk/ssd permanently, freeware IM-Magic Partition Resizer Free will work for you totally free and secure than diskpart clean all.

How to recover files from diskpart clean - undo diskpart clean

Files can be restored after diskpart clean command with special tool before you have saved new data on the cleaned hard drive or usb/sd.

Note: if you have already saved new data to the diskpart clean and formatted drive, some old files would be restored as corrupted files, which cannot open.

iCare Recovery Pro is free to recover files after diskpart clean and even format cmd. You may use it to retrieve files and undo diskpart clean.

Download iCare Recovery Pro Free

FAQs

What's the difference between dispart clean and diskpart clean all?

Answer: Diskpart clean will just mark the data to be deleted, while diskpart clean all will erase every byte on your disk that takes much longer time to finish.

Also read: how to delete files permanently from usb

Does diskpart clean format?

Answer: Diskpart clean won't do the job of format. The format diskpart cmd is 'format fs=ntfs quick' (suppose we want to convert disk ntfs file system.)

Is diskpart clean all secure?

Answer: yes, diskpart clean is safe to use. However you need to backup data to somewhere else before the diskpart clean command since clean would do the deleting files.

Dispart clean is not allowed on the disk, diskpart clean error

Answer: Sometimes when users use diskpart clean on a usb flash drive, it would report disk error: i/o device error etc. It means your flash drive or sd card or ssd is damaged. You may format it directly. If it cannot be formatted, the drive is damaged.

See solutions: cannot format hard drive Windows 10; usb repair tools;

Can I use diskpart clean usb, diskpart clean all ssd, diskpart clean partition; how do clean up a partition?

Answer: diskpart clean works for usb stick, ssd, hard disk partition, sd card etc. You may use diskpart clean or diskpart clean all when the clean all command is able to erase files sector by sectory. To clean up a partition, you may use diskpart clean command or use free tool IM-Magic Partition Resizer Free to wipe partition that files cannot be restored after the wipe partition.

Also read: how to delete files permanently from usb

How do I run diskpart clean to erase partition/usb/hdd/ssd/sd?

Answer: type list disk -> select disk * -> clean all

And your disk or usb/ssd would be erased.

Also read: diskpart format

Diskpart clean all recovery

Guide: if the disk was mistakenly cleaned by diskpart, the diskpart clean all recovery could not be performed. See detailed guide: how to undo diskpart clean all

• format fs=ntfs quick
• format fs=fat32 quick
• diskpart format sd
• diskpart format usb
• diskpart fix raw partition
• diskpart format disk
• diskpart clean
• diskpart create partition
• diskpart delete partition