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I have read in many places that, since Windows Vista, the command line format command writes zeros in each sector of the disk (not for quick format).

Edit : https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/backup-and-storage/format-command-not-write-zeros-to-disk

But does the Disk Management tool (diskmgmt.msc) do that too?

I am using Windows 10, and I took for granted that Disk Management format zeroes the disks just like the command line format does, but now I have a doubt since I can't find a confirmation of that.

Thanks!

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    Reading what you have read will help provide you a better more informed answer.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 1, 2020 at 14:48
  • I added one of the links
    – dagn
    Dec 1, 2020 at 14:53

2 Answers 2

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But does the Disk Management tool (diskmgmt.msc) do that too?

Yes;

The linked article applies to all versions of Windows 10. The change to formatting a disk applies to all methods of formatting a disk with the built-in tools contained within Windows. This is the case since all four methods are running the same underline mechanic to format a disk.

  • Command line: Use the format /q command.

  • Diskpart: Use the format command together with the quick parameter.

  • Windows Explorer: Click to select the Perform a quick format check box.

  • Disk Management (Diskmgmt.msc): Click to select the Perform a quick format check box.

Source: Quick format option

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  • My english is not super good, but what I understood from the "Quick format option" section is that it states there is 4 ways to perform a quick format, but it does not explicitly state that all Windows 10 format methods are running the same underline mechanic to format a disk (although it would seem logical).
    – dagn
    Dec 1, 2020 at 15:24
  • @dagn - It doesn't have to explicitly state that is the case. The article is about quick format function in general and describes four methods to perform that task. It's implicitly implied.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 1, 2020 at 15:39
  • but my question is about regular/full format, not quick format
    – dagn
    Dec 1, 2020 at 19:56
  • @dagn - Yes; I see that now; The article still describes the changes made to how Windows will format a disk. The same mechanic is used no matter how you format the disk, the only different that will exist, is a full format vs quick format.
    – Ramhound
    Dec 1, 2020 at 20:54
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In both you have to specify if you want to do something other than a quick format. What I do when I need to overwrite all the data in a drive is a quick format, then run the command prompt command cipher w/ d: this will overwrite all of the empty space on a drive with zeros. If the drive is newly formatted, then it is all empty space. Must be run as admin though.

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