Windows 7: Create volume or partition?

when I'm formatting a HDD that is completely clean (no partitions or volumes) should I create a partition or some kind of volume to format the drive, which will format the whole drive, I don't know which one to go with.

If partition, what kind, primary extended etc.

If volume, what kind of volume RAID, stripe etc

Whats going on said hard drive? What are you going to use it for? Do you know what RAID is and why you might want to use it?

it's just a HDD, I'll be doing it to a usb aswell

I know its just a HDD. Quick answer, just go with what windows recommends.

If its just a secondary drive you should end up with just one primary partition. If you are installing windows to it you will also end up with a system reserved partition. To use RAID you need to setup an array of two or more drives.

Oh I just meant like know when you have a HDD with nothing on it, and you first need to format it

so you would do
Create partition
select partition __
format

I was just wondering at the "create partition" step, if you would do create volume instead if it was more effective to format the entire drive

It just depends on whether you want to partition it or not. Like I said originally, it depends on what you plan to do with the drive. I have some PC's with only one hard drive. I chose to split the drive up into two partitions so I could put my documents and pictures etc on the second partition. That way I don't loose them when I have to re-install Windows.

To partition & format for OS install take a look here:
SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation
Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install

To partition & format for a 2rd HD Drive take a look here:
Partition or Volume - Create New

i dont want to partion it, should i just create a volume then?

create a volume or create a primary partition? before i format it

Just follow the tutorial that theog gave you.

You will need a primary partition on your hard drive before you can install Windows.

As you only want a single partition, creating a volume won't concern you. A volume is a logical partition created in an extended primary partition.

The drive can have three primary partitions and a fourth extended partition for any logical volumes you want to create.

thank you very much