Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command

How to "Clean" or "Clean All" a Disk with the Diskpart Command​

   Information

This will show you how to use the clean or clean all command on a selected disk to delete all of it's MBR or GPT partitions, volumes, and any hidden sector information on MBR disks is overwritten.

The data on the HDD is not written over using the clean command like it does with the clean all command below. With the clean command, the data on the HDD is only marked as being deleted instead and is only written over when new data is written/saved to the same location on the HDD next.

OR

You could use the clean all command (secure erase) to do the above and also have each and every disk sector on the HDD written over and zeroed out completely to securely delete all data on the disk to help prevent the data from being able to be recovered. "Clean All" takes about an hour per 320 GB to finish running.

   Note

• You cannot use the clean or clean all diskpart commands on a boot disk (ex: disk Windows is installed on) unless you do it from a command prompt at boot.

• Be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose on the disk that you use clean or clean all on first. It will be to late afterwards. All data will be permanently lost on the disk.

   Warning

You do not want to use clean all on a SSD disk often. Having every sector written over to 0 on a SSD can reduce it's life span faster.

Here's How:

1. In Windows 7, open an elevated command prompt, or a command prompt at boot.

OR

2. In Windows 8 and 8.1, open an elevated command prompt, or a command prompt at boot.

   Note

Be sure that you have the correct Disk #. You would not want to wipe clean the wrong disk.

A) Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type compmgmt.msc, and press Enter.

B) If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

C) Click/tap on Disk Management in the left pane, and make note of the disk # in the middle pane of the disk that you want to clean or clean all. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: For example, I would use Disk 1 if I wanted to use clean or clean all on my USB key drive.

3. In the elevated command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

4. In the elevated command prompt, type list disk and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will give you a list of disk numbers to select from.

5. In the elevated command prompt, type select disk # and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You would substitute # for the disk number listed that you want to use clean or clean all on. For example, I want to use one of them on Disk 1 (from step 1) for my USB key drive, so I would type select disk 1 and press Enter.

6. If the status of the selected disk # (ex: Disk 3) shows as Offline, type online disk, and press Enter to make it online. (see screenshot below)

7. Do either step 8 or 9 below for which command you would like to use.


8. To Use the Clean Diskpart Command
NOTE: (Recommended) See the green INFO box at the top of the tutorial for more information about this command. This command will wipe the HDD quickly.
A) In the elevated command prompt, type clean, press Enter, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will not take long to finish. Think of it as being like a quick format.

9. To Use the Clean All Diskpart Command
NOTE: See the green INFO box at the top of the tutorial for more information about this command. This command will wipe the HDD, and perform a secure erase. "Clean All" takes about an hour per 320 GB to finish running. It's best to only use this command if you wanted to help make sure that the data on the HDD cannot be recovered say when giving or selling the HDD to another person.
A) In the elevated command prompt, type clean all, and press Enter, and go to step 10 below. You will see the command prompt below as is until the "clean all" command is finished. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: This will take quite some time (several hours or more) to finish depending on how large the disk is since it is writing over each and every sector on it to zero. Think of it as being like a full or low level format.

10. When finished, in the elevated command prompt, type exit and press Enter. Close the elevated command prompt.

11. The disk will be left as unallocated space. (see screenshot below)

12. You will now need to create a new partition or volume on the disk to be able to use it again.



That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Shrink a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Create a New Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Extend a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Delete a Partition or Volume in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Convert a FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS in Windows 7
• How to Convert a MBR Disk to a GPT Disk
• How to Convert a GPT Disk to a MBR Disk
• How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk
• How to Convert a Dynamic Disk to a Basic Disk
• How to Quick Format a HDD or USB Drive
• How to Securely Wipe a Hard Disk with "Darik's Boot and Nuke"
• How to Overwrite Deleted Data using the "Cipher" Command in Windows

 

[whs]

Wolfgang states he runs Vmware portable so he can go from computer to computer. That is if I understand what I think I understand.
My question: How does this work when two different computers have completely different hardware and drivers, ect.
Now remember I'm a dummy that doesn't use his brain so be easy on me.

It does work because VMware shields you from the hardware specifics - try it you'll like it. And it can be done with any OS, not only Linux. I have a portable Win8 too. I do, however, recommend an external SSD - much more fun than a spinner.

Btw: My 60GB SSD cost $59.95 and my 32GB high speed USB3 stick cost $65 and was so slow that I gave up on it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/276540-portable-os-carry-your-os-external-drive.html

But if you want a portable Linux on a flash drive, I use a different approach. That works even with a USB2 stick - not super fast but acceptable. And it can come in handy.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/287439-emergency-kit-save-your-files-dead-os.html

 

[Brink]

Wolfgang states he runs Vmware portable so he can go from computer to computer. That is if I understand what I think I understand.
My question: How does this work when two different computers have completely different hardware and drivers, ect.
Now remember I'm a dummy that doesn't use his brain so be easy on me.

If you like, you might stick with just creating a virtual machine of Windows 8 with VMware Player on a computer instead. It will be much simpler and less likely prone to issues that a portable version.

VMware Player - Install Windows 8

 

[whs]

Wolfgang states he runs Vmware portable so he can go from computer to computer. That is if I understand what I think I understand.
My question: How does this work when two different computers have completely different hardware and drivers, ect.
Now remember I'm a dummy that doesn't use his brain so be easy on me.

If you like, you might stick with just creating a virtual machine of Windows 8 with VMware Player on a computer instead. It will be much simpler and less likely prone to issues that a portable version.

VMware Player - Install Windows 8

Right, that's what I recommend too. Create your virtual machine on your normal system. After all, it is only a folder that you find per default in Documents. Then, if you wish, you copy that folder to an external device and open it as virtual machine (connect to the .vmx subfolder) on any system where you have VMware installed. Very simple and straight forward.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thank you gentlemen.
I have a lot of space on a hard drive but I looking into another internal SSD. I have always had great reliability with Intel so I'm looking. Seem like Intel is still pricey.
I suppose the first thing I should look into and think about whether I want to put out the money for Windows 8.
Microsoft doesn't seem to know whether it's going to be pro
8.1 or 8.#?
No touch screen here, I sit across the room from the screen.
The last time I tried this when I downloaded VMware I got so much trash I didn't ask for it took me hours to remove all of the trash and search for more trash to make sure it was all gone. Then run all kinds of security scans.So I didn't get the VMware and just said the hell with it. I'm thinking.

 

[whs]

Download the VMware Player from Filehippo. That should be pretty clean.

Download VMware Player 5.0.2 - FileHippo.com

Regarding the SSDs - Intels are good. I have a couple myself since several years and they have never disappointed me.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thank you Wolfgang, Bookmarked.

 

[KOREA7]

Thanks Brink, should have seen this before going out and purchasing a NOT so friendly Scrubber!!

 

[Brink]

Thanks Brink, should have seen this before going out and purchasing a NOT so friendly Scrubber!!

You're welcome DJ. Glad it could help.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi Brink I've got a holiday project and was seeking advice on how to deal with this Manufactures partition,
Not at all sure what is on it did a re-install last holiday bat never really dealt with this I forget why I believe someone said leave it alone ?
I would of rather merged and reformatted the entire C drive and made it more simplistic,
View attachment 285502

View attachment 285503 View attachment 285504

View attachment 285505 View attachment 285506

 

[Brink]

Hey Mike,

Yeah, since you have plenty of free space on C:, you could wait until your ready to do a clean install next to delete all partitions on the disk during installation to then select the unallocated disk 0 to install to. That would be the easiest way.

Otherwise, you would need to use a free program like MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition or EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition to move or merge the unallocated space into C. This would still not be a perfect solution as above though.

Hope this helps some.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yes very helpful as I plan on reloading windows any way,
I did see the Merge and format option during the last go around and should of done it anyway I have a refresh install oem dish,
Not being very savvy at this type of thing I followed the bad advice given before by not doing it,
My first thought was to use this partition as a master system restore point like the manufacture does ?
Except the manufacture had vista sp1 and all of the junkware on it,
I wanted to put win-7 and sp1 which I believe the oem disk has on it,
Cheers.

 

[Brink]

Since your using OEM, you could use this below to do a clean install with instead if you like when ready without all the factory bloatware.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html

 

[ThrashZone]

Actually the disk doesn't have any of the manufactures stuff on it/ purely windows 7 sp1,
I'm likely leaning towards merging with C and then just loading the disk/ as your first suggestion was,

Yeah, since you have plenty of free space on C:, you could wait until your ready to do a clean install next to delete all partitions on the disk during installation to then select the unallocated disk 0 to install to. That would be the easiest way.

Then I can setup partitions one for shadow copies with macrim ? can't remember the exact name of it,
And one for personal files..
Which I put off that's why there is so much space on C everything is still on a external enclosure which I did partition with EaseUs
I just trying to verify which exact steps to take to accomplish the task on two machines this one 64 bit and another 32 bit,
This tutorial seems the correct process although it does differ from the last process I used,
I believe loading the oem disk and shut down,
Restart tapping the F12 key on the 64 bit or the F10 on a 32 bit system,
I believe this tutorial pretty much covers the process I'm looking for ?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[Brink]

Yeah, that will give you what you want as well.

 

[ThrashZone]

Although #8 Tips and note get me a little confused at that process ?

 

[Brink]

Although #8 Tips and note get me a little confused at that process ?

I'd recommend to follow the note to include the "System Reserved" partition by deleting all partitions on the disk until it's unallocated, then select the unallocated disk to install Windows on.

 

[SniperSA]

Thank you Brink very helpful article, followed it and it worked perfectly

 

[beardrinksbeer]

thank you Brink, once again your articles have helped me

 

[pragnesh89]

I have a 696gb hard drive
How long would it take clean all command to work? It's been nearly 4.5 hours.

 

[Brink]

Hello Pragnesh,

I don't have a specific time, but it could take quite some time to finish.