Simple tool to quick format NTFS?

[Brad Navarro]

Hi,

I need to re-install Windows 2000 server on a machine, and I need to
wipe the hard disk before doing so. Unfortunately, the disk is rather
large, and I don't want to have wait around for a "full format" of the disk,
which is unfortunately all that Windows 2000 setup allows you to do.

Does anybody know of a simple DOS (Linux?) utility that can be booted
from a floppy or CD that will allow me to "quick format" an NTFS disk? I
know that MaxBlast has this capability; unfortunately, they have crippled
their software so that it will only operate on a HD that apparantly returns
a Maxtor "vendor id", and I have a Western Digital HD :-( I saw no similar
utility on the WD website.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Brown - Process Manager]

Hi,

I need to re-install Windows 2000 server on a machine, and I need to
wipe the hard disk before doing so. Unfortunately, the disk is rather
large, and I don't want to have wait around for a "full format" of the disk,
which is unfortunately all that Windows 2000 setup allows you to do.

Does anybody know of a simple DOS (Linux?) utility that can be booted
from a floppy or CD that will allow me to "quick format" an NTFS disk? I
know that MaxBlast has this capability; unfortunately, they have crippled
their software so that it will only operate on a HD that apparantly returns
a Maxtor "vendor id", and I have a Western Digital HD :-( I saw no similar
utility on the WD website.

GDISK

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...8825666500653172?OpenDocument&src=bar_sch_nam

 

[Sz. Csetey]

Hi,

I need to re-install Windows 2000 server on a machine, and I need to
wipe the hard disk before doing so. Unfortunately, the disk is rather
large, and I don't want to have wait around for a "full format" of the disk,
which is unfortunately all that Windows 2000 setup allows you to do.

Does anybody know of a simple DOS (Linux?) utility that can be booted
from a floppy or CD that will allow me to "quick format" an NTFS disk?

The Linux ntfsprogs includes mkntfs and that can quick format (option
-Q).
A lot of live floppy, CD, DVD, USB pen Linux distro includes it. Just
download one of them, burn or copy it to your prefered media then boot
from it. My favourite is SystemRescueCD, lots of cool tool and it's
always very up-to-date: http://www.sysresccd.org/