格式化硬盘驱动器和外部硬盘驱动器通常是一个相当简单的过程。两个最流行的操作系统，Windows 和 Mac OS(Windows and Mac OS)都内置了格式化实用程序，这使得格式化外部驱动器更加方便。但是，由于硬盘驱动器可能存在所有不同的驱动器制造商、接口以及其他兼容性和格式化问题，有时最好的选择是使用专业格式化(specialty formatting) 应用程序和实用程序(apps and utilities)。
上图所示的Windows 磁盘管理功能(Windows Disk Management function)允许Windows用户简单地格式化和分区外部驱动器。但是，有时它根本不能很好地工作。例如，实用程序可能无法识别您尝试选择进行格式化的驱动器，或者它可能显示为灰色且不可单击。
如果您无法使用Microsoft 和 Apple(Microsoft and Apple)提供的内置应用程序正确格式化或分区硬盘驱动器，那么您的下一步可能是尝试使用命令行(command line)直接格式化驱动器。如果您习惯使用命令行(command line)，那么您可能需要查看我们的指南，了解如何将外部硬盘驱动器格式化为FAT32。
此外，您的计算机可能无法识别外部硬盘驱动器(drive whatsoever)。如果发生这种情况，本指南可能会有用。
在硬盘驱动器根本没有格式化、分区等的情况下，您可能需要考虑使用专业的硬盘驱动器格式化实用程序，这通常会使事情变得更简单。在许多情况下，这些实用程序通常比Windows 和 OS X 提供(Windows and OS X offer)的内置选项更有效。
易我分区大师家庭版(EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition)
如果您需要管理分区、复制分区甚至创建启动盘，EaseUS Partition Master 免费版(EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition)是一款出色的实用程序，可以处理所有这些以及更多。
目前是许多网站上排名最高的硬盘实用程序之一，这个轻量级的Windows 应用程序(Windows app)比内置的Windows 磁盘管理功能(Windows Disk Management function)更直观，提供了几个额外的选项和功能。
您可以调整分区大小或移动分区、合并分区、检查分区、擦除分区、格式化分区和更改标签。如果您需要执行一些更高级的任务，例如转换分区或克隆(partition or clone)它，则必须升级到付费版本。
MiniTool 分区向导(MiniTool Partition Wizard)
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free是一个免费的磁盘分区(disk partitioning)和格式化实用程序，使用简单且有效。界面非常简单，该软件非常擅长简化复杂的格式化选项。
它支持 Windows 10，几乎所有文件系统(file system)格式、UEFI 和 EFI 启动(UEFI and EFI boot)、MBR 和 GPT 磁盘(MBR and GPT disks)、RAID 存储(RAID storage)和SSD(SSDs)。您可以使用它来扩展系统分区(system partition)、将操作系统从标准HDD迁移到SSD、转换文件系统(file system)等等。
Paragon 分区管理器免费(Paragon Partition Manager Free)
Paragon Partition Manager free 是另一个很棒的小实用程序，它支持 Windows 10 并具有很多功能。它有四个基本功能：备份和恢复(backup and recovery)、分区管理器(partition manager)、磁盘擦除器和驱动器复制(disk wiper and drive copy)。
我喜欢Paragon的地方是软件中的每个功能都有自己的向导。对于那些对进行此类更改感到不舒服的人，该软件可以很好地帮助您完成整个过程。他们还有一个付费版本，支持更多功能并适用于更大的驱动器。
傲梅分区助手(AOMEI Partition Assistant)
最后推荐的分区管理器(partition manager)是傲梅分区助手(AOMEI Partition Assistant)。它几乎具有与上述其他程序相同的所有功能，并且还具有免费软件版本。
它还定期更新并支持 Windows 10。一些选项将在免费版本中提供，而其他选项则需要付费版本。对于上面提到的所有程序都是如此。如果您只需要执行一次性任务并且一个程序不(program doesn)适合您，我建议您在购买之前尝试另一个程序。
HP 磁盘存储格式实用程序(HP Disk Storage Format Utility)
虽然此列表中(list focus)的其他软件专门针对外部硬盘格式化(drive formatting)，但HP Disk Storage Formatter专门针对USB设备，例如闪存驱动器。这个超简单的格式化实用程序只有几个选项，但它很有效，并获得了一些好评。
总体而言， Windows 和 OS X(Windows and OS X)提供的格式化实用程序将格式化硬盘，但在某些情况下，它们可能无法正确格式化硬盘。下一个选项是使用command line，但这更复杂，并不适合所有人。使用本文中介绍的各种硬盘格式化(drive formatting)和分区实用程序，您应该可以毫无问题地正确格式化硬盘甚至USB闪存驱动器。享受！
5 Hard Drive Formatting and Partitioning Utilities
Formatting hard drives and external hard drives is uѕually a fairly ѕtraightforward process. Thе two most popular operating systems, Windows and Mac OS both have formatting utilities built-in, which makes fоrmatting external drives even more convenient. However, with all of the different drive manufacturers, іnterfaces and other compatibility and fоrmatting issues that hard drives can have, sometimes the best choice is to use specialty formatting apps and utilities.
The Windows Disk Management function, pictured above, allows Windows users to simply format and partition external drives. However, there are times when it simply doesn’t work very well. For example, the drive that you are trying to select for formatting may not be recognized by the utility, or it may be greyed out and not clickable.
If you are unable to get a hard drive formatted or partitioned correctly using the built-in apps that are offered by Microsoft and Apple, then your next step may be to try and format the drive directly, using command line. If you’re comfortable using command line, then you may want to check out our guide on how to format external hard drives to FAT32.
Additionally, your computer may not recognize the external hard drive whatsoever. If this is happening, this guide may be useful.
In those cases where a hard drive is simply not formatting, partitioning, etc., you may want to consider using a specialty hard drive formatting utility, which will often times make things simpler. In many cases, these utilities are often more effective than the built-in options that Windows and OS X offer as well.
If you need to manage partitions, copy partitions or even create boot disks, EaseUS Partition Master Free Edition is an excellent utility that can handle all of that and more.
Currently one of the highest ranked hard drive utilities on many websites, this lightweight Windows app is a bit more intuitive than the built-in Windows Disk Management function, offering several additional options and features.
You can resize or move partitions, merge partitions, check partitions, wipe partitions, format partitions and change the label. If you need to perform some more advanced tasks like convert the partition or clone it, you’ll have to upgrade to the paid version.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free is a freeware disk partitioning and formatting utility that is simple to use and effective. The interface is quite straightforward and the software is excellent at making complex formatting options simple.
It supports Windows 10, just about all file system formats, UEFI and EFI boot, MBR and GPT disks, RAID storage, and SSDs. You can use it to extend your system partition, migrate your OS from a standard HDD to a SSD, convert file system, and lots more.
Paragon Partition Manager free is another great little utility that supports Windows 10 and has a lot of features. It’s four basic functions: backup and recovery, partition manager, disk wiper and drive copy.
What I like about Paragon is that the each function in the software has its own wizard. For those who are uncomfortable with making these kinds of changes, the software does a good job of easing you through the process. They also have a paid version that supports more features and works on bigger drives.
The last recommended partition manager is AOMEI Partition Assistant. It’s pretty much got all the same features as the other programs mentioned above and it also has a freeware version.
It’s also regularly updated and supports Windows 10. Some options will be available in the free version while others will require the paid version. This is true for all of the programs mentioned above. If you only need to perform a one-time task and one program doesn’t work for you, I suggest trying another one before making any purchase.
While the other software on this list focus specifically on external hard drive formatting, the HP Disk Storage Formatter specializes in USB devices such as flash drives. This ultra simple formatting utility has just a few options, but it is effective and has received some great reviews.
Overall, the formatting utilities that are offered by Windows and OS X will format hard drives, but there may be cases when they will fail to format a hard drive correctly. The next option is to use command line, but that’s more complex and not for everyone. Using the variety of hard drive formatting and partitioning utilities featured in this post, you should have no problems getting hard drives or even USB flash drives formatted correctly. Enjoy!
