# DiskPart Tutorial — Windows Disk & Volume Management

#   


DiskPart is a low-level command-line tool used to manage disks, partitions, and volumes. It is commonly used in recovery environments, server troubleshooting, and OS deployment.

⚠ **Warning:** DiskPart can permanently destroy data. Always confirm disk numbers before making changes.

---

## When to Use DiskPart

- Windows won’t boot
- Disk or volume not visible
- Partition repair or cleanup
- Formatting drives
- Preparing disks for OS install
- Checking RAID / NVMe detection

---

## Launching DiskPart

```
diskpart
```

You’ll see:

```
DISKPART>
```

---

## Basic Navigation Commands

### List all disks

```
list disk
```

Shows all physical disks detected by the system.

### Select a disk

```
select disk 0
```

Replace `0` with the correct disk number.

### View disk details

```
detail disk
```

---

## Working with Volumes

### List volumes

```
list volume
```

Displays partitions and drive letters.

### Select a volume

```
select volume 2
```

### View volume details

```
detail volume
```

---

## Assign or Change Drive Letter

```
assign letter=D
```

Useful when Windows Recovery doesn’t mount drives correctly.

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## Rescan Storage Devices

```
rescan
```

Forces DiskPart to re-detect disks. Useful after loading drivers.

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## Clear Read-Only Disk State

```
attributes disk clear readonly
```

Fixes disks stuck in read-only mode.

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## Create New Partition (Dangerous)

⚠ Erases existing partition layout.

```
clean
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
```

Only use when preparing a disk for fresh installation.

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## Repair Scenario — Disk Visible but No Volume

1. Run `list disk`
2. Select disk
3. Run `detail disk`
4. Run `rescan`
5. Check volumes again

If volumes still missing, partition table may be corrupted. Stop and switch to recovery tools.

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## Exit DiskPart

```
exit
```

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## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- Running `clean` on wrong disk
- Formatting system disk accidentally
- Assuming disk numbers are same as BIOS
- Ignoring read-only attributes
- Writing new partitions before recovery attempt

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## Recovery Best Practice

- Always document disk numbers first
- Never modify disk until data is backed up
- Use read-only inspection before repair
- If unsure — stop and escalate

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## Summary

- DiskPart is powerful and dangerous
- Use it for inspection first, repair second
- Always confirm disk identity
- Never rush destructive commands

DiskPart is a surgical tool — treat it like one.