Can I Format the System Partition? How to Fix System Partition is Not Allowed to Be Formatted

This article is about one error message that would appear when users want to format the system partition - system partition is not allowed to be formatted. If you have encountered this problem, read this article to try to solve the problem.

Overview of System Partition

The system partition contains boot files such as BCD, bootmgr, and boot.ini, as well as the area where the Windows operating system is installed. Formatting can delete all of the files on a partition and establish a new file system. However, your machine will not boot if the system partition is formatted. As a result, while Windows is running, users are unable to format or harm the system drive. Therefore, a user's screen can sometimes prompt, "system partition is not allowed to be formatted."

You might wonder if there is a way to format the system partition? Yes, you can format system partitions while Windows is not working, for example, in WinPE or on other PCs. After attaching the system disc to another computer as a secondary drive, you'll be able to format it effortlessly. If unplugging and plugging hard discs is inconvenient for you, try the ways below to finish the formatting operation.

Method 1. Format System Partition With EaseUS Partition Master

The efficient format tool – EaseUS Partition Master Professional – makes formatting a hard drive partition simple. It is a partition manager designed for users to better manage their hard drives and partitions. It can not only format partitions according to your needs, but can also let you create, resize, transfer, combine, and clone partitions.

To format the system partition, you need to first create a bootable disk, boot your computer from the created disk, then format the system partition. The following process may help you format the system partition. Read further to know more.

1. Create a Windows Bootable Media with EaseUS Partition Master

Step 1. To create a bootable disk of EaseUS Partition Master, you should prepare a storage media, like a USB drive, flash drive or a CD/DVD disc. Then, correctly connect the drive to your computer.

Step 2. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, and find the "Bootable Media" feature on the left. Click on it.

Step 3. You can choose the USB or CD/DVD when the drive is available. However, if you do not have a storage device at hand, you can also save the ISO file to a local drive, and later burn it to a storage media. Once made the option, click the "Create" button to begin.

• Check the Warning message and click "Yes".

Step 4. When the process finishes, you'll see a pop up window, asking if you want to restart computer from the bootable USB.

• Reboot Now: it means you want to restart the current PC and enter EaseUS Bootable Media to manage your disk partitions without OS.
• Done: it means you don't want to restart the current PC but to use the bootable USB on a new PC.

Note: To use the bootable disk on a new PC, you need to resart the target computer and press F2/F8/Del key to enter BIOS, and set the USB bootable disk as the first boot disk.

Wait patitiently and your computer will automatically boot up from the USB bootable media and enter EaseUS WinPE desktop.

2. Boot the Computer from the Bootable Media

Step 1. Restart your computer and long-press the F2 (depending on the computer you use, it could be F2, F8, or Delete ...) to enter BIOS.

Step 2. In BIOS, set to boot the computer from the bootable USB/CD/DVD.

3. Format System C Drive Using EaseUS Partition Master

After the startup, your computer will boot into a system with EaseUS Partition Master installed. Now your computer is using another operating system with formatting abilities. You can format the system partition now.

Step 1. Right-click the hard drive partition and choose the "Format" option.

Step 2. In the new window, set the Partition label, File system, and Cluster size for the partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. You can see a warning window, click "Yes" to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button, then click "Apply" to start formatting the hard drive partition.

Method 2. Format System Partition Using Windows Installation Disc

This approach is a convenient way to format the C drive. You can format C drive using the installation disc for Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista. The steps to format the C drive are as follows:

Step 1. Insert the Windows Installation Disc and start the computer. Follow the instructions after inserting the CD into the optical hard drive.

Step 2. Click "Next" after selecting the language you want to use.

Step 3. Select "Install Now" and wait for it to complete. It isn't the same as installing the Windows operating system.

Step 4. Select "Next" after accepting the terms and conditions.

Step 5. Select Custom (advanced) from the drop-down menu. You'll get a list of all the drives that are currently installed. Next, select "Drive settings (advanced)" from the drop-down menu and click on "Next."

Step 6. Select "Format" from the drop-down menu. Windows will now begin the formatting operation on your hard drive.

Conclusion 

With these methods above, you can format the system partition without hassle. But we still hope you can think twice before making the decision. If your purpose of erasing the operating system is to leave room for the new OS installation, then it is unnecessary for you to do that. Because when you install Windows on the disk that has an OS, the format will occur during the operating system installation.

For an easier system partition formatting solution, you can turn to EaseUS Partition Master for help. It's easier, efficient, and more user-friendly for Windows beginnrs.

FAQs About System Partition Is Not Allowed fo Be Formatted

As we know that the system partition is not allowed to be formatted directly due to Windows protection mechanism, and if you have more questions about this issue, relax. Follow and find answers below:

1. How do I fix Windows cannot format the system partition on this disk?

To do so, first, make sure that you are ready to accept the result of formatting the system partition - Windows unbootable, data loss, software unbootable, etc.

If yes, you can turn to EaseUS Partition Master to create a bootble USB drive. Then, reboot PC from the bootable USB to enter EaseUS Partition Master, and again, right-click on the system parition to format it.

2. How do I force a partition to format?

• Right-click on Windows icon, select and open Disk Management.
• Right-click on the target partition you want to force formatting it, and select "Format...".
• Select a new file system - NTFS or exFAT, etc., tick "Perform a quick format".
• Click "OK".

3. Is it OK to format a system partition?

Well, it's not really OK to format a system partition on a Running Windows computer. When you format a Windows system partition, you'll have to face the following issues:

• Data loss
• Software unbootable 
• Operating system crush or failure, etc.

To take care of your Operating System running healthy on computer, Microsoft doesn't allow you to directly format the system drive. If you really need to reformat the system partition for OS reinstallation, you can turn to EaseUS Partition Master with its Create bootable media feature for help.