Create and format a hard disk partition

create a partition or volume (the two terms are often used interchangeably) on a hard disk, you must be logged in as an administrator, and there must be either unallocated disk space or free space within an extended partition on the hard disk.

To create and format a new partition (volume)

1. Open Computer Management by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, clicking Administrative Tools, and then double-clicking Computer Management.  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. In the left pane, under Storage, click Disk Management.
3. Right-click an unallocated region on your hard disk, and then click New Simple Volume.
4. In the New Simple Volume Wizard, click Next.
5. Type the size of the volume you want to create in megabytes (MB) or accept the maximum default size, and then click Next.
6. Accept the default drive letter or choose a different drive letter to identify the partition, and then click Next.
7. In the Format Partition dialog box, do one of the following:
   • If you don't want to format the volume right now, click Do not format this volume, and then click Next.
   • To format the volume with the default settings, click Next.
8. Review your choices, and then click Finish.