Skip to main content

Initialize (format) drive

If you move assigned drives from one storage array to another, you must initialize (format) the drives before they can be used in the new storage array.

About this task

Initializing removes the previous configuration information from a drive and returns it to the Unassigned state. The drive is then available for adding to a new pool or volume group in the new storage array.

Use the initialize drive operation when you are moving a single drive. You do not need to initialize drives if you are moving an entire volume group from one storage array to another.

Attention
Possible loss of data – When you initialize a drive, all data on the drive is lost. Perform this operation only when instructed to do so by technical support.
  1. Select Hardware .
  2. If the graphic shows the controllers, click Show front of shelf .
    The graphic changes to show the drives instead of the controllers.
  3. Click the drive that you want to initialize.
    The drive's context menu appears.
  4. Select Initialize , and confirm that you want to perform the operation.