Formatting 3TB drive for HTPC

[Fun Guy]

Just got a Hitachi Deskstar 3GB drive for movies in the HTPC I'm building. I figured I would initialize and format it prior to installing.

I plugged it into my SATA/USB interface, plugged it into my current Win7 Pro 64-bit machine, and Disk Management asked me if I wanted to initialize it as GPT (recommended for 2TB+ drives), so I did. 🙂

Now what? Do I make it a New Simple Volume? Seems to be the only choice here.

Next, do I format as NTFS with the Allocation unit size as 'Default'? Or 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, or 64K?

And finally, do I perform a 'quick format'? :hmm:

Thanks!!

 

[Auric]

64K since best performance, no need for OS features such as compression which are only available at 4K and less, and less won't save space with such large files.

Negative on the 'quick format'. Indeed, I would run Hitachi Drive Fitness Test - Advanced option (full surface scan) and only then follow with a full format in Windows.

 

[Fun Guy]

...I would run Hitachi Drive Fitness Test - Advanced option (full surface scan)...

Unfortunately:
http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/#DFT

NOTE: Currently the Drive Fitness Test does not support 3TB and greater internal drives.

🙁

 

[Fun Guy]

Does everyone agree with the 64K input that Auric gave me?

 

[The-Noid]

I would use 64k since you are using quite large files.

I have done quick format for years and have 16TB online now for media at home, never had a problem. Currently running WD Black 2TB drives with 2 redundants.

 

[Dahak]

Unfortunately:
http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/#DFT

NOTE: Currently the Drive Fitness Test does not support 3TB and greater internal drives.

🙁

Doh! you would think that they would update the diagnostic software before releasing the drives 🙂

 

[Auric]

...or sooner than six months later. 😵

Perhaps another manufacturer's utility could run a generic test which would be better than nought. WD Data LifeGuard Diagnostics for Windows will test others (may require a WD drive installed?) but I don't know about 3TB there either.

Tests provide certainty, minimize/isolate potential problems (i.e. you know the drive is good so any issue lies elsewhere) and can ultimately save user time/hassle. Even if they take eight hours or whatever it is insignificant compared to data loss and years of use.