Categories: Windows 11 & Windows 10Windows Server

SOLVED: How To Delete Protected Partitions in Windows 10

UPDATE OCT 1 2019 – Everything is still completely accurate but if you want to know how to remove all stuck partitions and recreate a volume through command line CLICK HERE.

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If you install a hard disk from an old PC into your current PC, you might find a few partitions cannot be deleted.  Fortunately it is very easy and fast to use a simple command line to remove the unwanted partitions:

HOW TO REMOVE STUCK PARTITIONS:

  1. Bring up a CMD or PowerShell window (as an administrator)
  2. Type DISKPART and press enter
  3. Type LIST DISK and press enter
  4. Type SELECT DISK <n> and press enter
  5. Type LIST PARTITION and press enter
  6. Type SELECT PARTITION <n> and press enter
  7. Type DELETE PARTITION OVERRIDE and press enter
  8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 as many times as you need to remove unwanted partitions

View Comments

  • DISKPART> list partition

    Partition ### Type Size Offset
    ------------- ---------------- ------- -------
    * Partition 1 Primary 3841 MB 0 B

    DISKPART> select partition 1

    There is no partition selected.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    what is this message?

    This is a PENDRIVE (probalbly UDF formatted...
    lost NTFS partition is found, but recover not possible R/O the status of the "pendrive"

    • Hi István;

      We are sorry for the long time lag. We have been very busy with Elections Canada (Canadian Federal Election) work. The answer seems to be that there is something wrong with PARTITION 1. You will note that it is 0B in size. I would try CLEAN command see: https://www.urtech.ca/2019/10/solved-easy-command-line-to-wipe-and-reformat-a-disk/

      To prove this, we just ran these commands against a massive 4GB USB stick and all seems to work:

      Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19043.1237]
      (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

      C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart

      Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.19041.964

      Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
      On computer: URTech1

      DISKPART> list disk

      Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
      -------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
      Disk 0 Online 931 GB 0 B *
      Disk 1 Online 3922 MB 256 KB

      DISKPART> select disk 1

      Disk 1 is now the selected disk.

      DISKPART> list partition

      Partition ### Type Size Offset
      ------------- ---------------- ------- -------
      Partition 1 Primary 3921 MB 340 KB

      DISKPART> select partition 1

      Partition 1 is now the selected partition.

      DISKPART> clean

      DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk.

      DISKPART> create partition primary

      DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition.

      DISKPART> format fs=ntfs quick

      100 percent completed

      DiskPart successfully formatted the volume.

      DISKPART> assign letter=E

      DiskPart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point.

      DISKPART>

      Please let us know if this helped.

    • diskpart
      list disk
      select disk #
      list partiton
      select partition #
      delete partition
      if error of protected partition
      delete partition override

    • Hi Danieru;

      I am unsure of your question. If you can restate it, we will do our best to answer it.

      Thanks.

  • Thank you,, I was stuck trying to get rid of protected space , used power shell worked fine glad i tried this and you were the only one i found who understood my problem thanks again Tim !!

  • followed the steps, encountered the error that said cannot be deleted, then i followed his instructions on turning off hibernation and file paging, then it works. thanks a lot. thank you so much

  • Typing "DELETE PARTITION OVERRIDE" didn't work for me. Instead select the disc you wan't to clean and type "CLEAN"

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Published by
Ian Matthews
Tags: diskpartprotected partitionsstuck partitionswin10Windows 10
7 years ago

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