What is the best way or are there better ways to operate wdckit.exe - in Windows 10 OS only - to utilize format command for WD non-RAID HDD units?
1- Directly within typically installed and working Windows OS.
2- Within a Windows OS booted and running from a USB flash drive.
3- Within a Windows to Go installation booted and running from a USB flash drive. (after enabling access to disks)
Question regarding the above three: Should I disable checkdisk and defragment scheduled jobs?
4- Within a third party Windows rescue disk booted and running from a USB flash drive.
5- Within command prompt support (by dropping to command prompt via Recovery options) from original Windows installation USB flash drive prepared from Windows installation ISO via USB flashers like Rufus etc.
Question regarding all:
Does the non-RAID x64 zip file of wdckit, contain all the necessary dependencies (like dll files; MSVC, .NET etc. runtimes); thus can it be run standalone in fresh/not-updated Windows 10?
To operate wdckit.exe to format Western Digital non-RAID HDD units on Windows 10, the best option among the given choices is:
Option 2: Within a Windows OS booted and running from a USB flash drive. This option allows you to perform formatting without interference from the main operating system, minimizing potential conflicts or data loss risks.
To answer the questions:
Disabling scheduled jobs like checkdisk and defragmentation: If running within a booted Windows OS from a USB flash drive or a rescue disk, it’s unlikely that these jobs will interfere. However, if you’re operating within the main Windows OS, it’s a good practice to disable these jobs to avoid conflicts during formatting.
Does the non-RAID x64 zip file of wdckit contain all necessary dependencies? It’s best to check the documentation or the contents of the zip file to confirm if it includes all dependencies like MSVC, .NET runtimes, etc. If you’re working in a fresh Windows 10 environment, ensure that the necessary components are installed or the zip file includes them.