Windows C/C++ Drive Init/Partition/Format

Question

I am trying to build an application for Windows XP 64bit which is able to detect drives of a particular model in the system, and if they are not initialized & formatted perform these processes.

I would also like to be able to query and set the partition information(including the volume label).

I have started putting together code using DeviceIoControl, but I have not been able to figure out how to set/get partition/volume labels or format drives with the method, I have got SMART access working.

Is there any other method that is any easier to use?

Zac

• AndersK: possible duplicate: stackoverflow.com/questions/2648305/format-drive-by-c
• Zac Shenker: None of that quite covers what I want to achieve. WMI only allows querying of information and not creating partitions and other things that I want to do. I am trying not to go down the path of wrapping command-line applications I would prefer to have everything as C/C++. I guess if I have to go down that route "diskpart" may be an option.

Answer 1

Sounds like you are looking for Disk Management Control Codes.

• Zac Shenker: ThI have ended up using a combination of WMI & DeviceIoControl with the Disk Management Control Codes. This looks to be able to do everything that I want, except that currently I am having some issues with using the Win32_Volume Format method in C++, I am constantly getting a WBEM_E_INVALID_METHOD_PARAMETERS error.
• swdev: Hi, @ZacShenker, are you able to format the newly created partition that was created using IOCTL_DISK_SET_DRIVE_LAYOUT ? I couldn't figure out a way to format the new partition.

Answer 2

If I were doing this I would use my own code only to detect things. I would do the partitioning and formatting through diskpart and/or format commands instead. diskpart accepts file argument with a script to execute.