The terminal-based tool you’re looking for is Diskpart.

Quick Scoop

In Windows, Diskpart is a command-line utility that lets you manage disks, partitions, and volumes directly from the terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal running as admin). You can use it to create and delete partitions, format drives, and assign or change drive letters without opening any graphical tools.

Example: An admin connects a new SSD and, instead of opening Disk Management, runs diskpart to list disks, create a new partition, and format it for use—all from the keyboard.

Handy context for forums / Q&A

  • Question: “What’s the terminal-based tool you can use to manage disks right from the command line?”
  • Correct answer: Diskpart.
  • Common wrong options you might see:
    • Fsutil – focused on file systems and volumes, not full disk/partition management.
* Chkdsk – checks and repairs disk errors, but doesn’t manage partitions.

* Mkdir – just creates directories.

Mini how-it’s-used (high level)

  • Open an elevated terminal (Run as administrator).
  • Run diskpart to enter its interactive prompt.
  • Typical command flow:
    1. list disk – see all disks.
2. `select disk <n>` – choose the target disk.

3. `create partition primary` – create a partition.

4. `format fs=ntfs quick` – format it.

5. `assign letter=E` – give it a drive letter.

Always be cautious with Diskpart: a single mistaken command can wipe partitions or data, so backups and double-checking the selected disk are essential.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.