How to Format a Drive with ReFS in Windows 10

This guide explains how to format a Drive with ReFS in Windows 10, with clear steps, practical tips, and important checks before you begin.

ReFS file system

ReFS stands for Resilient File System. ReFS's codename is "Protogon". It improves NTFS in some aspects, while removing some features.

ReFS is for file server only. In Windows 10, in fact, it's only for server operating systems.

The Windows 10 Creators Update has an updated version of ReFS. In previous Windows 10 releases, the ReFS version was 1.2. Version Windows 10 1703 comes with ReFS version 3.2. For compatibility reasons, it is still possible to format the drive with ReFS 1.2.

How to format a drive with ReFS in Windows 10

To format a drive with ReFS in Windows 10, do the following.

1. Open Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControl

3. Create a new key named MiniNT here to get the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlMiniNT

Create a new key named MiniNT

4. Here, you should create a new DWORD value named "AllowRefsFormatOverNonmirrorVolume". The value data of this parameter must be 0 or 1 . Set it to 1 to unlock the ReFS feature.

Create a new DWORD value named "AllowRefsFormatOverNonmirrorVolume" Set the parameter value data to 1

5. Close the Registry Editor application.

6. Now, execute the following command to format the drive:

format z: /u /fs:refs /i:enable

This command will format drive Z: with ReFS 3.2 . Use the correct drive letter before continuing.

format z: /u fs:refsv1 /i:enable

This command will format the Z: drive with an old version of ReFS 1.2 .

Note : The / i: enable option is required for any ReFS format command. It activates the Integrity Streams Recovering feature.

Now, delete the MiniNT key you created. This registry key will cause a problem in Windows 10 that makes the Supported operating systems "think" that it is running in the Windows Preinstallation Environment - WinPE (like the Windows 10 Setup program). Please delete it after you have formatted the drive with ReFS.