# Initializing a Virtual Drive

When you create a new virtual drive using the Advanced Configuration wizard, you can select the Fast Initialization or Full Initialization option to initialize the drive immediately. However, you can select No Initialization if you want to initialize the virtual drive later.

Perform the following steps to initialize a virtual drive after completing the configuration process.

1. Navigate to the Controller dashboard, and click a drive group name (for example, DG_1) and click the icon that corresponds to a drive group to display its contents.
   The virtual drives and physical drives associated with the selected drive group appear.
2. Click the virtual drive that you want to initialize.
3. Select Actions > Start Initialize.
   A warning message appears.
   Note:

   Initialization erases all data on the virtual drive. Make sure to back up any data you want to keep before you initialize a virtual drive. Make sure the operating system is not installed on the virtual drive you are initializing.

4. Select the Fast Initialization check box if you want to use this option.
   If you leave the check box unselected, the software runs a full initialization on the virtual drive.
5. Click Yes, Start Initialization to begin the initialization.
   You can monitor the progress of the initialization. See Background Operations Support.

Parent topic: Managing Virtual Drives