How Can I Safely Format an External Hard Drive That Might Have a Virus Without Connecting It to My PC?

If you're really worried, buy a Raspberry Pi! Boot it up and use that to format the drive. It creates a really secure environment since it’s separate from your main PC.

Honestly, just plug it in and format it—Windows won't auto-execute anything unless you allow it. Many people worry too much about malware on external drives; not every drive is a threat. Instead of formatting right away, consider scanning the drive first with an antivirus tool or upload any suspicious files to VirusTotal.com.

There are definitely risks when it comes to external drives and malware. If you use a third-party machine, make sure it's running reliable anti-malware software, so you can format it safely. Just remember to disable Autorun/Auto Play because that can reduce the chance of infection. A great option is to boot from a Windows PE or a Linux Live Disk. Don't plug in the suspect drive until it's fully booted, then use a disk sanitizing tool to clean it up.

A solid approach is to create a bootable USB drive with Ubuntu. Boot into that environment and format your external drive there. It's highly unlikely anything from that drive would execute in that setup. For extra safety, a full bit-by-bit wipe might take some time, but it ensures that everything is erased.

You might want to look into a hard drive copier. Some of these devices can completely wipe a hard drive without needing a PC. It could be an option if you want a straightforward hardware solution.