You want to create and format a simple volume on a Windows 2000 computer. Which built in administrative tool should you use to perform this disk management task?

Introduction / Context:
Windows 2000 includes graphical and command line tools for managing disks and volumes. Creating and formatting a simple volume on a basic or dynamic disk is a common administrative task. This question checks whether you know the correct graphical Microsoft Management Console snap in that replaces older utilities such as Disk Administrator for performing such operations in Windows 2000.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The operating system is Windows 2000.
• You need to create a simple volume on a disk.
• You also need to format that volume so it can store files.
• You want to use built in administrative tools included with Windows 2000.

Concept / Approach:
Starting with Windows 2000, the primary tool for managing disks is the Disk Management snap in, accessed through the Computer Management console. Disk Management lets you create, delete, and format partitions and volumes. Disk Administrator was the disk tool in earlier versions like Windows NT. Command line tools such as Convert.exe and Format.exe have specific purposes but do not provide the complete workflow for creating and managing volumes in a graphical way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Open the Computer Management console on the Windows 2000 machine.Step 2: In the console tree, expand Storage and select Disk Management.Step 3: Right click on the unallocated space of the desired disk and choose the option to create a new volume or partition.Step 4: Follow the wizard to define the size and type of the volume, and then select a file system such as NTFS for formatting.Step 5: Complete the wizard so that the simple volume is created and formatted, ready for use.
Verification / Alternative check:
After using Disk Management, you can verify that the volume was created successfully by checking that it appears with a drive letter in both Disk Management and Windows Explorer. You can also right click the volume, choose Properties, and confirm file system type, capacity, and free space, ensuring that the formatting operation was successful.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Disk Administrator, was used in Windows NT and is not the standard tool in Windows 2000, where Disk Management replaces it. Option C, Convert.exe, is used to convert a volume from FAT to NTFS but does not create new volumes. Option D, Format.exe, formats an existing partition but does not create it. Only Disk Management provides the full graphical interface needed to both create and format a simple volume in Windows 2000.

Common Pitfalls:
Some administrators coming from older versions of Windows may continue to think in terms of Disk Administrator and overlook the unified Computer Management console. Others may try to perform all operations using command line tools without realizing that Disk Management offers a clearer view of disk layout and reduces the chance of mistakes. Knowing the correct modern tool helps in managing storage more safely and efficiently.

Final Answer:
The correct tool is the Disk Management snap in in Windows 2000.