Can't Format Partitions Fat32 in Windows XP Pro

[Guest]

I have just built a new PC Amd64 3000 - 1g mem - Asus A8n SLI - twin 300g
Matrox SATA hard drives configured Raid0 for speed and video only.

I created all partitions during Windows XP Pro setup. (Twice)

C: was partitioned Fat32 no problem then automatically formatted and loaded
the Windows XP Pro OK

I want to format the remaining partitions Fat 32

Within Windows XP Pro the formatting process does not show or allow the
option of Fat32, only NTFS.

I have to format Fat32 at present due to my DV500 video editing card and
software - it cannot use NTFS.

I cannot even get the 2 free supports emails from Microsoft as I bought the
official Windows XP Pro OEM disk with my new system.

I would be very grateful for any help you could offer as soon as possible -
Many thanks.

Desperate!!! John (not Dan)

 

[george]

I have just built a new PC Amd64 3000 - 1g mem - Asus A8n SLI - twin 300g
Matrox SATA hard drives configured Raid0 for speed and video only.

I created all partitions during Windows XP Pro setup. (Twice)

C: was partitioned Fat32 no problem then automatically formatted and
loaded
the Windows XP Pro OK

I want to format the remaining partitions Fat 32

Within Windows XP Pro the formatting process does not show or allow the
option of Fat32, only NTFS.

I have to format Fat32 at present due to my DV500 video editing card and
software - it cannot use NTFS.

I cannot even get the 2 free supports emails from Microsoft as I bought
the
official Windows XP Pro OEM disk with my new system.

I would be very grateful for any help you could offer as soon as
possible -
Many thanks.

Desperate!!! John (not Dan)

You cannot format a volume larger than 32GB using FAT32 in Windows XP.
If the selected unpartitioned space is bigger, the only option presented
will be NTFS.
See also: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314463

george

 

[Guest]

Many thanks George

I could have swore I had formatted larger drives btu I was obviously wrong.

Thanks Again

 

[Nepatsfan]

I seem to recall seeing that you can format your drives to more
than 32GB by booting from a Win98 or WinME startup disk and using
their version of the Format command.

Check out the 5th bullet point in this article for clarification:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q314463

As long as you don't mess with your C drive, you really shouldn't
have any problems.

Look here to download a 98 or ME boot disk:

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

If by some chance you want to start from scratch, use the boot
disk to partition and format you hard drive. Then boot with the
XP cd to start the installation.

Good luck

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Please read the following:

Benchmarking on Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/­system/sysperf/benchmark.mspx

NTFS Preinstallation and Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/­system/winpreinst/ntfs-preinst­all.mspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I have just built a new PC Amd64 3000 - 1g mem - Asus A8n SLI - twin 300g
| Matrox SATA hard drives configured Raid0 for speed and video only.
|
| I created all partitions during Windows XP Pro setup. (Twice)
|
| C: was partitioned Fat32 no problem then automatically formatted and loaded
| the Windows XP Pro OK
|
| I want to format the remaining partitions Fat 32
|
| Within Windows XP Pro the formatting process does not show or allow the
| option of Fat32, only NTFS.
|
| I have to format Fat32 at present due to my DV500 video editing card and
| software - it cannot use NTFS.
|
| I cannot even get the 2 free supports emails from Microsoft as I bought the
| official Windows XP Pro OEM disk with my new system.
|
| I would be very grateful for any help you could offer as soon as possible -
| Many thanks.
|
| Desperate!!! John (not Dan)

 

[Walter Clayton]

As others have said, XP won't format anything over 32G as FAT32.

What they haven't said, is that 98/SE won't touch anything over 128G and
even ME breaks around 512G.

Literally, you can't format a 600G partition in FAT32 with existing MS tools
and I really don't think you want to either.

Applications are unaware of the underlying HD structure, or at least are
supposed to be. Have you *tried* NTFS or are you making an assumption based
on documentation that may be incorrect?