FAT32 max partition 32 gB

[Bob Cunningham]

At http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfs.htm I see the following:

Microsoft definitely recommends NTFS for partitions
larger than 32 GB -- to the extent that Windows XP
will not format a FAT partition above that size.

I have recently installed an 80-gB external hard disk. I
haven't partitioned it. I've just written files to it as it
came out of the box..

My Computer/Hard Drives/G: shows me that the device is
FAT32, total size 76.6 gB, Free Space 70.4 gB.

What will happen when I try to write more than 32 gB to it?

 

[kurttrail]

At http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfs.htm I see the following:

Microsoft definitely recommends NTFS for partitions
larger than 32 GB -- to the extent that Windows XP
will not format a FAT partition above that size.

I have recently installed an 80-gB external hard disk. I
haven't partitioned it. I've just written files to it as it
came out of the box..

My Computer/Hard Drives/G: shows me that the device is
FAT32, total size 76.6 gB, Free Space 70.4 gB.

What will happen when I try to write more than 32 gB to it?

XP can't format a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB. That doesn't mean
that if a FAT32 partition is formatted by something other than XP, that
XP won't use the full partition.

MS probably deliberately put the limitation in just as another reason to
get people to switch to NTFS.

--
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Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
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http://microscum.com
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[Tim Slattery]

At http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfs.htm I see the following:

Microsoft definitely recommends NTFS for partitions
larger than 32 GB -- to the extent that Windows XP
will not format a FAT partition above that size.

I have recently installed an 80-gB external hard disk. I
haven't partitioned it. I've just written files to it as it
came out of the box..

So it came with a partition already created on it.

My Computer/Hard Drives/G: shows me that the device is
FAT32, total size 76.6 gB, Free Space 70.4 gB.
OK.

What will happen when I try to write more than 32 gB to it?

It will work fine. A FAT32 partition can be as big as 2 terabytes.
WinXP won't create one larger than 32GB because NTFS is available and
is a *much* better choice for huge partitions. But XP will have no
problem with very large FAT32 partitions created elsewhere.

 

[Bob Cunningham]

So it came with a partition already created on it.

It will work fine. A FAT32 partition can be as big as 2 terabytes.
WinXP won't create one larger than 32GB because NTFS is available and
is a *much* better choice for huge partitions. But XP will have no
problem with very large FAT32 partitions created elsewhere.

Thanks to both Kurt and Tim.

I was guessing that it was as you say, but it's nice to have
my guess supported.

 

[David]

At http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfs.htm I see the following:

Microsoft definitely recommends NTFS for partitions
larger than 32 GB -- to the extent that Windows XP
will not format a FAT partition above that size.

I have recently installed an 80-gB external hard disk. I
haven't partitioned it. I've just written files to it as it
came out of the box..

My Computer/Hard Drives/G: shows me that the device is
FAT32, total size 76.6 gB, Free Space 70.4 gB.

What will happen when I try to write more than 32 gB to it?

The world as we know it will come to an end!!!

--

David

Programmers write "Help Files" for a reason. use them.

"Due to Viewer dicretion...
Graphic violence is advised"

http://www.HeroicStories.com/
http://www.thisistrue.com/

 

[S.Sengupta]

See also:-
'Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP'
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q314463
regards,
ssg MS-MVP
pronetworks.org

 

[kurttrail]

See also:-
'Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP'
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q314463

And how is that supposed to stop the end of the world after the OP writes
more than 32GB to his FAT32 partition?

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

Microsoft also recommends allowing unsolicited email message "text" to
enjoy the same auto-programming rights as web sites and documents.

Sometimes a better yardstick is required.

XP works fine with FAT32 volumes over 32G (using it here up to but not
yet beyond 120G - I expect issues over 137G) once a compitent
formatter formats the volume on behalf of the OS.

XP's formatter is messily broken in that it can't format FAT32 over
32G, and I suspect this is intentional, as an attempt to coerce the
use of NTFS. With enough consumers critically dependent on NTFS, the
reasoning may go, some 3rd-party might get round to writing data
recovery and formal virus checking tools for it - or even the
maintenance OS that MS couldn't be bothered to write.

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