How to format FAT32 in Windows XP?

[Jack]

Hello,
I have unused partition on my drive C: and I need to format it in FAT32.
XP Disk Management offers only NTSF format.
I know I can do that when booting to A:\ command prompt but I really would
like to do that from within Windows XP.
Is that possible?
Jack

 

[Holz]

Hello,
I have unused partition on my drive C: and I need to format it in
FAT32. XP Disk Management offers only NTSF format.
I know I can do that when booting to A:\ command prompt but I really
would like to do that from within Windows XP.
Is that possible?
Jack

If the partition is over 32 GB then you can only do NTFS.

 

[John John]

The Windows XP Disk Management tool can only format drives to the FAT32
file system if they are 32GB or smaller, if the drive is bigger than
32GB you will have to use other tools to format it FAT32. Windows XP
will be able to mount a bigger than 32GB FAT32 drive, it just can't
format them.

John

 

[Bill in Co.]

If the partition is over 32 GB then you can only do NTFS.

Well, not quite - he can use a third party tool, like Partition Magic. So
that may be an option for him to consider.
But yeah, not with "XP Disk Management".

 

[Uwe Sieber]

Hello,
I have unused partition on my drive C: and I need to format it in FAT32.
XP Disk Management offers only NTSF format.
I know I can do that when booting to A:\ command prompt but I really would
like to do that from within Windows XP.
Is that possible?

You need an external tool or different operating system:
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html#format

Once formatted there is no problem with large FAT32 drives
under Windows.


Uwe

 

[Edwin vMierlo [MVP]]

I have unused partition on my drive C: and I need to format it in FAT32.

May I ask why FAT32, what prevents you to format in NTFS ?

 

[M.I.5¾]

May I ask why FAT32, what prevents you to format in NTFS ?

This is a decision that Microsoft have taken to limit FAT32 partition sizes
to 32 Gb, and written the tool accordingly. Why they have taken this
decision is a good question.

 

[Edwin vMierlo [MVP]]

This is a decision that Microsoft have taken to limit FAT32 partition sizes
to 32 Gb, and written the tool accordingly. Why they have taken this
decision is a good question.

I know that

My question (to: Jack):
you want to format FAT32... why not NTFS ?

 

[Tim Slattery]

Hello,
I have unused partition on my drive C: and I need to format it in FAT32.
XP Disk Management offers only NTSF format.

Probably because the partition is larger than 32GB. WinXP won't create
a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB because NTFS is available and is a
MUCH better choice for such large partitions.

I know I can do that when booting to A:\ command prompt but I really would
like to do that from within Windows XP.
Is that possible?

You can create such a partition by using 3rd party tools. BootitNG,
Partition magic, or (I think and depending on the size of the
partition) FDISK from Win98, which you can probably find on a Win98
boot disk at www.bootdisk.com. XP won't create a FAT32 partition that
large, but it will use one that's been created by other tools.

 

[Holz]

Well, not quite - he can use a third party tool, like Partition
Magic. So that may be an option for him to consider.
But yeah, not with "XP Disk Management".

He is running XP. He can also do it with Linux, however NT might crash
on him.

 

[Ian D]

I know that

My question (to: Jack):
you want to format FAT32... why not NTFS ?

Maybe he wants a partition for files to share with Win98 or ME.

 

[Jack]

You may
I am using VPC (Virtual PC) and I am in need to to use ghost to restore very
old backup. It can be done only in DOS, and I am not sure whether NTSF
system allows me to access command prompt at bootup.
Does it?
Jack

 

[Edwin vMierlo [MVP]]

You may
I am using VPC (Virtual PC) and I am in need to to use ghost to restore very
old backup. It can be done only in DOS, and I am not sure whether NTSF
system allows me to access command prompt at bootup.
Does it?
Jack

that explains that !

well, you can create a partition larger or same size as your old back,
surely that is not larger than 32GB ... or is it ?

once you have created your partition under the 32GB limit, you should be
able to format FAT32

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Or with a Mac.

Maybe he wants a partition for files to share with Win98 or ME.

 

[Dave Cohen]

Probably because the partition is larger than 32GB. WinXP won't create
a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB because NTFS is available and is a
MUCH better choice for such large partitions.


You can create such a partition by using 3rd party tools. BootitNG,
Partition magic, or (I think and depending on the size of the
partition) FDISK from Win98, which you can probably find on a Win98
boot disk at www.bootdisk.com. XP won't create a FAT32 partition that
large, but it will use one that's been created by other tools.

And should you select the first option (Bootitng from
www.terabyteunlimited.com), install it, pay the modest registration fee
and live happily ever after.
Dave Cohen