Reverting to FAT 32

[Guest]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased an external hard drive which I use for back up
purposes. I formatted the drive as NTFS. Now I would like to format the
Drive as FAT32 so I can transfer files between a Mac and my PC, but I'm
unable to do so. Windows XP only gives me the option to format as NTFS. The
drive is a 300GB drive and has been partioned. I am trying to reformat the
logical partition (95GB) in FAT32.

Does anyone know if and how this can be done? Thanks for any help.

Matt.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Third party software, like Partition Magic, can convert to FAT32. Otherwise,
you have to reformat the disk.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for that, but I tried reformatting the disk using Windows XP Disk
Management and by 'right clicking' and selecting format, but it only gave me
the option for NTFS. There was no FAT32 option. Is there another way that
I've missed?

Thanks again.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314463

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

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:

| Thanks for that, but I tried reformatting the disk using Windows XP Disk
| Management and by 'right clicking' and selecting format, but it only gave me
| the option for NTFS. There was no FAT32 option. Is there another way that
| I've missed?
|
| Thanks again.



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[Ted Zieglar]

"How to partition and format a hard disk in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313348

 

[Dave Patrick]

The partition size would need to be less than or equal to 32 gB

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Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
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Microsoft MVP [Windows]
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:
| Thanks for that, but I tried reformatting the disk using Windows XP Disk
| Management and by 'right clicking' and selecting format, but it only gave
me
| the option for NTFS. There was no FAT32 option. Is there another way
that
| I've missed?
|
| Thanks again.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased an external hard drive which I use for back up
purposes. I formatted the drive as NTFS. Now I would like to format the
Drive as FAT32 so I can transfer files between a Mac and my PC, but I'm
unable to do so. Windows XP only gives me the option to format as NTFS.
The
drive is a 300GB drive and has been partioned. I am trying to reformat
the
logical partition (95GB) in FAT32.

Does anyone know if and how this can be done? Thanks for any help.

Matt.

It's a limitation of Windows XP. It will only format a maximum 32 GB
partition with FAT32. Normally I would connect the external drive to a Win98
computer to make a large FAT32 partition but I don't know if this will work
in this case. I've never tried to use a 48 bit LBA external drive with
Win98. You may need some 3rd party software. The following link has some
good info.

http://www.48bitlba.com/usbharddrives.htm

Kerry

 

[Guest]

Thanks, all. I reduced the partition size to 32GB and it worked!

 

[Kerry Brown]

Thanks, all. I reduced the partition size to 32GB and it worked!

Glad you got it working.

Kerry