Can't convert file system back to fat32 from ntfs even with clean reinstall of xp

  • Thread starter Thread starter CitySquire
  • Start date Start date
CitySquire said:
Don't even get the option of fat32 just ntfs quick and full.

Advise?
Click to expand...

This is probably because your HD is larger than 32 gig. If it is larger
than 32 gig, the XP installer will not give you an option to create a FAT32
partition.

You can, however, use a Windows 9x startup floppy to create the partition
and format it. Just boot with the W9x startup floppy, and run fdisk, then
delete the "NON-DOS Partition", then create a FAT32 partition of the size
you want. Don't forget to format the partition AFTER you create it.
 
Donald McDaniel said:
This is probably because your HD is larger than 32 gig. If it is larger
than 32 gig, the XP installer will not give you an option to create a FAT32
partition.

You can, however, use a Windows 9x startup floppy to create the partition
and format it. Just boot with the W9x startup floppy, and run fdisk, then
delete the "NON-DOS Partition", then create a FAT32 partition of the size
you want. Don't forget to format the partition AFTER you create it.
Click to expand...


Perhaps he could create multiple (2 or more) partitions, each 32GB
or less, and format each of them as FAT32? Keep data on one
partition, system on another, etc.

Tomas B.
 
Tomas said:
Perhaps he could create multiple (2 or more) partitions, each 32GB
or less, and format each of them as FAT32? Keep data on one
partition, system on another, etc.

Tomas B.
Click to expand...

The problem is, as long as his HD is over 32gigs in overall size, the XP
installation program just won't give him the option of creating a FAT32
volume of any size. However, if there are FAT32 volumes already present, XP
will recognise them and format them. It just won't create or format a FAT32
volume which is over 32gig in size.
 
Greetings --

How large is the hard drive/partition in question? By design,
WinXP cannot create and format a new partition greater than 32 Gb.
This is because NTFS is the superior file system, and not nearly as
wasteful of drive space. (If you make a FAT32 partition larger than 8
Gb, you're "throwing away" significant amounts of storage capacity.
However, the OS has no problems being installed upon or otherwise
using FAT32 a partition larger than 32 Gb, as long as that partition
has been created/formatted by another OS, such as Win98.


Bruce Chambers

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