Format a 200+GB drive with FAT32?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeffrey Kaplan
  • Start date Start date
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Jeffrey Kaplan

I have an external hard drive that is currently formatted NTFS and I
need to reformat it with FAT32 in order to use it as a network drive
attached to my AirPort Extreme, The AirPort does not support
formatting drives, so I have to do this from my computer. But Windows
(XP Pro SP3) is refusing to format it thus. Trying via Windows
Explorer, I'm not even getting the FAT32 option. Trying via a command
prompt window (format w: /FS:FAT32) , it claims it's too big to be
formatted with FAT32.

IIRC, FAT32 can be used on disks up to 2TB in size, and XP and Vista
can read and write FAT32 drives.

How can I get it formatted with the filesystem I need to attach it
where I want?

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"I really can't say." "Some sort of state secret?" "No. Just
difficult to pronounce." - Jack O'Neill and Major Robert Thornbird,
SG1
 
Jeffrey said:
I have an external hard drive that is currently formatted NTFS and I
need to reformat it with FAT32 in order to use it as a network drive
attached to my AirPort Extreme, The AirPort does not support
formatting drives, so I have to do this from my computer. But Windows
(XP Pro SP3) is refusing to format it thus. Trying via Windows
Explorer, I'm not even getting the FAT32 option. Trying via a command
prompt window (format w: /FS:FAT32) , it claims it's too big to be
formatted with FAT32.

IIRC, FAT32 can be used on disks up to 2TB in size, and XP and Vista
can read and write FAT32 drives.

How can I get it formatted with the filesystem I need to attach it
where I want?
Click to expand...

http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html#format_fat32

Uwe
 
Previously on microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support, Uwe Sieber
said:
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtrouble_e.html#format_fat32
Click to expand...

Thank you. "Fat32Formatter" looks like a good solution.

Partition Magic, as suggested by Bill, is probably more powerful, but
way more than I need.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"They are a strange people, but they are okay." (Amb. Mollari, B5
"The Quality of Mercy")
 
Jeffrey said:
I have an external hard drive that is currently formatted NTFS and I
need to reformat it with FAT32 in order to use it as a network drive
attached to my AirPort Extreme, The AirPort does not support
formatting drives, so I have to do this from my computer. But Windows
(XP Pro SP3) is refusing to format it thus. Trying via Windows
Explorer, I'm not even getting the FAT32 option. Trying via a command
prompt window (format w: /FS:FAT32) , it claims it's too big to be
formatted with FAT32.

IIRC, FAT32 can be used on disks up to 2TB in size, and XP and Vista
can read and write FAT32 drives.

How can I get it formatted with the filesystem I need to attach it
where I want?
Click to expand...


By design, WinXP cannot _create_ and _format_ a new FAT32 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.

You'll need to use a 3rd party partition manager (or a Win98 PC) to
accomplish this. Try BootItNG from www.bootitng.com. There is even a
free, fully functional, 30-day evaluation version available for
downloading.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

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safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
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