Format a 256mb usb flashdrive as Fat32?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mrp
  • Start date Start date
M

mrp

Hi, I have a 256mb usb flashdrive and wanted to format it using fat32.
I tried using fdisk-- but it doesn't support fat32 on dives smaller
than 512mb. I keep seeing references to people who have formatted
these smaller sized usb drives with fat32.

Can anyone provide any info? (I'm using windows 98)

TIA
 
mrp said:
Hi, I have a 256mb usb flashdrive and wanted to format it using fat32.
I tried using fdisk-- but it doesn't support fat32 on dives smaller
than 512mb. I keep seeing references to people who have formatted
these smaller sized usb drives with fat32.

Can anyone provide any info? (I'm using windows 98)

TIA
Click to expand...

FAT32 is possible starting from 32 MB and up...until 32 GB in one go...

--
M.f.G.
Michael Kimmer

"Ein Tag an dem Du nicht lächelst ist ein verlorener Tag"
"Eine Nacht in der Du nicht schläfst ist eine verschlafene Nacht"
 
511MB or smaller and your computer will (should) automatically format with
FAT16
So why not just format it FAT16 ?
 
mrp said:
Hi, I have a 256mb usb flashdrive and wanted to format it using fat32.
I tried using fdisk-- but it doesn't support fat32 on dives smaller
than 512mb. I keep seeing references to people who have formatted
these smaller sized usb drives with fat32.

Can anyone provide any info? (I'm using windows 98)

TIA
Click to expand...

Your flashdrive has a 256 MB /total/ capacity, OK...but...probably the
current partition that you would like to format in FAT32 may be smaller than
32 MB, right?
In that case only FAT is available as partition type...partitions that are
32 MB or larger can be formatted in FAT32

--
M.f.G.
Michael Kimmer

"Ein Tag an dem Du nicht lächelst ist ein verlorener Tag"
"Eine Nacht in der Du nicht schläfst ist eine verschlafene Nacht"
 
Easy solution: find a Win 2K/XP system and format it. You will need 2K
clusters.

FreeDOS fdisk has a /fprmt flag to allow selection of FAT/FAT32.

Ranish partition manager should work under Win 98.
 
Thanks-- I went out and got an upgrade to win XP. I figured it's about
time to make the switch. Reformatted the drive (as fat32) using XP an
it works flawlessly now.
 
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