Adding FAT32 option to format

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jacques
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Jacques

How to add FAT32 option to format a drive?
By default, only NTFS is avaliable, I need to format drives in FAT32.
I do not need a discussion on the advantage of NTFS over FAT32, I just need
to know how to enable it.
 
Jacques <Jacques@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>How to add FAT32 option to format a drive?
>By default, only NTFS is avaliable, I need to format drives in FAT32.

WinXP will format partitions up to 32GB in FAT32. Over that it will
only use NTFS. In order to use FAT32 on a larger partition you'll have
to find a Win98 or WinME version of FDISK, or use a third party
partition management program.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)
Slattery_T@bls.gov
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt
 
Jacques wrote:
> How to add FAT32 option to format a drive?
> By default, only NTFS is avaliable, I need to format drives in
> FAT32.
> I do not need a discussion on the advantage of NTFS over FAT32, I
> just need to know how to enable it.

Format drives/partitions smaller than 32GB. That's it. It's not
'disabled'.

Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463

If you are attempting to format with the native utilities in Windows XP -
and the drive/partition is larger than 32GB - the FAT32 option will not be
available. You are welcome to utilize a third-party utility.

Example:
Format larger than 32GB FAT32 within Windows XP with this utility:
http://www1.mager.org/mkdosfs/

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
 
"Jacques" <Jacques@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:11484827-4DAC-4DF9-ACD9-B1B5484107F7@microsoft.com...
> How to add FAT32 option to format a drive?
> By default, only NTFS is avaliable, I need to format drives in FAT32.
> I do not need a discussion on the advantage of NTFS over FAT32, I just
> need
> to know how to enable it.
>


AFAIK XP cannot format drives over a certain size (30GB springs to mind) in
FAT32...you either need to create smaller partitions or use a third-party
formatting tool..
 
Jacques wrote:
> How to add FAT32 option to format a drive?
> By default, only NTFS is avaliable, I need to format drives in
> FAT32.
> I do not need a discussion on the advantage of NTFS over FAT32, I
> just need to know how to enable it.

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> Format drives/partitions smaller than 32GB. That's it. It's not
> 'disabled'.
>
> Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463
>
> If you are attempting to format with the native utilities in
> Windows XP - and the drive/partition is larger than 32GB - the
> FAT32 option will not be available. You are welcome to utilize a
> third-party utility.
>
> Example:
> Format larger than 32GB FAT32 within Windows XP with this utility:
> http://www1.mager.org/mkdosfs/

Jacques wrote:
> Thanks for the explanation.

No problem.
Mind sharing why you wish to format something with FAT32 instead of NTFS?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
 
"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Mind sharing why you wish to format something with FAT32 instead of NTFS?
>

A fews reasons, first we build a submarine sound recorder that only support
FAT32, next we have customers using gadgets comming from China that only read
data using FAT32, so it's not dead yet.

Bye
Jacques
 
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