120 gig HDD...Can it be formatted with FAT32?

Grim-Reaper · 24th January 2003, 5:47 PM

Just got my hands on a 120gig HDD (been needing it for ages ,w00t

) and I was going to format it in FAT32 so its compatible with Windows AND Linux, but when i goto format it, it won't let me select FAT32, only NTFS...

Does FAT32 have a limit on the size of HDD that it can be formatted under?

swipe · 24th January 2003, 5:57 PM

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tre...c_fil_cycz.asp

Grim-Reaper · 24th January 2003, 6:40 PM

OMFG! You have to be joking!! So I can't get FAT32 in 2K or XP above 32gig...hmm, wait! it says that i can't format it under XP/2k, but it can mount any size...maybe if i go into Linux, format it under FAT32, then boot back into XP and mount it...reckon that'd work?

swipe · 24th January 2003, 6:47 PM

that should work, only way to know for sure is try it out tho

Grim-Reaper · 24th January 2003, 6:53 PM

heh, ill report back soon

Grim-Reaper · 24th January 2003, 7:10 PM

done! she worked!

Thanks

looktall · 24th January 2003, 7:44 PM

FAT32 can address up to 4TB.

as you've discovered you can't format a volume larger than 32gb using FAT32 in 2k or xp.
for those that don't happen to have a copy of linux floating around, you can use pretty much any formatting tool to format your large drives in FAT32 and then stick it into an xp machine to do the install.

Hydra_ADL · 25th January 2003, 2:01 AM

fat 32 is ok for smaller files, but if you are looking at using that drive for video capture any avi files cannot be larger than 4 GB.

whereas NTFS will let you use the total drive space if you need it.

Mercora · 25th January 2003, 2:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by looktall
FAT32 can address up to 4TB.

as you've discovered you can't format a volume larger than 32gb using FAT32 in 2k or xp.
for those that don't happen to have a copy of linux floating around, you can use pretty much any formatting tool to format your large drives in FAT32 and then stick it into an xp machine to do the install.

Like perhaps Win'98 CD? Or does that fall into the same category as 2k and XP?

Waynus · 25th January 2003, 5:18 PM

I formatted my 40 & 60gb Seagates to FAT32 with a Win98 boot disk - work fine with all files under XP.

sum_1 · 25th January 2003, 7:06 PM

im pretty sure linux works with ntfs

BAC :S · 26th January 2003, 9:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sum_1
im pretty sure linux works with ntfs

Read Only support atm.

begrubb · 26th January 2003, 10:49 PM

why the hell would you want to choose FAT32 over NTFS anyway

W.G.A.F · 26th January 2003, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by begrubb
why the hell would you want to choose FAT32 over NTFS anyway

Could be any number of valid reasons for choosing FAT32 over NTFS

For one things it's slightly faster.

And if you read the original post he states "I was going to format it in FAT32 so its compatible with Windows AND Linux"

There's pleanty of other valid reasons for choosing FAT32 over NTFS

Why the hell is a bit strong a term in asking a question and shows lack of imagination beyond your own use.

I have all my drives in Fat32 except the OS partition that holds XP...... Reason is I have dual boot with 98SE as well and I wan't files on drives to be available to both operating systems.

Niggle · 27th January 2003, 2:57 AM

Just a little thing I discovered the other day. If you go into drive manager or whatever its called in Xp and delete the partition, it will let you do FAT32 when you repartition and reformat the drive. Thought that may help you.

24th January 2003, 5:47 PM	#1
Grim-Reaper Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,132	120 gig HDD...Can it be formatted with FAT32? Just got my hands on a 120gig HDD (been needing it for ages ,w00t ) and I was going to format it in FAT32 so its compatible with Windows AND Linux, but when i goto format it, it won't let me select FAT32, only NTFS... Does FAT32 have a limit on the size of HDD that it can be formatted under? __________________ Desktop Specs: Intel i7 860 \| Gigabyte P55A-UD3R \| 4GB G. Skill DDR3 1600MHz \| Corsair HX-650 PSU \| Antec P183 Fileserver Specs: Intel Q9550\| Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3 \| 8GB G. Skill NT DDR800 5-5-5-15 \| 1x 500GB, 4x 500GB RAID0 \| 2x 1Gb Intel CT NIC's

24th January 2003, 6:40 PM	#3
Grim-Reaper Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,132	OMFG! You have to be joking!! So I can't get FAT32 in 2K or XP above 32gig...hmm, wait! it says that i can't format it under XP/2k, but it can mount any size...maybe if i go into Linux, format it under FAT32, then boot back into XP and mount it...reckon that'd work? __________________ Desktop Specs: Intel i7 860 \| Gigabyte P55A-UD3R \| 4GB G. Skill DDR3 1600MHz \| Corsair HX-650 PSU \| Antec P183 Fileserver Specs: Intel Q9550\| Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3 \| 8GB G. Skill NT DDR800 5-5-5-15 \| 1x 500GB, 4x 500GB RAID0 \| 2x 1Gb Intel CT NIC's

24th January 2003, 6:47 PM	#4
swipe (Banned or Deleted) Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 356	that should work, only way to know for sure is try it out tho Last edited by swipe; 24th January 2003 at 6:49 PM.

24th January 2003, 6:53 PM	#5
Grim-Reaper Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,132	heh, ill report back soon __________________ Desktop Specs: Intel i7 860 \| Gigabyte P55A-UD3R \| 4GB G. Skill DDR3 1600MHz \| Corsair HX-650 PSU \| Antec P183 Fileserver Specs: Intel Q9550\| Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3 \| 8GB G. Skill NT DDR800 5-5-5-15 \| 1x 500GB, 4x 500GB RAID0 \| 2x 1Gb Intel CT NIC's

24th January 2003, 7:10 PM	#6
Grim-Reaper Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,132	done! she worked! Thanks __________________ Desktop Specs: Intel i7 860 \| Gigabyte P55A-UD3R \| 4GB G. Skill DDR3 1600MHz \| Corsair HX-650 PSU \| Antec P183 Fileserver Specs: Intel Q9550\| Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3 \| 8GB G. Skill NT DDR800 5-5-5-15 \| 1x 500GB, 4x 500GB RAID0 \| 2x 1Gb Intel CT NIC's

24th January 2003, 5:57 PM	#2
swipe (Banned or Deleted) Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 356	http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tre...c_fil_cycz.asp

24th January 2003, 7:44 PM	#7
looktall Working Class Hero Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: morley.wa.au Posts: 17,937	FAT32 can address up to 4TB. as you've discovered you can't format a volume larger than 32gb using FAT32 in 2k or xp. for those that don't happen to have a copy of linux floating around, you can use pretty much any formatting tool to format your large drives in FAT32 and then stick it into an xp machine to do the install. __________________ JoJoker endorses this product and/or comment.

25th January 2003, 2:01 AM	#8
Hydra_ADL Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Adelaide Posts: 190	fat 32 is ok for smaller files, but if you are looking at using that drive for video capture any avi files cannot be larger than 4 GB. whereas NTFS will let you use the total drive space if you need it. __________________ purplemonkeydishwasher

25th January 2003, 5:18 PM	#10
Waynus Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Springwood, Qld Posts: 1,088	I formatted my 40 & 60gb Seagates to FAT32 with a Win98 boot disk - work fine with all files under XP.

25th January 2003, 7:06 PM	#11
sum_1 Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Sydney Posts: 387	im pretty sure linux works with ntfs __________________ Follow me on twitter here, or on my facebook fan page as I travel around the world: AdventureIvan.com - 25 countries, 5 continents, 22 years old, 1 year around the world. Now with Free Photos!

26th January 2003, 10:49 PM	#13
begrubb Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kalgoorlie, WA Posts: 445	why the hell would you want to choose FAT32 over NTFS anyway __________________ ERROR: Keyboard not attached. Press F-1 to continue.

27th January 2003, 2:57 AM	#15
Niggle Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 209	Just a little thing I discovered the other day. If you go into drive manager or whatever its called in Xp and delete the partition, it will let you do FAT32 when you repartition and reformat the drive. Thought that may help you.