> "Bob Gezelter" <BobGezelter@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:485E8B2A-BAD2-4B74-BF49-6F49E2520AA2@microsoft.com...
>> There are several Knowledge Base articles concerning FAT32 on Windows XP,
>> particularly 314463 and 310525.
>>
>> The Disk Manager will not format a partition as FAT32. Using the HELP
>> text,
>> the appropriate FORMAT command would appear to be:
>>
>> FORMAT <deviceletter>
FS:FAT32/V:XXX/A=64K/Q
>>
>> This gives the following error message:
>> "This volume is too big for FAT32."
>>
>> Changing the cluster size to 128K (/A:128K), gives the following error
>> message:
>> " The specified cluster size is too big for FAT."
>>
>> Is this a known problem? The KB articles imply that the FAT32 maximum
>> volume
>> size is in the TB range.
>>
>> - Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com
"Tim Rude" <timrude.nospam@nospam.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23jrC%23wHmKHA.2132@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>A complete reading of KB 314463 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463)
>says that it is a known issue with XP and provides the work-arounds.
>
> <QUOTE>
>
> "You cannot format a volume larger than 32 gigabytes (G in size using
> the FAT32 file system during the Windows XP installation process. Windows
> XP can mount and support FAT32 volumes larger than 32 GB (subject to the
> other limits), but you cannot create a FAT32 volume larger than 32 GB by
> using the Format tool during Setup. If you need to format a volume that is
> larger than 32 GB, use the NTFS file system to format it. Another option
> is to start from a Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium
> Edition (Me) Startup disk and use the Format tool included on the disk."
>
> </QUOTE>
Bob:
As you've heard the XP OS will allow a FAT32 partition to be created as long
as it's not larger than 32 GB.
As Tim has pointed out, you can use a Win9X/Me "Startup Disk" to create a
FAT32 partition > 32 GB on your HDD. After it's created XP will happily use
it. A DOS boot floppy disk or DOS bootable CD will also "do the trick". The
aforementioned disks (if you don't have one handy) are available from
various websites.
There's also a (freebie) program we've used (that can be used in an XP
environment) in the past that also works - the Fat32Formatter. See...
http://tokiwa.qee.jp/EN/Fat32Formatter/index.html
So you may want to take a look at that program.
We used it in the past because of a few special cases where we needed to
create FAT32 partitions > 32 GB. In the few cases where we used it we
encountered no problems and the program did its job.
We had prepared some step-by-step instructions for some interested users, as
follows...
1. In the "Physical" drop-down text box, select the HDD to be formatted
FAT32.
2. Click on the "Initialize drive" button.
3. Message will display indicating "All partitions in the drive would be
lost!...". Click OK.
4. Click anywhere in the grey box that indicates "Not Allocated" and the
size of the drive. The grey will turn to green and info will appear
indicating the process to format the drive to FAT32 is set to begin.
5. If desired, select a "Quick Format" by checking the box.
6. Click the Start button. A "Successfully formatted" message will appear
(probably within a few seconds if Quick Format has been selected) when
process is complete.
7. Check Disk Management to confirm the disk has been FAT32 formatted.
To format a partition on a multi-partitioned HDD...
1. In the "Physical" drop-down text box, select the HDD to be formatted
FAT32.
2. Click on the partition you desire to format FAT32. The box will turn to
green.
3. Click on the "Delete partition" button. Message will display indicating
"All data in the partition would be lost! Really want to delete?". Click OK.
4. Click on the grey box with the "Not Allocated" entry (the partition that
is to be FAT32 formatted). The box will turn to green and info will appear
indicating the process to format the drive to FAT32 is set to begin.
5. If desired, select a "Quick Format" by checking the box.
6. Click the Start button. A "Successfully formatted" message will appear
(probably within a few seconds if Quick Format has been selected) when
process is complete.
7. Check Disk Management to confirm the disk has been FAT32 formatted.
As I recall the largest HDD we ever used with that program was 300 GB or 320
GB. I would assume the program would work just as well with a larger disk
but one never knows until it's tried.
Anna
