Re: Returning drive to fat32 from NTFS

>>>GTT wrote:
>>>>I bought a second hard drive for my machine and a friend installed it.
>>>>He formated it on his machine first. I notice it is NTFS while my
>>>>other drive and partiotions on it are Fat32. I would leave it as NTFS
>>>>but I still have dual boot with win 98.
>>>>
>>>>Nothing is on this drive yet. What do I do under XP to format it as
>>>>Fat32. Detailed steps please or is it as simple as typing format E: How
>>>>do I designate Fat32 or will it ask me. I have Partitionmagic but
>>>>it doesn't have any instructions on going from NTFS to fat32 just the
>>>>other way.


>> "Gordon" <gordonbp1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:uYsbiRrNFHA.3512@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>>Right-click on My Computer and choose Manage. In the right-hand pane,
>>>click on Storage, then Disk Management(local). Right-click on the drive
>>>and choose "Format".
>>>HTH
>>>Interim Systems and Management Accounting
>>>Gordon Burgess-Parker
>>>Director
>>>www.gbpcomputing.co.uk
HTH...


> Anna wrote:
>> Gordon's instructions are accurate (as is the similar response you rec'd
>> from Yao Su); in that you can use XP's built-in Disk Management utility
>> to format your drive in FAT32, but there is a limitation. Keep in mind
>> that by using XP's DM utility you will *not* have the option of
>> formatting your drive in FAT32 if the drive is > 32 GB. And I assume that
>> since you just purchased the drive, it's probably at least 40 GB.
>> Assuming your drive is > 32 GB, you could, of course, multi-partition it
>> in the DM utility so that at least one partition you create is < 32 GB.
>> Then you could use DM to format one or more of those partitions in FAT32.
>> If that's acceptable to you, then use DM. The DM Help file contains
>> detailed information on how to partition and format your hard drive.
>>
>> You mention you have Partition Magic. Assuming this is version 8, you can
>> use PM to convert the present NTFS partition to FAT32. The instructions
>> are >> contained in PM's Help files.
>> Anna


Steve wrote...
> Good advice Anna, but if it was me I'd just boot a Win98 floppy or CD and
> use fdisk to delete the NTFS partition and create a DOS partition on the
> disk. Then XP will be able to format it.
>
> Steve


Steve:
I most certainly agree with you. It's the way I would (and usually do) do it
that way. I just thought in this instance this OP might have a problem with
this approach. So I continued with the thread that recommended using XP's
Disk Management utility. But using a Win9x/Me Startup Disk or DOS boot
floppy, as you suggest, is the better way.

Incidentally, I've come across a way to format either a internal HD or
USB/Firewire external hard drive in FAT32 in *any* capacity and from
*within* the XP environment. If you, or anyone, is interested in this
approach, please so indicate and I'll provide the details.
Anna


.

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