Re: format usb drive to fat 32


"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O0%23g2HHMHHA.3872@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
labatyd wrote:
How do I force XP to format a usb drive to FAT 32. It wants to
format NTFS by default. There doesn't appear to be any option. It
had been formatted to NTFS previously.

Shenan Stanley wrote:
If you plan on having LARGE files - you'll want it NTFS.
Also if you want any security.

If you have to do FAT32 - Windows XP is not going to do it
natively over 32GB anyway.

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

Know that you will be stuck with FAT32 limitations.
With different OSes being able to read and even write to NTFS -
FAT32 has lost its sheen for me and I highly recommend using NTFS.

labatyd wrote:
Forgot to mention that I need it in FAT 32 because it will be
attached to my laptop which is running Win98.

It was my understanding that it wasn't possible for Win 98 to read
NTFS files.

Jonny wrote:
Win98/98SE can't properly handle anything over 128 GB in partition
size for operation sake. If you mean a thumb or flash drive, this
is not problem. USB connected hard drive can be.

Believe Shenan meant lots of small files, large files are no
problem up to 2-4 GB in 98/98SE in FAT32.

There is an application that allow 98/98SE to read NTFS on free
basis. The write capability costs money.

FAT32 handles just about any size just fine.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463/

"The maximum disk size is approximately 8 terabytes when you take into
account the following variables: The maximum possible number of clusters
on a FAT32 volume is 268,435,445, and there is a maximum of 32 KB per
cluster, along with the space required for the file allocation table
(FAT)."

Which is strangely contradicted in this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310525/

"FAT32 supports drives up to 2 terabytes in size."

The problem is that you lose a lot of the robustness of a File System
designed to handle the larger file system efficiently.

Learn more here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/winntas/tips/techrep/filesyst.mspx?mfr=true

In the OPs case - they should go with FAT32 so they can access the
external drive on their Windows 98 machine - but know that they will not
be able to put a file on it larger than 4GB.

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


The http://www1.mager.org/mkdosfs/ utility works great. Formatted to full
size in no time at all.

Also looking at the NTFS readers now. I have one reader installed
(NtfsWindows98.exe) and it works. I did have one lockup just after
installation but now seems fine. With a 200 G USB drive on that machine
(Compaq 366) it does take time. :-)

I intend to check out the http://www.diskinternals.com/products/ntfs-reader/
next.

Lots of great help from this thread.

Many thanks to everyone.






.

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