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Thread ID: 42464 2004-02-11 20:41:00 Just out of curiosity JJJJJ (528) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
214733 2004-02-11 20:41:00 As I understand it there is now no 20 gig limit with Fat 32.
If I wanted to format my 120 gig HDD to fat 32 how do I do it with Win XP?
I notice when I formatted my drive I did not get the option to use Fat32.
As I said , just curious. I have no intention of switching from NTFS.
Jack
JJJJJ (528)
214734 2004-02-11 20:55:00 > As I understand it there is now no 20 gig limit with Fat 32.
The limit is 32GB.

> If I wanted to format my 120 gig HDD to fat 32 how do I do it with Win XP?
From within Disk Management or by using Partition Magic or by booting with Windows XP CD and choosing the option to repartition and format. Note that you would need to create multiple partitions with each partition being 32GB or less. You cannot format 120GB with FAT32. Data will be lost unless using Partition Magic.

> I notice when I formatted my drive I did not get the option to use Fat32.
See above.
tommy (2826)
214735 2004-02-11 22:10:00 I am using Win98 and have a hard drive that reports 74.56GB Capacity Fat 32 14.3GB used and 60.1GB free. Am I going to find I have run out of space when used gets to 32GB? David DavidW (532)
214736 2004-02-11 22:21:00 it is possible to format larger drives than 32gig with fat32, just don't use MS tools ;-) (sorry i can't remember the max size) however i personally don't bother due to it is better to partition up the drive into more useable sizes. tweak'e (174)
214737 2004-02-11 22:38:00 > I am using Win98 and have a hard drive that reports
> 74.56GB Capacity Fat 32 14.3GB used and 60.1GB
> free. Am I going to find I have run out of space
> when used gets to 32GB? David

From what I can find out it appears that Windows 98 does not have a 32GB partition size restriction like Windows XP and 2000 do except for not supporting drives that are smaller than 512MB. If your computer indicates that you have 14.3GB used and 60.1GB free space I would not expect you to "run out of space" when 32GB is used up. My understanding is that once the partitions are created they are fixed so that in regards to partition size "what you see is what you get".
tommy (2826)
214738 2004-02-11 22:43:00 > it is possible to format larger drives than 32gig
> with fat32, just don't use MS tools ;-) (sorry i
> can't remember the max size) however i personally
> don't bother due to it is better to partition up the
> drive into more useable sizes.


Information from the Microsoft Knowledge Base here (support.microsoft.com):

You cannot format a volume larger than 32 gigabytes (GB) 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.

You learn something new everyday I guess. :-)
tommy (2826)
214739 2004-02-11 22:48:00 Fat32 can be on less than 512meg drives/partitions. Done it a few times. mark.p (383)
214740 2004-02-11 22:52:00 Hi Tommy, Guess that answers my question. Thanks.
Jack
JJJJJ (528)
214741 2004-02-11 22:58:00 > Fat32 can be on less than 512meg drives/partitions. Done it a few times.

My information was taken from the Microsoft Knowledge Base here (support.microsoft.com)which I assumed would be correct:

The FAT32 file system does not support drives that are smaller than 512 MB.

I give up. :-)
tommy (2826)
214742 2004-02-11 23:49:00 thanks tommy handy to know :) tweak'e (174)
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