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Thread ID: 102529 2009-08-22 21:39:00 FAT32 required by PVR Michael@home (10396) Press F1
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803453 2009-08-22 21:39:00 I just got a Strong 4300 freeview settop box, and have attached an external HDD via USB. Recording on the external HDD requires it be formatted in FAT32, but none of my machines (all XP, latest) will allow me to format partitions as FAT32 >32 GB (so now I have 4 of them, max allowed, on the external HDD, and that works fine). But I want fewer, larger, partitions.
I've tried Windows format, and also commandline format /FS:FAT32, with 2 partitions of 120 GB, but both bomb out.
Is this a job for 3rd party software? If so, which do you recommend?
Michael@home (10396)
803454 2009-08-22 21:53:00 Thats one of the limitations of FAT32 (support.microsoft.com). Another limitation is you wont be able to create files bigger than 4 GB Speedy Gonzales (78)
803455 2009-08-22 23:33:00 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 can get these from Bootdisk.com
Agent_24 (57)
803456 2009-08-22 23:40:00 You need fat32format software.
Here is link
www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk

I had formatted a 500GB HD to FAT32, use this software.
stuartwu (10531)
803457 2009-08-22 23:52:00 I have used FAT32Formatter (tokiwa.qee.jp) a few times to format large partitions (500 GB, etc) as FAT32. The UI doesn't look very promising but it works as it says it does. sal (67)
803458 2009-08-23 02:22:00 You can also quite happily format larger partitions from within Linux.

Speedy, that's not a limitation of the FAT32 filesystem - it's a deliberate limitation in Windows' implementation of it, intended to force people to switch to NTFS.
Erayd (23)
803459 2009-08-23 02:25:00 Limitations / whatever. Thats what it says on the MS site Speedy Gonzales (78)
803460 2009-08-23 02:38:00 The full title "Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP" is correct, what you'd said is not. But now you know, if you hadn't. sal (67)
803461 2009-08-23 04:31:00 fat32format is simple and effective.
Download it.
pctek (84)
803462 2009-08-23 11:35:00 What is the brand of the drive shell49 (7096)
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