how to format external hard drive to fat 32

[lookitsakyauk]

i have vista with a ntfs file format and want to format my external hard drive to fat32 what kind of a program do I need to be able to do that?

[Gregory]

Why do you want to use FAT32? Unless you need to read it from an OS that can't read NTFS, I'm not sure if there is any benefit to it.

Regardless, I've used this program before. It worked.

Download link:

http://www.compuapps.com/Download/sw...swissknife.exe


Company site:

http://www.compuapps.com/download/Sw...swissknife.htm

[kedu]

open up the command prompt or "run" and type:

format (your drive letter) : /FS:FAT32

I take it you have a very specific use for this, the fat32 file system is ancient and will not allow files over 4GB

But remember you will lose everything on this drive when you reformat from ntfs to fat32 - so back up everything.

[Polsta]

juct click on the drive in my computer and click format

[kedu]

juct click on the drive in my computer and click format

not possible in Vista, ntfs >> fat 32 with a drive over 32GB. Command line is the only way to do it using windows itself without extra software.

[x64Man]

I take it you have a very specific use for this, the fat32 file system is ancient and will not allow files over 4GB

True, but if you want to add an external drive to the PS3 one must format it to Fat32, I just had to do this.

[lookitsakyauk]

thats exactly why i need to do this. I had an extra 80 gb 2.5 in hd so I decided to make it an external to use with my ps3.

[lookitsakyauk]

thanks kedu I'm formatting now looks like it's working.

[lookitsakyauk]

i did the command line like kedu said and the prompt pops up and I format. But once its done and I click on the drive thru my computer it says that the drive is not formatted. Can someone help?

[kedu]

You have to turn off UAC. In the control panel click on user accounts and turn off UAC for your account and restart your computer then try again.