[HELP!] Format a 3TB External HDD to FAT32

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  1. Posts : 36
    windows 7x64
    Thread Starter
       #21

    Thank you! I'm going to try this tonight. I'll post back when I'm finished
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  2. Posts : 236
    .
       #22

    just curious but you are able to even format the whole 3tb in your installation of windows?

    i ask because windows 7 has a limit of 2.2tb using a standard bios.

    If your os was installed using efi i would say ok fine but the ps3 uses a 16bit bios anyway which is why it has a limit of 2.2tb as well.

    efi, removes the bios limitation on drive sizes, 16bit bios is being phased out due to those limits at 2.2tb, the actual bios is a 64 bit program installed on your harddrive instead of flash memory on your mobo.

    while windows 7 64 is a good os it has it's limits on drive size defined before it can even load up by the bios, the ps3 is no different in that regard those limitations are there and there is no way around them without changing the hardware to support larger drives.
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  3. Posts : 36
    windows 7x64
    Thread Starter
       #23

    No, I wasn't able to format it. I'm in the process of trying to get the drive back to factory settings so I can sell or return it. I guess this is a rare case of bigger not being better

    I thought I had done my homework, but I guess the articles/forums I was reading were not well informed. I'm going to try and get a 1.5TB drive instead. I have been looking for an external for a lonnnnnng time, but this 3TB was kind of an impulse buy as I got a great deal on it ($100 at Staples-featured on SlickDeals)
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  4. Posts : 36
    windows 7x64
    Thread Starter
       #24

    Ok, I downloaded and ran SeaTools for Windows that was linked and it came back that my drive was "in working condition" but I'm still stuck showing 255GB. Is there another option that I should be running instead of the scans? Again, sorry if these are stupid questions, I literally have no idea what I'm doing here. Thanks for your patience and understanding
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  5. Posts : 36
    windows 7x64
    Thread Starter
       #25

    In case it helps, this is what my HDD looks like under disk management. Can I just delete all 3 of the "volumes" (partitions) to get it back to it's factory settings?

    [IMG][/IMG]
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  6. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #26

    Check whether thepeglegpete's post dated 20 Jan 2012 here, helps.

    He used gparted http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php to make it a GPT disk and then Windows 7 (64bit) Disk Management recognised it as full 3TB RAW. ( Needless to say we are also learning from your experience in trying to help you out.:))
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  7. Posts : 4,466
    Windows 10 Education 64 bit
       #27

    Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the drive come blank and unformatted? Right now its showing as 256 GB (formated capacity) because only the one 256 GB partition is formated. Just delete the three partitions that are shown in Disk Management for Disk 1 so the drive is blank (unpartitioned) and unformatted. It appears you don't have the hardware to make one 3 gig partition anyway. There is likely another utility on the Seagate site that may partition and format the drive for you. Some manufacturers bundle them all into one utility some split them up.
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  8. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #28

    | Seagate to know more about more than 2TB.

    To me it appears, (not sure though:)) that the OP may be able to format the 1792GB partition to NTFS with Windows Disk Management utility.

    The 746.52GB (over and above the 2TB) can be formatted using the Seagate's Discwizard. That is what Seagate tells in this Flash tutorial.

    DiscWizard_Add3TB_StandAlone

    I would rather go the GPT way.( if the OP finds that it works.:) ) ( Thank God I don't have a 3TB drive. Personally I would rather prefer three 1TB drives rather than one 3TB.)
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  9. Posts : 36
    windows 7x64
    Thread Starter
       #29

    Sorry for the delay, Monday's suck.

    Thanks for all the responses! I'm going to try to delete all 3 "volumes" in disk management based on alphanumeric's suggestion. Then I'm going to try "gparted" based on Jumanji's linked thread.

    I will be returning or selling this drive when I get it back to showing all 3TB normally. I bought it because it was such a good deal, but, IMO, isn't worth all these headaches. I will be getting a smaller drive and doubling up on drives if need be.

    I'm crossing my fingers that this will work. I can't keep wasting my time on this thing, lol. Again, I thank ALL of you who continue to help me. This is a great forum and it's because of people like yourselves who selflessly help others :) Wish me luck

    Edit to add: I also have an email into Seagate support explaining the problem and have still not heard anything back (it's been 4 days now)
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  10. Posts : 36
    windows 7x64
    Thread Starter
       #30

    Ok, I deleted the 256GB volume, the other 2 "unallocated" volumes couldn't be deleted. Now when I plug the HDD in it's shown as a drive only under devices and printers, but it's not accessible for storage (doesn't show up as my G drive which it did previously). I took a screen cap to show what I'm talking about. I'm about ready to throw this thing against a wall and chalk it up as a $100 loss and move on

    [IMG][/IMG]
      My Computer


 
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