Booting Windows7 on FAT32

[WindowsStar]

OK while I am trying your solution all I can share is our client is a computer manufacturing giant. In their assembly line they have some legacy applications that supoort only FAT32. They can't afford to change that as its implemented worldwide. Our project is to provide trimmed Win7 OS piece to them that should boot on FAT32. I hope that helps.

BEFORE YOU READ NOTES: I am not down playing your problem. I am not attacking you in any way; and I am not saying you are a liar; all I am saying is something does not make sense.

I have worked for Dell, Gateway, AST, CompuAdd and several others you may have never heard of. If they really are a "Computer Manufacturing Giant" they have the resources to work around a FAT32 issue.

We had a pre-loading/testing propitiatory software that was installed on machines that was fantastically programming by some amazing programmers at the time. The software was used on the production line for loading the OS on hard drives and verifying that everything was working, hardware drivers, etc. This software faced a similar problem like the one you have. When the technology changed we spend about a week trying to figure out a way to keep our software working because it was fast and worked very well. Plus we had spent millions of dollars on it. Mind you we spend what seemed like an eternity (1 week) trying workarounds. Production equals Profit so the system could not be down for a long period of time. Once the week was over and we could not make the software work the “Company” purchased a new solution. Yes it was costly, but continuing to try and make an out-dated propitiatory solution continue to work was not cost effective.

What happens when the next OS comes out? What happens to our profit if we cannot keep it running? etc. – From my point of view and what you are telling me does not make any sense? If this software requires FAT32 and they are a “computer manufacturing giant” they have the resources to overcome this extremely easy. Plus they can use their contacts with Microsoft to resolve the issue. – So something doesn’t add up in my mind.

If this was some small mom and pop operation I could understand as they would not have the recourses to buy a new solution. – If this was a mom and pop company normally they are willing to share just about anything with anyone if someone can come up with a solution that works and keeps them profitable. – So again something just does not make sense.

I completely understand the proprietary nature of what you are doing and you may be under a gag order or confidentially contract. If there is any way you can explain what you are trying to do without giving away the confidential information we may be able to come up with an alternative solution.

We are all here and we are willing to help. If I come across something that fits your situation I will post it.

 

[Win7Junkie]

I was looking for a technical solution to my problem here rather than recommendations to the client which have already been made. I am not here to explain non-technical aspect of my problem. It is upto their management to decide when they would go for buying a new solution from the market. So now coming back to the point please see if there is any workaround for FAT32. In case you are not aware of that then please feel free to choose not to reply.

 

[Kari]

Windows 7 can boot only -I repeat: only- from NTFS. You are trying to reach beyond the knowledge of today. Nothing wrong with that, so did Da Vinci, Kopernikus, Edison & co. and look how famous they are today.

Just to make my point clear, once more: booting Win7 from FAT32 disk is not possible, according to what we know today. It looks like this computer giant of yours has to invest in modern systems.

Kari

 

[WindowsStar]

Ok here is what I found today.

Short story I created a hard drive and a USB drive both on FAT32 that have the Retail Windows 7 and then the Windows 7 Enterprise version that boot correctly and load Windows 7 perfectly.

Next I created my own slim version of Windows 7 and put it on the Hard Drive and the USB drive and everything boots and installs perfectly.

The only catch to all this is you can ONLY install Windows 7 on a NTFS drive. I tried to pre-format the drive FAT32 and then do the install and the Installer POP-UPS a message that says: “Windows 7 only supports NTFS”. You are given the option to re-format the FAT32 drive.

However installing FROM FAT32 works perfectly.

I hope that helps.

 

[seekermeister]

After thinking about this some, I'm wondering why the OP couldn't install W7 on NTFS, and then the 32bit programs on a separate FAT32 partition? I would think that if they installed properly, they would run properly.

 

[logicearth]

After thinking about this some, I'm wondering why the OP couldn't install W7 on NTFS, and then the 32bit programs on a separate FAT32 partition? I would think that if they installed properly, they would run properly.

I find it more baffling the fact the application is even dependent on the the file system. Sounds like a god awful POS.

 

[win7clutz]

I still don't understand how a "Manufacturing Giant" isn't capable of managing their business and turns to a third party seeking a fix on a public forum...

 

[WindowsStar]

I still don't understand how a "Manufacturing Giant" isn't capable of managing their business and turns to a third party seeking a fix on a public forum...

That is my point exactly in my other postings.

 

[Win7Junkie]

WindowsStar, can you please provide the steps you followed to achieve the same?

 

[Win7Junkie]

WindowsStar, I am trying to understand what you have mentioned above. Did you install Windows 7 on NTFS and then reformat it as FAT 32 and then booted the OS? or did you install Windows 7 on NTFS and then copied the installed files on a hard drive that is FAT32 and boooted it? Please clarify.

 

[WindowsStar]

WindowsStar, I am trying to understand what you have mentioned above. Did you install Windows 7 on NTFS and then reformat it as FAT 32 and then booted the OS? or did you install Windows 7 on NTFS and then copied the installed files on a hard drive that is FAT32 and boooted it? Please clarify.

1) I setup a USB stick with FAT32 and installed Windows 7 from the USB stick to an internal hard drive.
2) I setup an internal hard drive [E:] with FAT32 and installed Windows 7 from the internal hard drive to another internal hard drive [C:].

NOTE: Both installs ONLY installed as NTFS. You can NOT install on a FAT32 formatted drive.

In other words you can install FROM FAT32 but you cannot install ON FAT32.

I hope that helps.

 

[gregrocker]

I can confirm FAT32 boots Win7 installer, as I have a tool stick I carry around bootable XP, Win7 and dozens of other apps.

When I want to boot Win7, I drag the files out of folder into the root and it boots on most machines. XP not so much - I burn it or run it.

Thought I had formatted stick NTFS Primary but notice last week it is FAT32 which is it's native format. It only needs to be Primary to boot, as it happens for this Kingston Data Traveler, carried in my pocket for 3 years.

 

[Win7Junkie]

windowsStar,when you say you set up a USB with FAT 32 and installled Windows 7 from the USB. So my question is how did you install/copy Windows 7 on that USB. I tried to follow your earlier post in the same thread and that worked for NTFS but did not work for FAT32. If you can elaborate step fist in detail then that would be great help.

 

[fseal]

I think that part of the problem is that Windows 7 Makes use of NTFS features like Hard Links at the OS level which XP and maybe even Vista did not. It expects them to be there after install and expects to be able to create them when necesary to redirect programs from writing into the WIndows folders and such things.

W7 may just not run on anything but NTFS PERIOD.

At this point a tech support call into Microsoft themselves (You get like three per MSDN Pro subscriptions) would probably be in order to confirm this.

 

[chrysalis]

you guys seem to be all overcomplicating the issue.

the hidden 100meg partition that gets created has to be ntfs.

all other partitions can be fat32 or ntfs.

The first thing I suggest trying is install windows onto a ntfs partition as normal but keep unallocated space ready to make a 2nd partition which will be fat32, then run the legacy app on that partition.

If the app is not satisfied with this then try making the c: windows partition fat32 but the hidden 100meg partition will have to be ntfs.

 

[WindowsStar]

you guys seem to be all overcomplicating the issue.

the hidden 100meg partition that gets created has to be ntfs.

all other partitions can be fat32 or ntfs.

The first thing I suggest trying is install windows onto a ntfs partition as normal but keep unallocated space ready to make a 2nd partition which will be fat32, then run the legacy app on that partition.

If the app is not satisfied with this then try making the c: windows partition fat32 but the hidden 100meg partition will have to be ntfs.

I tried that it did not work.

 

[WindowsStar]

windowsStar,when you say you set up a USB with FAT 32 and installled Windows 7 from the USB. So my question is how did you install/copy Windows 7 on that USB. I tried to follow your earlier post in the same thread and that worked for NTFS but did not work for FAT32. If you can elaborate step fist in detail then that would be great help.

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/


​

This is what I did it worked perfectly the 8 times I did it. 2 on USB, 2 on a hard drive, 2 on USB slim, and 2 on hard drive slim.

 

[Kari]

Bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive.[/B]
...
...
First type DISKPART and hit enter to see the below message
...
In the below screenshot my Flash Drive Disk no is Disk 1

When you copy / paste your response from another website, this kind of mistakes happen quite easily: you forget to copy / paste the screenshots from the original post you 'borrowed'.

When your post is copied from another website and author, you should know what Seven Forums rules have to say:

18. Articles: If an article is from another website, then it cannot be copied completely here. That would be considered plagiarism. Instead it will need to presented in a teaser format with usually only the first paragraph of the article with the link to that website's article included in your post as a "Read more at....(link)" at the bottom. Please acknowledge the source, if at all possible.

Anyway, your post is no answer to the OP's issue. This method just puts the Win7 installation files to a USB stick; it does not install Windows 7 on to a FAT32 partition. Windows needs to be installed on to an NTFS partition.

Kari

 

[WindowsStar]

@Kari,

Nope: I did not copy or borrow that from a web site (per se). It is in a word document and it has no screen shots. I put the document together myself and there may have been some wording from a web site with a screen shot long ago. I will be sure to correct that in my document. Thank you very much.

 

[Kari]

Follow the below steps to create bootable Windows 7/Vista USB drive using which you can install Windows 7/Vista easily.
1. Plug-in your USB flash drive to USB port and move all the contents from USB drive to a safe location on your system.
2. Open Command Prompt with admin rights. Use any of the below methods to open Command Prompt with admin rights.
*Type cmd in Start menu search box and hit Ctrl+ Shift+ Enter.
Or
*Go to Start menu > All programs > Accessories, right click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
3. You need to know about the USB drive a little bit. Type in the following commands in the command prompt:
First type DISKPART and hit enter to see the below message.

Next type LIST DISK command and note down the Disk number (ex: Disk 1) of your USB flash drive. In the below screenshot my Flash Drive Disk no is Disk 1.
4. Next type all the below commands one by one. Here I assume that your disk drive no is “Disk 1”.If you have Disk 2 as your USB flash drive then use Disk 2.Refer the above step to confirm it.
So below are the commands you need to type and execute one by one:
SELECT DISK 1
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT FS=NTFS

And so on...

And so on...

Quite a coincidence!!! You just managed to type word by word the same than this here: Install Windows 7 From USB Drive/Pen Drive

I mean, really word by word. I had never believed it could be possible! You even have the * signs in the same places!

Kari

EDIT: Checking this a bit more, reading your posts I even noticed that you know how to leave a space after comma or period, so the text is easier to read. But in this 'your' tutorial, you forget this grammatic rule in exactly same places than in that other website.

This is really Twilight Zone: so unbelievable coincidence!