how can i format my external HD drive into FAT32 format

[Waqas83]

hi,

i've purchased a seagate 1TB external hard drive and need to format it in FAT32 format.

how can i go about doing this using windows 7?

 

[zigzag3143]

hi,

i've purchased a seagate 1TB external hard drive and need to format it in FAT32 format.

how can i go about doing this using windows 7?

Hi and welcome

um, why do you need to? there are several 3rd party apps that can but since win 7 knows NTFS, it will not format fat32. Just checked to be sure.

KEn J+

 

[Pauly]

Right click my computer>manage>disk management>right click the disk in question click format then change ntfs to fat32 if it allows you, can use fat32 on flash drives usb sticks etc not sure about HDDs though

Be aware that formatting a disk will delete all files on the disk and fat32 cannot support any files larger than 4GB

 

[zigzag3143]

Right click my computer>manage>disk management>right click the disk in question click format then change ntfs to fat32 if it allows you, can use fat32 on flash drives usb sticks etc not sure about HDDs though

Be aware that formatting a disk will delete all files on the disk and fat32 cannot support any files larger than 4GB

You sure? my disk management snap in only allows NTFS.

K

 

[Pauly]

I got a 16GB usb stick that i formatted fat32 so i can transfer music and movies to my PS3 as it doesnt see ntfs so it will do it to some things no sure about larger capacity items like HDDs

 

[Waqas83]

hi thanks for your help but i'll explain a little more.

I would like to format it in FAT32 so that it is then compatible with my ps3 as well.

I understand that windows only formats in FAT32 upto 32GB.

I would also consider making a partition if need be.

If windows 7 will not allow it is there a software i could download which is compatible with windows 7 that could.

Have searched and found a few 3rd party softwares that could help me but are not available for windows 7 (i.e swissknife)

Again thanks for your help

 

[Pauly]

You can try a smaller partition but i dont know if ps3 will read it though, worth a try if thats what you wanna do, post back let us know if it works

 

[Waqas83]

Found a solution!!!!!

Used the following link http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?fat32format.htm and the Windows GUI version of fat32format option to format within seconds and now works fine

 

[Pauly]

Found a solution!!!!!

Used the following link to format within seconds and now works fine

What link?
Did the PS3 read the drive when connected

 

[Waqas83]

yes, transferred all my videos (over 120GB) and all the ones I've tested about 4 or 5 at random are working absolutely normal.

Will keep you and this thread updated if i encounter any problems.

Thanks again

 

[Waqas83]

P.S. you have to create certain folders on the hard drive - Picture, Music and Video and transfer files appropriately for it to work properly

 

[Frostmourne]

P.S. you have to create certain folders on the hard drive - Picture, Music and Video and transfer files appropriately for it to work properly

That sounds right - the PSP had a similar structure.

 

[KatfishKiller]

Found a solution!!!!!

Used the following link Ridgecrop Consultants Ltd and the Windows GUI version of fat32format option to format within seconds and now works fine

You are the MAN!!!!
Worked great.
I called Toshiba today and they told me to send the 1.5tb external drive back to them for warrenty work. I tried to format it to NTFS and FAT32 but nothing worked. I tried XP and Vista. Your Link worked in just a few seconds. Now wish me luck converting the FAT to NTFS.

 

[twitch66]

does this work on windows 8 too or is there any other way on windows 8

 

[mawds]

Just to add to this for anyone stumbling upon it, open a command prompt and use "format". Type format/? for options, good old dos days

Format d: /FS:fat32

it's slow but it gets there.

 

[rickthechief]

Hi, I can confirm this works with Windows 8, I wanted to backup my PS3 to a HDD and found that I had to format it as FAT32.

I had to go to disk management, delete the volume and re-create it (but don't format it). Then run the fat32format utility from the link and it worked.

Cheers guys!

 

[Greekpower]

Hello, i have problem i put usb on my pc and then i press right click format as fat 32 and then format complete then i download rufus and windows 7 home premium 32 bit then i select iso on rufus and select ntfs instead fat32 and my pc has problem how to fix the problem?

 

[AddRAM]

You do not need to format the stick, rufus will do that when you burn the windows 7 iso file to it.

Try again

Where did you download the Windows 7 HP 32 Bit iso file from ?

Please post the link.

 

[Greekpower]

Windows 7 Home Premium ISO download - PC River
I need format usb with rufus and rufus don't accept when return of ntfs to fat32 because my pc has problem, also when i am on internet don't save passwords. When i had formated usb with rufus fat32 my pc hadn't problems. Also i will try with power iso.
My usb is 8gb

 

[TechnoMage2016]

hi,

i've purchased a seagate 1TB external hard drive and need to format it in FAT32 format.

how can i go about doing this using windows 7?

Why you want to do that, isn't important, but what is important is that Windows will not do that, because ever since Win 98, it thinks that every hard drive should be formatted NTFS.

However every Hard Drive Manager program that I'm familiar with will do that for you. No big deal.

Personally I use "EaseUS Partition Manager" and I've formatted a lot of hard drives with it, in the FAT-32 format. It's a piece of cake.

Cheers mate,
TechnoMage