Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    41

    Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

    Hi,
    I had purchased a 1TB external hard drive to use it with Xbox. Before that I usually use 2GB flash card to play my additional games and view files. But now the problem is that when I connect the hard drive to the Xbox it does not detect the hard disk. I had read somewhere that Xbox needs a FAT32 drive to work with. I want to know how can format this eternal hard drive as a FAT32 format. I don't think so this is possible in windows vista. I also has a laptop at my friends house in which he is using windows xp. Can that help. Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    4,831

    Re: Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

    I too not sure that you can create a FAT32 type file system in Windows Vista. Just try this. Go to start menu and click on control panel. Then look for administrative tools and select computer manager. At below you can see Disk Management. In that see your external hard disk and right click on that. From that select format. It will ask you the format select a FAT32 type. If this type does not displays then you cannot create the same in Windows Vista. But there are maximum chance of this. Just try and look out.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    1,588

    Re: Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

    Now this thing is possible by using command prompt. Click on Start > All programs > Accessories > right click on cmd. Select run as Administrator. Open it and connect your external hard disk. Then give the follow command. Type format f: /fs:fat32 /q. In this the f is the drive letter of your external hard disk. The windows utility will format the disk and convert it to a FAT32 partition type.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    3,755

    Re: Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

    If you can arrange a Windows XP machine then that will be much better and easier. First take the backup of your external hard disk. Because by formatting nothing will be remained in the drive. Connect the drive to the Windows XP machine and open My Computer. Then right click on that and select Format. In the box at the top you can see the size and below a drop down box. From that select FAT type and click on OK. It will take some time and the disk will be formatted.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    1

    Re: Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

    You can format a hard drive on Vista but only to a maximum file size of 32gb, to do this on vista select the "start" icon, right click on "Computer" and select Manage from here go to "Disk Management" select the drive and right click select "shrink drive" input 32000 as the file size. Once this is done right click on the new 32gb partition select "new simple volume" leave size at 32gb, select FAT32 as format name partition and select drive letter. i always select the quick format box it takes seconds rather than a good 15minutes.

    To format a drive higher that 32gb in fat32 you need to use an xp machine, command prompt or download swissknife v3. This will only work on XP NOT VISTA.
    Last edited by SEAN534; 13-11-2010 at 09:47 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    1

    Re: Format External FAT32 Hard Drive in Vista

    I came across this on another forum, It works 100% on any Windows OS.
    I had to format my 1TB HDD to FAT32 using Vista for it to work on my PS3

Similar Threads

  1. How to format External Hard drive to Fat32
    By IRVING in forum Vista Help
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 20-12-2011, 02:03 AM
  2. How format an external hard drive in Vista?
    By Jyran in forum Vista Help
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 23-04-2011, 07:39 AM
  3. How to format external Hard drive to Fat or Fat32
    By Benjamin in forum Hardware Peripherals
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-09-2008, 07:08 PM
  4. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 19-07-2008, 08:30 PM
  5. Maximum USB Hard Drive side for FAT32 file format
    By CaspaR in forum Window 2000 Help
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 06-03-2007, 07:58 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Page generated in 1,710,844,805.58543 seconds with 16 queries