FAT32 - More Than 30GB?

What's up.

I have a question.

From my understanding of FAT32, it cannot be more than 30GB? Correct me if I'm wrong.

If I were to buy a brand new 1TB ext. HDD, which will be NTFS out of the box, could I format it to FAT32, like all of it?

It can certainly be over 30gigs, but the file performance gets really bad after about 200 gigabytes. May I ask why you want to format it with fat32? If this is to like hook it with your ps3, I think the ps3 understands the mac file system HFS plus. If you really want to try to make yourself a guinea pig, you can try using a 1tb hd with fat32... http://www.compuapps.com/Download/swissknife/swissknife.htm This program worked nicely on my 250gig hd. Though I really recommend you don't FAT32 doesn't go past 4 gigs per file.

EDIT: Ps3 does not support HFS+, but I know the 360 does.

It is for my PS3, yes.

It's a 500GB hard drive (465 true gigabytes) and there's 168GB in USE. So I'd have to back up 168GB worth of data onto a FAT32 ext. HDD.

Is that simply possible?

(I do not have a Mac)

Thanks for the help so far.

I'm a bit confused on your wording. The hd is ntfs right now, and you are converting to fat32 right?

If there are 168 gigs on it, I think you have to remove all the data on it first then convert it to a fat32 HD. (If it's on NTFS right now that is) So yeah you have to back it up. Someone else might want to verify that but I'm 90% sure you do.

It's a 500GB hard drive (465 true gigabytes)Amster_G

GiB=GibiBytes

GB=GigaBytes

B=Bytes

Sorry about the confusion.

Let's say I'm getting a new 1TB or 500GB external HDD tomorrow and I want it in FAT32 format, is that possible? Just by formatting it that is.

It is possible, but not in Windows. Using Linux (LiveCD) or a bootable partition editor like GPartED should get around that.

500GB=500*10^9B=465*2^30B=465GiB

GiB=GibiBytes

GB=GigaBytes

B=Bytes

smc91352

Sorry about the confusion.

Let's say I'm getting a new 1TB or 500GB external HDD tomorrow and I want it in FAT32 format, is that possible? Just by formatting it that is.

Amster_G

Well, I found a page which explains how to do it but it does not seem to have worked for everyone in the comments.

Look at coment 11 and 18. You can apparently format an HDD to FAT32 at way beyond 32GB on PC (Vista too, as that is the case with me).

Well, I found a page which explains how to do it but it does not seem to have worked for everyone in the comments.

Look at coment 11 and 18. You can apparently format an HDD to FAT32 at way beyond 32GB on PC (Vista too, as that is the case with me).

Amster_G

So I just bought a brand new LaCie 500GB external hard disk drive. The main reason I got it was to back up my PlayStation 3 system (500GB HDD).

The thing is, the PS3 only reads FAT32. Now, from what I've experienced, on PC (Vista user) I could only format to 32GB on an older hard drive. It was partitioned on a 1TB LaCie hard drive. The rest remained NTFS.

Of course this is far from enough space in order to back up my PS3 (there's 168GB to back up, to be exact).

I'm aware that technically, formatting a hard drive beyond 32GB FAT32 is not possibly on a PC but there's programs like SwissKnife and Fat32Formatter that can work around that, apparently,

Now I'm completely screwed. The HDD worked fine when I first got it (NTFS formatted), but after unsuccessfully fiddling around with those applications, now my HDD doesn't work. It doesn't work as in when I turn on the HDD, nothing happens. It's on, but on the computer nothing happens. Then, when I go to Computer, everything freezes. By turning off the HDD I can get everything to unfreeze again.

What happened, what can I do to fix it and how can I properly format this hard drive to FAT32 above 32GB?

Thanks so much.

I can't. The computer doesn't recognize the hard drive. I do hear the little sound through the speakers when the hard drive is turned on, but Computer freezes, disk management doesn't have the hard drive listed and only when I turn OFF the hard drive, it is briefly registered at drive M, but of course I can't do anything with it because the hard drive is off...

This is pissing me off. An application that's supposed to work causes my hard drive to fail... and I didn't even select anything in any programs I was browsing through....

Might as well just return it tomorrow, tell 'em it doesn't work and get a new one...

Ok, so I tried the HDD on an old Windows XP. It's super slow and everything but I managed to get this...

I hit Troubleshoot and it freezes... of course unless I switch off the HDD.

Seems like the HDD has some kind of brand new freeze feature... it's so awesome.

Well, it doesn't matter anymore as I am returning my PS3 Slim anyway. I was gonna use the new HDD for the old PS3's back up.

But thanks for all the help anyway!

The Western Digital Passport 500GB portable HDD that I bought comes formated as FAT32.

[QUOTE="smc91352"]

500GB=500*10^9B=465*2^30B=465GiB

GiB=GibiBytes

GB=GigaBytes

B=Bytes

codezer0

[QUOTE="Amster_G"]

Sorry about the confusion.

Let's say I'm getting a new 1TB or 500GB external HDD tomorrow and I want it in FAT32 format, is that possible? Just by formatting it that is.

JigglyWiggly_

Is the same to be said for a 1.5 tb external HDD? I looked at the Q & A on the makers site(my hdd) and read that the formatting was only avaliable on the 1 tb and under models, and may not work on 2007 and up models.

Thanks.