• How to make a fat32 file system on a flash drive. Why the flash drive is not formatted in fat32. Format the flash drive to FAT32. Install hdd low level format tool

    The FAT32 file system is considered obsolete due to a number of limitations that are not acceptable by modern standards. But, nevertheless, in many cases the use of FAT32 is justified. For example, if you want from a flash drive, then most likely you will have to format it in FAT32. If you have such a need, then this article should help you. Here we will talk about how to format a flash drive to FAT32.

    How to format a flash drive in FAT32 via the context menu

    The easiest way to format a flash drive in FAT32 is to use standard tools in the Windows operating system. To do this, connect the USB flash drive to your computer and open the “My Computer” window. After that, right-click on the flash drive that appears and select the “Format” menu item.

    After this, a window will open in front of you to format the flash drive. Here, make sure that FAT32 is selected in the file system drop-down list. If exFAT is selected there, then change the value to FAT32.

    If you wish, you can change the volume label (the name of the flash drive) and enable (or disable) the quick format function. Quick formatting is rewriting the file system without physically deleting files from the flash drive. In most cases, users use quick formatting.

    After all the settings have been made, click on the “Start” button.

    After this, a warning will appear about deleting all data from the flash drive. In order to continue formatting the flash drive, simply click on the “OK” button.

    If you chose fast mode, then formatting the flash drive to FAT32 should only take a few seconds. A pop-up window will inform you that formatting is complete.

    How to format a flash drive to FAT32 via the command line

    You can also format a flash drive to the FAT32 file system using. To do this, press the Windows-R key combination and enter the command “cmd” in the window that appears.

    After this, the Windows command prompt should open in front of you. In order to format a flash drive, you need to use the “format” command. This command can take a large number of different parameters, but in order to format in FAT32 we only need a few:

    • /FS:FAT32 – specify the file system we want to use;
    • F: - the letter that is assigned to your flash drive;
    • /q – quick formatting mode;

    In total, the final form of our command will be something like this: format /FS:FAT32 F: /q . Enter this command into the command line. At the same time, do not forget to replace F with the letter that is assigned to your flash drive.

    After entering this command, a message will appear asking you to insert a new disk and press ENTER. If the flash drive is already connected to the computer, then simply press ENTER.

    After this, the flash drive will be formatted into the FAT32 file system.

    After a prompt to enter another command appears on the command line, you can disconnect the flash drive.

    By the way, we have a separate article about. We recommend you read it.

    The exFAT file system, intended primarily for flash media, replaced its predecessor FAT32 in 2006, solved the latter’s problem in terms of the inability to write files weighing more than 4 GB and increased this figure to 2 TB. However, she has not been able to replace her predecessor to this day. Along with solving the problem of her predecessor, the heiress, alas, brought her own problems. Not all devices will be able to work with SD, MicroSD cards, or USB flash drives formatted in exFAT. In this article, we’ll look at how you can format a flash drive (or any other removable media) that initially has the exFAT file system into universal FAT32. But first, a few words about why this operation is considered a separate issue and not included in the general topic of the procedure for formatting disk devices using Windows.

    Who caused the problems?

    Some devices - televisions, set-top boxes, media players, car radios, cameras, video cameras - may simply not see media formatted in exFAT.

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    But they will communicate perfectly with this media if it has a FAT32 file system. It is so far compatible with most equipment that works with flash media better than any other file systems. And now we are talking not only about old device models. Modern technology may not work with exFAT, because this file system is proprietary. Thus, manufacturers of flash drives or devices with them on board formatted in exFAT, if they do not want to break the law, must pay a license fee for using the file system to its creator, Microsoft. Well, this, accordingly, will increase the final cost of the product, which is by no means necessary in the segment of budget devices produced in Asian countries.

    Not only does Microsoft have a solution to this problem, but it is not yet willing to leave this solution in favor of the user masses. The company also prevents the procedure for formatting removable media from exFAT to FAT32, if this operation is carried out using standard Windows tools. An attempt to format in System Explorer usually fails with a notification that the disk is too large for FAT32. In this case, formatting into the original exFAT file system is, of course, carried out without problems.

    Solving the issue

    Microsoft does not allow you to solve the problem using standard means, but fortunately, it does not prevent you from doing it using third-party tools. Such as, for example, a free utility Fat32format. It will format the flash drive from exFAT to FAT32. The utility is simple, portable, you can download it from here by clicking on the screenshot:

    http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm

    We launch the utility, in the “Drive” column, select the desired flash drive if there are several of them connected to the computer. Click “Start” at the bottom.

    We agree to further actions.

    A couple of seconds - and everything is done, the flash drive is formatted in FAT32.

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    FAT 32 is the most popular file system, but Windows does not allow it to be used on disks and flash drives larger than 32 GB. However, there is a way to get around this limitation. See how you can format a flash drive in FAT32 with a memory capacity of more than 32 GB.

    Limitations of FAT32 on Windows

    FAT32 is already a fairly outdated file structure and has significant limitations. It is impossible to at least save files larger than 4 GB on flash drives or external drives with this system. On the other hand, it is one of the best for storing and exchanging data via USB, since it is supported by almost every device - SmartTVs, game consoles, stationary DVD / DivX players, as well as any computers running Mac, Linux or Windows - and therefore many users still use it.

    Unfortunately, Windows imposes its own restrictions and only allows devices with a capacity of less than 32 GB to be formatted in FAT32. If there is more memory on the flash drive, for example, 64 GB, then the NTFS, REFS or exFAT file systems remain. But they do not work with all devices; for example, old TVs or video players will not be able to read information from the drive’s memory. But there is a way to format a hard drive to FAT32 or a flash drive larger than 32 GB. How to do this?

    A program for formatting “bulk” drives

    In this case, the tools built into the operating system will be mostly ineffective. They will only provide the opportunity to format the drive in exFAT or NTFS. The easiest way to format 32 GB portable memory is to use a small utility called FAT32 Format.

    http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/guiformat.htm

    To download it, open the above page and click on the picture with the image of the program window - this is a direct link to the download. You don't even need to install this program. It is offered as portable, that is, it is a portable version. After downloading, you can immediately launch it using the EXE file without the need for installation.

    You'll see an interface somewhat similar to the one Windows offers when formatting a disk. In the Drive field, select the letter of the connected USB drive or flash drive that you want to format in the FAT32 structure. The “Allocation Unit Size” field can be left unchanged.

    Then in the Label field you can enter the name of the device to be formatted. The name can be anything that will help you determine the purpose of the drive and what is recorded on it. If you need to quickly format an external hard drive to FAT32 or a flash drive, then check the “Quick format” option.

    After that, click on the Start button. You will be notified that the formatting process will erase all data from the portable media. To continue and confirm deleting data, click OK. The flash drive will be formatted in FAT32.

    If a message appears that the device cannot be formatted because it is being used by another process, make sure that all Explorer and other file manager windows are closed. Opening Explorer (My Computer window) may interfere with the FAT32 Format utility. After closing Explorer, try launching the program again.

    FAT32format is a program that allows you to quickly format any media: hard drive, SSD, flash drive, memory card into the FAT32 file system (from any other). This file system is quite popular, as almost any device supports it. The main disadvantages of FAT32 are a fairly strict limitation on the size of the recorded file (up to 4 GB), as well as a noticeable loss of performance during fragmentation.

    This program does not have a graphical shell and is a command line application. If you have never worked with such applications before, do not be alarmed! Working with FAT32format is very simple: in addition to selecting the disk to format, the application allows you to set the number of sectors in the cluster. The final command that must be entered into the command line to get started should look like this: fat32format -cY X, where X is the drive letter that should be formatted, and Y is the number of sectors in one cluster. Depending on the media size, the following Y values ​​are recommended:

    • volume less than 137 GB - 1;
    • volume less than 274 GB - 2;
    • volume less than 549 GB - 4;
    • volume less than 1 TB - 8;
    • volume more than 1 TB - 16

    The maximum storage capacity supported by the program is 2 TB. If this is exceeded, it is recommended to use alternative solutions.

    What advantages does FAT32format have over standard Windows formatting tools? There is only one thing, but it is very important - speed of work. When formatting particularly capacious drives, the program can save you up to several hours (it all depends on the performance of the PC). You can download and use FAT32format completely free of charge.

    Key Features and Functions

    • no graphical shell, the application runs from the command line;
    • high speed of formatting media in FAT32;
    • support for hard drives, SSDs, memory cards and flash drives;
    • work with media up to 2 TB;
    • ability to select the number of sectors in one cluster (parameter -c).

    Many people periodically have to deal with the problem of copying a file weighing over 4 gigabytes to a flash drive. In Windows 7 and Windows 8, NTFS formatting is available by default, while the NTFS format is not supported in Windows XP.

    So, how to format a flash drive for NTFS in Windows XP.

    What are FAT and NTFS

    FAT and NTFS are a file system that is a way of organizing and storing data on media (flash drive, hard drive). Information must not only be recorded, but also organized. A simple way to organize information is through files and folders.

    Today, the most common file system on user computers is NTFS, which replaced FAT.
    The FAT file system is very rare on modern computers. The main disadvantage of this file system is that it has a maximum disk capacity of only 2 gigabytes.

    This file system appeared on computers relatively recently. The system has greater advantages than FAT. But it also has its drawbacks. NTFS stores data much better, but is also demanding on computer resources. In addition, if the hard drive is over 90 percent loaded, the system will start to work slower.

    Thanks to NTFS, it is now possible to recover lost data.

    When to format a flash drive

    Formatting is the process of creating a file system on a drive. After formatting, all stored data is deleted.

    Formatting a flash drive is carried out for a number of the following reasons:

    • not enough free space;
    • changing the file system;
    • troubleshooting;
    • The drive was damaged by viruses.

    Determining the cluster size

    When performing formatting operations, you can specify not only the file system, but also the required cluster size. Because of this, most users wonder what cluster size should be set when formatting.

    The cluster size must be selected taking into account what files will be stored on the flash drive.

    If the files that will be stored on the flash drive are small (text documents, photographs, etc.), then you should choose a small cluster volume. If the disk is intended to store large volumes of files (music, video), then it is best to choose a large cluster size.

    A cluster is a minimum unit of capacity that is allocated on a flash drive for storing data. The main feature of filling clusters when placing data on them is the creation of a mark indicating that the cell is full (this occurs even if the cell is not completely filled).

    If the cluster size is 256 bytes, and the file stored in it is only 1 byte in size, the cell becomes unsuitable for writing and storing other files. The cluster size also affects the speed of data exchange between the PC and the flash drive.

    File systems have different ranges of cluster sizes:

    • FAT – cluster size is 64 kilobytes (65536 bytes).
    • FAT32 – cluster size ranges from 1 to 32 kilobytes (1024–32768 bytes).
    • NTFS – cluster size ranges from 0.5 kilobytes to 32 kilobytes (512–65536 bytes).
    • exFAT – cluster size ranges from 0.5 kilobytes to 32 megabytes (512–33554432 bytes).

    How to format a flash drive for NTFS

    In order to correctly format a flash drive in the system in NTFS under Windows XP, you first need to change the drive optimization.


    The correct procedure for formatting flash drives includes the following points:

    • In My Computer, select the flash drive and right-click on it. In the list that opens, select Format...;
    • then a window will appear in which you need to select a file system;
    • after this, you need to set the cluster size (how to select the cluster size was discussed above);
    • Next, set the volume label;
    • and click on the Start tab.

    After all the steps, the flash drive will be formatted in NTFS under Windows XP.

    It is known that the FAT32 file system prevents copying a file that weighs more than 2 gigabytes. Therefore, users often have a problem regarding how to format a flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS.

    There are several ways to format a flash drive correctly in the system.

    Convert files without data loss

    To avoid losing data during conversion, you can use the standard “convert.exe” utility, but first you should check the disk for errors.

    1. you need to right-click on the flash drive and select Properties in the drop-down window;
    2. then you need to go to the service and select Perform check;
    3. After clicking on the Run scan tab, the Scan disk window will appear; in the Scan parameters you must check all the boxes.

    It is advisable to close all programs in use before converting to avoid errors during the operation, which could result in lost access to the disk.

    The utility is located on the local drive (C:)/Windows/System32/convert.exe.

    You can call it by typing the command line:


    In the window that opens, you need to specify the following data: convert -> (removable drive letter) -> : /fs:ntfs /nosecurity /x.

    Then you should press Enter. After the conversion is completed, you must enter exit and press Enter again. This utility allows you to convert a file system without losing data via the command line.

    Additional keys to the convert utility:
    Convert volume: /FS:NTFS :

    • Volume—defines the drive letter;
    • /FS:NTFS - defines the file system;
    • — activates the message input mode;
    • — points to a file in the root folder to reserve space for NTFS system files;
    • /NoSecurity - this parameter is responsible for the security of converted files;
    • /X - force removal of the volume.

    Despite the fact that Convert.exe allows you to convert the file system of a flash drive without losing data, before starting work it is still better to copy the data from the flash drive to your hard drive.

    To avoid mistakes during conversion, you need to check the flash drive for free space.

    In addition, you can use a free utility to format a flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS. Utility name HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool.

    Algorithm of actions:


    To understand how to format a flash drive from exFAT to NTFS, you must first understand this concept.

    The exFAT file system, which replaced the FAT system, has the following differences:

    • reduction of overwrites of the same disk sector;
    • increasing the cluster size to 32 megabytes;
    • increasing the maximum file size to 16 exabytes;
    • there is no limit on the number of files in a directory;
    • support for access rights to files and directories has appeared;
    • The efficiency of using free space has increased significantly, thereby significantly reducing disk fragmentation.

    Video: How to format a flash drive to NTFS

    To format a flash drive from exFAT to NTFS, you need to open the command line window: Start -> Run -> cmd. To format, use the format command with the /FS switch:

    Example command: format Z: /FS:NTFS

    To format a flash drive in exFAT, you need to type the following command: format Z: /FS:exFAT

    The exFAT file system consumes significantly less disk space for its system resources. It supports files larger than 4 gigabytes.

    If the flash drive is small and involves storing small files, then it is better to format it to the FAT32 system. It is best to format a large flash drive in exFAT. For external hard drives that have a USB 3.0 connector, formatting to NTFS is the ideal solution.

    This article examined file systems, methods for formatting them, as well as formatting a flash drive for NTFS in Windows XP.

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