how to format usb drive larger than 32gb to fat32

Run the same command with the /Q switch for a quick format and it gives you the 'too big' error immediately. Here's what really doesn't make sense, though. It would have been nice for the system to do a simple check when when the command was first launched so I wouldn't go to sleep thinking I'd wake up in the morning to a fully formatted FAT32 80GB drive. The reason? 'The volume is too big for FAT32'. The annoying thing was that it took an hour to fail. While the built-in command line method in Windows 7 Ultimate ( format : /FS:FAT32) started running without a problem, it failed to complete. It is only capable of quick formats (no zeroing/checking), but it is very fast. One good solution is the command-line program fat32format.exe available from Ridgecrop Consultants or their gui. Note that although Windows will not format a drive greater than 32GB as FAT32, it will mount such a drive formatted elsewhere.įormatting a >32GB FAT32 volumes on Windows.The Windows 32GB limit for formatting FAT32 volumesĪfter performing an experiment in formatting a 60GB 'Video' partition to use with a PS3, I have discovered that Windows 2000 and later have an artificial limitation in formatting FAT32 partitions greater than 32GB (though they will mount any valid FAT32 partition).

If prompted, press Yes or enter administrative credentials in the UAC pop-up box.Īt the command line prompt, enter format : /FS:FAT32įor a list of all command options, enter help format Hit the Windows/Start Button -> type cmd.exe in the search box -> press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to get an Administrator Command Line. However, as the other answers suggest, FAT32 is still an option from the command line. This option should still be in the Format GUI window, but it is not. Formatting FAT32 volumes on the command line

How to format usb drive larger than 32gb to fat32