Convert usb external drive to Fat32

I have a Maxtor 40 gig external USB drive currently formatted as NTFS and used on XP. Is it possible to take that drive and format it back to Fat32 on a Win98SE pc? Can install driver on Win98SE with no problem. Want to use to carry data from the Win98 pc to daughter's new XP PC.

Thanks

 

Hello jorjab

If you look up Format in the Help and Support applet on the start menu, the instructions appear to include FAT32 on XP systems, but when you go thru the motions, the only option is NTFS. I have 2 external drives, both NTFS and wouldn't be able to format them in FAT32 using XP.

So AFAIK, the options would be Fdsk from a 9X system - I see you have that option, or something like Partition Magic, or most drive imaging software can do that as well.

EDIT: I mis-read your post - thinking you wanted to do this on the XP system. So just use Fdisk.

How to: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q255867

Regards - Charles

 

I am at the follwing stage of the convert.

"4. Press 1 to select the Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive menu option, press ENTER, press 2 to select the Create Extended DOS Partition menu option, and then press ENTER. When you make your slave drive an extended MS-DOS partition, your drive letters does not change. For example, if the first drive contains partition C and partition D, your slave drive becomes D unless you set the slave drive as an extended partition. If you skip this step and just create another primary MS-DOS partition for the slave drive, the new drive becomes drive D and what used to be drive D, changes to drive E. "

At this point I am not sure which of the 2 options to choose as the above is sort of confusing.

My Win98 PC has 1 drive currently partitioned into C,D and E. I have the External drive ready to create a new partition. Do I choose option 1 or option 2? What drive letter will then be assigned to it? When it was on this pc in the past it was drive H. (I have 2 cd/dvd/drives which are F and G)

 

Hi jorjab,

Option 2 if you don't want to re jigger the drive letters. It becomes H again.

If not, you can always change the drive letters yourself.

Regards - Charles

 

Fdisk on 98 at this point keeps saying that there is no room on the drive.

I deleted all data on the drive and XP says there is 37.2 gb available. There is still recycler and Sys vol info. What do I have to do to prepare it so that 98 and FDISK will think there is enuf room.

I am running up and down stairs to do this . Charles, Hope you are still there

Thanks

 

Hi jorjab,

I think, not sure, the problem may be this has to do with the fact that the drive is currently NTFS and 98 of course can't read it, but I didn't think it would make a difference in formating a drive, apparently it does.

Can you boot into 98 from a boot floppy and run Fdisk in DOS? Its been a long time since my running 98, but if you could boot into 98 from the floppy, I think it would work.

The only other way I can think of doing this is on the XP system. You can copy out Fdisk and use it on XP.

So try these, or wait for some more input from others.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks Charles, will see about your 2 latest suggestions. In the meantime I have contacted Maxtor support. online FAQ says to do the fdisk on win98 as you suggested. They are closed today.

Happy New year and will post whatever works or does not work tomorrow.

Jorjab

 

Just discovered if in MS-Dos boot or restart that FDisk on Win98 pc does not even recognize that there is another drive online so don't get that number 5 option to change current fixed disk drive. Only seems to recognize when in full Win98SE mode and exec fdisk from Windows Explorer.

Will call Maxtor tomorow as I am afraid to even try fdisk on my XP pc - don't want to mess it up.
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Anybody else out there have any ideas?[/SIZE]

Thanks

 

Did you delete the ntfs partition before you tried to format it? You need to first delete the partition(s) and then create a new logical partition, then format it. In fdisk, the ntfs partition would be labeled non dos partition. That's the one you want to delete.

I've never formatted an external drive using XP's disk management but I have done internal hard drives formatted to fat32. The catch is the drive or partition you're formatting can't be any larger than 32GBs. If the drive is larger than that XP won't allow you to use fat32. How large were the partitions on your drive Charles?

jorjab
You could try using XP's disk management tool to do it. Delete the partiton that's on it, then create two new ones of whatever size you want. Just keep them below 32GB. Then see if you can format it to fat32 using disk management.

 

I've never formatted an external drive using XP's disk management but I have done internal hard drives formatted to fat32. The catch is the drive or partition you're formatting can't be any larger than 32GBs. If the drive is larger than that XP won't allow you to use fat32. How large were the partitions on your drive Charles?
Thanks Zander, yes, that's the problem - forgot about that 32GB limit. Tried it on my 20GB external HD, and I get FAT32 as choice.

jorjab,
if the drive letters are concern, changing them would be easy afterwards in disk management:

Right click My Computer > Manage > Disk Management > right click partition graphic, or on the left for the ROM's > Change Drive Letters.

Regards - Charles

 

HELP!

I deleted the partition - then tried to create extended partition - would only let me choose 8MB - drive no longer shows as removable but as fixed.
Drive shows up under device manager under disk drives as USB device - Volume information listed here is completely empty

Now I cannot delete the partition nor create one.

Shows as Disk 2 - used to be drive F on PC that now reads no drive

properties read Basic 32.27 gb unallocated
Location: 0

Disk2 Type Basic Status: Online, Partition Style: MBR, Reserved space: 0 Capacity and Unallocated space = 38162

Cannot format even to NTFS as XP can not find it - cannot create anything but basic partition on it.

Did I somehow make it part of the sytem disk?

What did I do wrong and How do I get out of this one now?

If you gentlemen can get me out of this the way I want, I will become a contributing member. (have been thinking about doing that anyway)

 

What did you use to delete and create the new partition? What file format did you choose when you did it? You say you created an extended partition? That may be the problem but I'm not really sure. On a drive that has no partitions the first partition you create should be a logical or a primary partition. In this case you'd want to make it a logical partition. Once you've done that, the next one should be an extended partition and then you'd create a logical partition within the extended partition. The extended partition is a container of sorts for other logical or primary partitions.

 

You are correct on that Christer. It's been a while since I've had to mess with any partitioning. I used to do a lot of it. Sometimes with fdisk, mostly with Partition Magic. Not sure what I was thinking there. Been away from it too long I guess.

Anyway, I'm still wondering why jorbab ran into that 8GB limit. That's why I asked what was used to partition it. Though I don't remember exactly what they were, it kind of reminds me of limits of older versions of Fdisk. Just something for you to think about while we wait for answers.

In my opinion, XP's disk managment tool is the thing to use to do this.

 

FWIW: my system with 2 USB external Drives.

H & I are the externals

Regards - Charles

 

I used Disk Management tool on XP as your replies tell me to do. Did not use any other tools.
deleted partition using Disk Management (DM) wizard to create new partition. Checked extended partition that is when it gave sizes to choose between 1 and 8 . should have stopped there and reposted, but did not. Chose 8 and went from there.

also, Just to confuse the issue, not sure if this is connected or not but all my system restore points have disappeared. However I Can create new ones.

"does the Maxtor have a history as an internal hard disk and subsequently put in an USB enclosure or was it bought as an USB hard disk?" Bought and only used as USB hard drive.

 

I also have large Maxtor USB disk drive, and I recently formatted it to FAT32 with no problems. Since I didn't get into seriously deep water as you seem to have done, it could be something is fundamentally wrong with your drive. Since I didn't have any serious problems, I can't tell you exactly what I did, but here's some thoughts for you:

1) Try removing the drive from its box and installing it as a standard ATA drive to remove the uncertainties of the USB interface. I'm assuming the drive itself is standard ATA, but that's a reasonable assumption.

2) Is there any chance of putting the drive on a Linux box? The tools there are rather more powerful, and better able to cope with different formats and dicky disk content.

3) I note that my XP machine wont let me format it FAT32 either. However, the reason why I had to reformat it was because unlike Linux and Win98, XP ground to a halt every time it accessed the drive. That means for formatting I used either my Win98 machine, or Linux. I wouldn't have been averse to typing Format X: if I found my way blocked by a graphical UI.

4) I can't think of any reason why you would need to tinker with the disk partitioning just to change the disk format - I've switched partions between different formats (NTFS, FAT, ext2, Resiser FS) in the past with no problems.

 

"1) Try removing the drive from its box and installing it as a standard ATA drive to remove the uncertainties of the USB interface. I'm assuming the drive itself is standard ATA, but that's a reasonable assumption.

2) Is there any chance of putting the drive on a Linux box? The tools there are rather more powerful, and better able to cope with different formats and dicky disk content. "

Do not have Linux and not willing to try suggestion re ATA drive.
This drive is meant to stay external to be used for data between my 2 computers and my adult children's PCs who do not live with me. A mix of 98 and XP PCs. (unfortuneatly I did not thinke before I Reformatted from Fat32 to NTFS when I put it on my XP.

MY Maxtor drive is an older one ( pre one touch drives) and maybe that has something to do with the formatting problems as well.