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I remember installing XP on a FAT32 partition when it was first launched, but never tried it since then with subsequent versions of Windows. Is it still possible to do so with Vista onwards, or was FAT32 boot support dropped somewhere down the line? I'm looking for official documentation regarding this change.
Karan
Posted 2012-11-04T17:07:27.857
Reputation: 51 857
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Yes after Windows XP FAT32 partition system is not supported by the Windows installation.
Microsoft KB confirms it why user can't upgrade from XP to Vista if they are on FAT32. So from there they have leave the FAT32 boot system.
avirk
Posted 2012-11-04T17:07:27.857
Reputation: 15 151
You can't really know for all future versions of windows. you can only answer for windows you have used, e.g. current ones. And MS may create some small more mobile windows versions.. You can only answer for specific versions of windows e.g. windows 7, or windows 10. The question itself is flawed – barlop – 2019-08-21T11:05:38.267
Your first sentence would be better worded instead of "FAT32 partition system is not supported " as "Installing a version of windows after XP on a FAT32 partition is not supported". 'cos remember that EFI requires GPT, and GPT involves a FAT32 partition, and windows sees that. You just can't (from what i gather) install windows 7 or windows 10 on that. – barlop – 2019-08-21T11:15:36.903
Glad to see that you satisfy with that KB article. :) – avirk – 2012-11-04T17:25:29.827
Thanks, but I'm not going to risk it (plus who cares to install Vista anyway?) When I thought about it further, it occurred to me that all those junction points etc. that Windows now creates by default are simply not possible on FAT32, so doing something like this is quite likely to break lots of things. – Karan – 2012-11-04T17:44:50.477
@Karan yes you are right, also comments in the link I have provide you to install the Vista on FAT32 are against this trick. – avirk – 2012-11-04T17:49:21.440
You can't really know for all future versions of windows. you can only answer for windows you have used, e.g. current ones. And MS may create some small more mobile windows versions that might be less fancy.. You can only answer for specific versions of windows e.g. windows 7, or windows 10. The question itself is flawed. It may well be that no windows after XP will ever support it, but we can't know for sure.. it's very hypothetical.. Best to ask for current ones, and if you want then perhaps a side question hypothetically about future ones. – barlop – 2019-08-21T11:06:14.403