Formatting : The volume is too big for FAT32

Formatting an external 500GB HDD took almost >6 hours that I started like:

D:\>format /FS:fat32 F:
The type of the file system is EXFAT.
The new file system is FAT32.
Enter current volume label for drive F: musix

WARNING, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK
DRIVE F: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with Format (Y/N)? y
Formatting 476810M

finally responded with the error:

The volume is too big for FAT32.

However according to MSFT there are no such limitations. (I used XP specs, while I am formatting in Win7, ok?) I am not formatting the drive during setup but on an installed version from the command prompt.

I want to use this disk with the maximum available capacity as en external HardDrive connected to an MDI interdface in my car to play music.

What are the proper settings for that and can I use/format the (almost) full 500GB?

Caspar Kleijne

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 495

How large are your clusters? If your clusters are 32kb, then you max out at 8TB. If your clusters are 4 kb, I would assume you max out at 1TB, etc – soandos – 2011-06-06T06:43:53.527

I do not know ;) clustersize is not my cup of tea, I formatted using default settings, but should they be much larger? – Caspar Kleijne – 2011-06-06T06:49:12.377

3Windows XP can mount and support FAT32 volumes larger than 32 GB (subject to the other limits), but you cannot create a FAT32 volume larger than 32 GB by using the Format tool during Setup. If you need to format a volume that is larger than 32 GB, use the NTFS file system to format it. – soandos – 2011-06-06T06:50:15.457

Clusters cannot be bigger than 64kb in FAT32 – soandos – 2011-06-06T06:51:03.257

Any reason for reformatting away from exFAT? exFAT is a viable alternative to FAT32 on Vista and Win7 for large drives and goes beyond the limitations of FAT32, just be aware that Windows XP requires a download from Microsoft and Linux support may be patchy.

– Mokubai – 2011-06-06T07:39:39.833

@soandos volumes > 32 GB are valid in FAT32 and sometimes necessary; my automobile will not mount NTFS or exFAT USB drives in its audio system for example. – Jeff Atwood – 2012-12-19T21:11:53.827

@JeffAtwood That not "Windows XP can mount and support FAT32 volumes larger than 32 GB"? (unless I was implying that it could mount an support an invalid FAT32 volume, which case I'm sorry) – soandos – 2012-12-19T21:32:33.747

@soandos I meant when you said "if you need a volume > 32 GB, use NTFS" is not good advice for all applications. If I formatted this 64 GB USB key as NTFS or exFAT it would be unreadable to my automobile's music system, which is where I intend to use it. It has to be FAT32. – Jeff Atwood – 2012-12-20T08:50:52.230

Answers

You cannot format a FAT32 volume greater than 32Gig from XP or Win7 but you can mount and use a bigger one.

However you must use an alternate tool to format the volume.

There are limitations as to bootable drives on your greater than 32gig Fat32 drive

Partition Tool

Also read this guys page for more technical info.

kingchris

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 582

as aditional infomation it doesnt allow filer over 4GB :) as i know – Francisco Tapia – 2015-09-02T14:44:53.833

9DON'T USE the partition tool in the link of this answer. It installs, shows advertisements, opens, but doesn't do provide the "free" service it promises, but tries to make you buy a full license in stead. – nl-x – 2014-06-17T15:33:31.813

At the time this question was answered it didn't do all the things that you say. But ultimately ,"all succumb to the might need for dollars". – kingchris – 2014-06-18T07:04:06.690

And generally i wouldnt mind. But come on... make me pay premium for just formatting a drive once? Messed up. Btw does linux do this without a hassle? – nl-x – 2014-06-18T07:10:07.823

I have never tried to format a FAT32 partition via Linux but it is suppose to be possible according to Google. But as always run your disk tools, copy a whole bunch of files across. verify their CRC or MD5 or byte by byte compare. Defrag drive then compare files again. Let the User Beware. – kingchris – 2014-06-18T07:28:53.000

What an annoying limitation! You can't format FAT32 volumes larger than 32GB from any version of Windows...

C:\Users\jeff>format e: /FS:fat32 /Q
Insert new disk for drive E:
and press ENTER when ready...
The type of the file system is EXFAT.
The new file system is FAT32.
QuickFormatting 58.9 GB
The volume is too big for FAT32.
Format failed.

... but they must exist because this Lexar USB 64GB drive right here is formatted FAT32! How?

It is possible to do it, you just have to use some other tool. I used this one, FAT32 Format.

Jeff Atwood

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 22 108

Great answer! It worked for me! – mathreader – 2016-07-01T20:40:55.797

1This should be marked as the answer – Philipp Munin – 2016-08-07T22:19:37.853

Note that, at least for really large drives > 2TB, ie the current 4TB external drives, you need to prepare the drive by formatting them to NTFS with a large sector size, e,g, 4k; this should create a GPS partition and now GUIFormat.exe will do its job. – TaW – 2018-12-03T12:06:53.240

For some reason I had trouble re-formatting a 64GB drive that was formatted to 32GB, I had to use DISKPART at the command line as indicated here: http://superuser.com/a/470663

– Jeff Atwood – 2013-04-13T18:07:08.080

Rufus can do this. Start it up, then

choose File system Large FAT32
uncheck Create a bootable disk
uncheck Create extended label and icon files
click Start

Source code is available at GitHub

Steven Penny

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 7 294

Best tool for the job! – RomanSt – 2019-10-20T13:39:35.987

You can format your external hard drive in FAT32 using SwissKnife (freeware). It will let you bypass The volume is too big for FAT32 error.

Mehper C. Palavuzlar

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 51 093

Doesn't seem to work on W10. Not recommended. – TaW – 2018-12-04T16:35:44.890

5note that unfortunately download.com has become an adware magnet.. the install process has literally 5 different "declines" you must issue to not get adware with your download :( – Jeff Atwood – 2012-12-19T21:09:21.203

Official site. – Karan – 2012-12-24T22:11:26.313

@Jeff: Thanks for the feedback. Their official page only publishes the premium version. Those who want to download the free version may google for "swissknife free windows 7". That search brings download sites like tucows, softonic, etc. but I have no idea if they are adware magnets. – Mehper C. Palavuzlar – 2012-12-25T06:09:50.997

It doesnt help when you want to use the maximum available capacity, but for those of you who need a fat32 disk under 32GB what I did was setup the primary partition as under 32GB.

Run these steps/commands
1. Open command prompt as administrator 
2. Diskpart
3. List disk
4. Select disk X (where x is the disk you want to partition/format)
5. Clean
6. Create partition primary size=30000   (where 30,000 is the size in MB you want the partition to be, under 32GB)
7. Select partition 1
8. Active
9. Format quick fs=Fat32
10.Assign
11.Exit

n00b

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 683

-1

It's simple and takes a second to format HDD FAT32 larger than what u think... I mean above 32gb even 500gb and above... first download Fat32FormartterEN. zip ..its only 184kilobytes. unzip this file and run on your PC.. select the disc you want to formart... enter data volume you want to partition eg 420GB in mbs that is 420000mbs, click finish... now your disk is ready... you can now do everything eg recording TV programs and time shifting .u can also use USB OTG to connect your HDD on Android phone.. amazingly it will read that huge data even 2TB and above.. use Es file explorer and USB stick mount ...look for me and buy me a soda +254702459306 (whatsapp) ...am not a developer ..am only doing research on pc machines and android

Joel

Posted 2011-06-06T06:31:17.737

Reputation: 1

2you might flag to request this to be converted to a comment or else tidy up your writing and add detail accordingly that's more clear and structured a bit cleaner so it's more clear to readers what you as stating in your answer. A bunch of sentences ending with ... seems for like a comment than answer answer so just clean it up and clarify with great clarity what your answer is talking about. – Pimp Juice IT – 2017-07-08T16:41:58.367