How do i format a 500gb hdd to fat32

With FAT32, that increased to 32 bits. With each increase, the maximum volume and file sizes supported by the file system increased, too. If you need a cross-compatible file system that supports larger files, exFAT is the way to go. Basically, the exFAT file size is unlimited. People still use FAT32 because it's a universally recognized file system. When you need to transfer files between different operating systems or between your camera or Android phone and your Windows computer, you'll probably need a FATformatted drive.

This limitation only exists in recent versions of Windows. If you don't want to mess with the command line for a manual format, you can use tools that apply the same principle but provide a nice graphical user interface GUI for your convenience. Its only job is to format drives with FAT32, and it does that incredibly well. You can choose the allocation unit size and give the partition a new volume label.

Unfortunately, it can not create new partitions. It lets you manage your partitions and format them with FAT Just don't let them lure you into purchasing the paid version before you've tried the free one, which is enough for most users.

Right-click on the disk you want to format and select Format. In the Format Partition window, add a label, select the desired file system, pick a cluster size, then hit OK. EaseUS Partition Master can queue multiple operations. When you're ready, click the execute button in the top right to start. Windows 7 users can also try Fat32Formatter.

Download, install, and launch the tool. Select your hard drive in the drives list, right-click on it, and select Format. Set the options as the following and then hit OK. Partition label — enter a name for your drive. File system — select FAT Cluster size — leave it as is. The popularity and use of FAT32 is slowly fading away but there are still a few occasions where this format is a must. For those rare situations, you have various ways as shown above to get your existing hard drives converted to the FAT32 format.

Mahesh has been obsessed with technology since he got his first gadget a decade or so ago. Over the last few years, he's written a number of tech articles on various online publications including but not limited to MakeTechEasier and Android AppStorm.

Read Mahesh's Full Bio. Your email address will not be published. We hate spam too, unsubscribe at any time. View registered products, register new products, and find product specific support. Twitter Facebook Google Plus Linked in. Please follow this procedure to format a large drive greater than 32GB with a FAT32 file system using Seagate DiscWizard : Reformatting the drive will erase all data on the drive, so you should copy any data you want off the drive prior to formatting.

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