# Convert NTFS to FAT32



## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

I have a 120GB external (USB) HDD that I need to be formatted as FAT32. Windows insists on formatting anything bigger than 32GB as NTFS. The problem is that the Ford Sync on my new Escape doesn't recognize NTFS. It wants FAT32. 

I have Partition Magic 8, but it keeps reporting an error message saying the current partition type is "BAD" and won't format it using any file system at all. I don't care if I lose data or not, it will only be holding a copy of my music for listening in the car. I just need it to be FAT32. Any suggestions?


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## koji68 (Jun 21, 2004)

Right. FAT32 can only do partitions of a max of 32GB. No way around it. Sorry. You can have multiple partitions of 32GB.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/184006


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## Nighthawk68 (Oct 14, 2004)

4HiMarks said:


> I have a 120GB external (USB) HDD that I need to be formatted as FAT32. Windows insists on formatting anything bigger than 32GB as NTFS. The problem is that the Ford Sync on my new Escape doesn't recognize NTFS. It wants FAT32.
> 
> I have Partition Magic 8, but it keeps reporting an error message saying the current partition type is "BAD" and won't format it using any file system at all. I don't care if I lose data or not, it will only be holding a copy of my music for listening in the car. I just need it to be FAT32. Any suggestions?


Try doing a low-level format, that should break down any partitions currently on the drive. Try a google for such a program, I have a couple old DOS ones that have worked for me in the past, but I seem to remember that each hard drive manufacturer had a specific set of tools for their drives. Its been a few years since I had anything to do with this.
Then use Partition Magic to set the 32GB partitions, and set up your tunes.

Hope this helps
Ed


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

koji68 said:


> Right. FAT32 can only do partitions of a max of 32GB. No way around it. Sorry. You can have multiple partitions of 32GB.
> 
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/184006


Read your own reference. "The maximum possible number of clusters on a volume using the FAT32 file system is 268,435,445. With a maximum of 32 KB per cluster with space for the file allocation table (FAT), this equates to a maximum disk size of approximately 8 terabytes (TB)."

*Windows* limits partition size to 32GB. There is no technical reason why a FAT32 partition can't be much larger. You just have to do it with some third party program, which is what I'm looking for.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Did you try using Windows Disk Manager to delete the partition?


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

4HiMarks said:


> Read your own reference. "The maximum possible number of clusters on a volume using the FAT32 file system is 268,435,445. With a maximum of 32 KB per cluster with space for the file allocation table (FAT), this equates to a maximum disk size of approximately 8 terabytes (TB)."
> 
> *Windows* limits partition size to 32GB. There is no technical reason why a FAT32 partition can't be much larger. You just have to do it with some third party program, which is what I'm looking for.


Windows XP limited the FAT32 partition size, Win 98SE allowed for bigger sizes...

At any rate, Partition Magic was capable of creating very large FAT32 partitions. I do not know about the last version as I haven't used it since Vista came out and in fact it is no longer made by Symantec, however you should be able to find a copy out there somewhere as it was extremely popular.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

LarryFlowers said:


> Windows XP limited the FAT32 partition size, Win 98SE allowed for bigger sizes...
> 
> At any rate, Partition Magic ...


As I already mentioned, I *have* Partition Magic 8, but it reports an error and won't convert. So how do I get rid of the error so I can use PM, or do it some other way.


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## koji68 (Jun 21, 2004)

You are right! I have always blindly accepted that FAT32 had that limit.

I just went to download.com and did a quick search. This is what it gave me. Not great reviews but it is free to try.

http://download.cnet.com/CompuApps-SwissKnife-V3/3000-2248_4-10070864.html


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

koji68 said:


> You are right! I have always blindly accepted that FAT32 had that limit.
> 
> I just went to download.com and did a quick search. This is what it gave me. Not great reviews but it is free to try.
> 
> http://download.cnet.com/CompuApps-SwissKnife-V3/3000-2248_4-10070864.html


It was able to create a partition, but only 17GB. However, the error is gone so I was able to use PM to resize it. I think I'm good to go.

Now if the weather would only warm up so I can take my center console apart to access that undocumented 2nd USB port...


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

4HiMarks said:


> Now if the weather would only warm up so I can take my center console apart to access that undocumented 2nd USB port...


Oooohhh!
Pictures please!

What can you do once you're in?
The only sync I had on my 2001 was when we remodeled the kitchen.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

Marlin Guy said:


> Oooohhh!
> Pictures please!


Pictures of what exactly? It's a dashboard with a USB port and Aux in jack next to the power adapter socket. Underneath the trim is something like what's pictured here. 


> What can you do once you're in?


You can plug in a USB device with MP3s on it. Then the Sync module will play them by voice control.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

That's it?
No hacks?

Never mind.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

As long as you're not trying to convert an NTFS partition to FAT32 and retain the data, There is a software out there that I have used in the past, I have a 500GB drive formatted FAT32 for use on my PS3 for external storage.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/FAT32format.shtml


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## machavez00 (Nov 2, 2006)

CCarncross said:


> As long as you're not trying to convert an NTFS partition to FAT32 and retain the data, There is a software out there that I have used in the past, I have a 500GB drive formatted FAT32 for use on my PS3 for external storage.
> 
> http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/FAT32format.shtml


Sorry to raise this from the dead, but it's relevant to my problem.

I have a 40GB PS3 that has 6GB left. My brother had a 220GB USB drive he wasn't using and offered it to me. I mentioned it needed to be FAT32 for the PS3 to see it and he formatted as such. When I connected it to my PS3 I was surprised to see it was 32GB. Can SwissKnife or FAT32format restore it to 220GB or is it doomed?


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