Ok, i will keep this as simple as i can. firstly im not good on pc tinkering, i just switch them on, use them and switch them off so apologies if I seem thick. I need to backup a ps3 and cant seem to format a 160g hdd to fat32. Ive read things about partitions etc and I just dont understand what this means. Ive also seen posts like "type format//32.." or something similar but I dont know where to type such instructions. Apologies for the stupidity of this post but any pointers would be great. Thanks in advance
how do i format a hdd to fat32
- Thread starter thx67
- Start date
niemiro
Banned
Hello,
Fat32 is not meant to be pushed to hard drives this big, and even though you look up theoretical maximums and the such, you cannot use Windows to do it for you. Note that at no point here have I said that it is not possible. Saving the gory details:
Download, and run this free program. Click on the screenshot to download it: Ridgecrop Consultants Ltd
Make sure all current data on the hard disk is backed up, as it will not be recoverable, make sure you select the correct drive letter (double, and triple check), give it a short name (preferably without spaces), leave the Allocation unit size as the default, uncheck "Quick Format", and click Start.
If you need any more help, just ask!
Richard
Fat32 is not meant to be pushed to hard drives this big, and even though you look up theoretical maximums and the such, you cannot use Windows to do it for you. Note that at no point here have I said that it is not possible. Saving the gory details:
Download, and run this free program. Click on the screenshot to download it: Ridgecrop Consultants Ltd
Make sure all current data on the hard disk is backed up, as it will not be recoverable, make sure you select the correct drive letter (double, and triple check), give it a short name (preferably without spaces), leave the Allocation unit size as the default, uncheck "Quick Format", and click Start.
If you need any more help, just ask!
Richard
My Computer
System One
-
- Manufacturer/Model
- Dell XPS 420
- CPU
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 2.50GHz
- Motherboard
- Stock Dell 0TP406
- Memory
- 4 gb (DDR2 800) 400MHz
- Graphics Card(s)
- ATI Radeon HD 3870 (512 MBytes)
- Sound Card
- Onboard
- Monitor(s) Displays
- 1 x Dell 2007FP and 1 x (old) Sonic flat screen
- Screen Resolution
- 1600 x 1200 and 1280 x 1204
- Hard Drives
- 1 x 640Gb (SATA 300)
Western Digital: WDC WD6400AAKS-75A7B0
1 x 1Tb (SATA 600)
Western Digital: Caviar Black, SATA 6GB/S, 64Mb cache, 8ms
Western Digital: WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0 ATA Device
- PSU
- Stock PSU - 375W
- Case
- Dell XPS 420
- Cooling
- Stock Fan
- Keyboard
- Dell Bluetooth
- Mouse
- Advent Optical ADE-WG01 (colour change light up)
- Internet Speed
- 120 kb/s
- Other Info
- ASUS USB 3.0 5Gbps/SATA 6Gbps - PCI-Express Combo Controller Card (U3S6)
Thanks for the help. I think I've done it. At least the ps3 recognizes the drive now. Does this now mean the formatted hdd can only be used on the ps3 now. I've read a couple of things about partitions etc but I don't know what this means. Its not the end of the world if I can't use it for anything else as this hdd was too small for my music so I thought I would put it to use on the ps3. Seems overkill to use a 160gb hdd for ps3 backup but there you go. Thanks again for the help
My Computer
A Partition is Just 1 section of 1 HDD it is like splitting 1 HDD into smaller HDD virtually
Hope This Helps,
Josh
Hope This Helps,
Josh
My Computer
System One
-
- Manufacturer/Model
- Custom Built
- CPU
- Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.10GHz
- Motherboard
- Foxconn H67MP-S/-V/H67MP
- Memory
- 8.0GB DDR3 @ 665MHz (2GBx4)
- Graphics Card(s)
- AMD HD Radeon 6870
- Sound Card
- Realtek High Definition Audio
- Monitor(s) Displays
- SMB1930NW (1440x900@60Hz)
- Screen Resolution
- 1280x800
- Hard Drives
- 977GB Seagate ST31000524AS ATA Device (SATA) + 250GB WD iSCSI attached Drive
- Case
- Novatech Night
- Keyboard
- Standard PS/2 Keyboard
- Mouse
- Dell HID-compliant mouse
Does this mean I can use the drive on my pc still ie the fat32 bit for ps3 and the rest for pc stuff like music. That's probably a stupid question now ive read it back to myself
It would be handy to use the 140gb I haven't used for the ps3. I'm better off than I was earlier thanks to you guys anyway so thanks to all who have helped out
My Computer
Unfortunately 1 HDD can only be FAT32 or NTFS but if ps3 works with NTFS then you can partition it for your needs also partitioning is good for having two or maybe three operating systems on 1 HDD
Hope This Helps,
Josh
Hope This Helps,
Josh
My Computer
System One
-
- Manufacturer/Model
- Custom Built
- CPU
- Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.10GHz
- Motherboard
- Foxconn H67MP-S/-V/H67MP
- Memory
- 8.0GB DDR3 @ 665MHz (2GBx4)
- Graphics Card(s)
- AMD HD Radeon 6870
- Sound Card
- Realtek High Definition Audio
- Monitor(s) Displays
- SMB1930NW (1440x900@60Hz)
- Screen Resolution
- 1280x800
- Hard Drives
- 977GB Seagate ST31000524AS ATA Device (SATA) + 250GB WD iSCSI attached Drive
- Case
- Novatech Night
- Keyboard
- Standard PS/2 Keyboard
- Mouse
- Dell HID-compliant mouse
Um, not sure if I'm reading you right, but my 1 HD is split into a NTFS and a FAT32 section.
My Computer
System One
-
- CPU
- Dual L5639 // i7 950 @ 4.0Ghz
- Motherboard
- Evga SR-2 // Gigabyte x58a-ud3r
- Memory
- 12Gig Corsair XMS3 // 6Gig OCZ Gold
- Graphics Card(s)
- gtx 560 ti // gtx 260-216
- Monitor(s) Displays
- Dual 22" // Headless
- Hard Drives
- OCZ aGILITY 3, 120Gig + Seagate 500Gig x 2
- PSU
- Silverstone da700 // Corsair 520hx
- Case
- Rosewill BlackHawk Ultra // Antec 900v1
- Cooling
- Twin CM Hyper 212+ // Noctua NH-u12
- Other Info
- Acer 8930 laptop with x9100...
niemiro
Banned
Hello,
Most computers will be able to read and use the Fat32 section, however, if you put it in a computer and used it, then the data on it may be slightly changed, and it would no longer work in the PS3.
However, if you virtually cut the hard disk in two (partitioning) you could have a small Fat32 section for the PS3, and a larger section in NTFS for other computer data. This would work perfectly.
There is however, one slight snag! Because the cut is virtual, the physical hard disk can only be in one place at a time. If it is currently in the PS3, it cannot be in the computer, and vice versa. However, if this is an external hard disk, and you just connect it to each with a USB cable, you could partition the hard disk, and then keep moving the cable, and use it on both.
So, if this is an external hard disk, and you would li8ke to try this, at least for a short time, I will send you instructions on partitioning!
Richard
Most computers will be able to read and use the Fat32 section, however, if you put it in a computer and used it, then the data on it may be slightly changed, and it would no longer work in the PS3.
However, if you virtually cut the hard disk in two (partitioning) you could have a small Fat32 section for the PS3, and a larger section in NTFS for other computer data. This would work perfectly.
There is however, one slight snag! Because the cut is virtual, the physical hard disk can only be in one place at a time. If it is currently in the PS3, it cannot be in the computer, and vice versa. However, if this is an external hard disk, and you just connect it to each with a USB cable, you could partition the hard disk, and then keep moving the cable, and use it on both.
So, if this is an external hard disk, and you would li8ke to try this, at least for a short time, I will send you instructions on partitioning!
Richard
My Computer
System One
-
- Manufacturer/Model
- Dell XPS 420
- CPU
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 2.50GHz
- Motherboard
- Stock Dell 0TP406
- Memory
- 4 gb (DDR2 800) 400MHz
- Graphics Card(s)
- ATI Radeon HD 3870 (512 MBytes)
- Sound Card
- Onboard
- Monitor(s) Displays
- 1 x Dell 2007FP and 1 x (old) Sonic flat screen
- Screen Resolution
- 1600 x 1200 and 1280 x 1204
- Hard Drives
- 1 x 640Gb (SATA 300)
Western Digital: WDC WD6400AAKS-75A7B0
1 x 1Tb (SATA 600)
Western Digital: Caviar Black, SATA 6GB/S, 64Mb cache, 8ms
Western Digital: WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0 ATA Device
- PSU
- Stock PSU - 375W
- Case
- Dell XPS 420
- Cooling
- Stock Fan
- Keyboard
- Dell Bluetooth
- Mouse
- Advent Optical ADE-WG01 (colour change light up)
- Internet Speed
- 120 kb/s
- Other Info
- ASUS USB 3.0 5Gbps/SATA 6Gbps - PCI-Express Combo Controller Card (U3S6)