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Old November 26th 16, 10:11 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10,alt.windows7.general,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage
micky
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Default Can't format 64 GB USB flash drives as FAT32?

In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 26 Nov 2016 01:31:16 +0000, Brian
Gregory wrote:

On 26/11/2016 00:56, VanguardLH wrote:
Ant wrote:

I noticed both updated 64bit Windows 7 HPE SP1 & 10 EE won't let me
reformat my new 64 GB flash drives as FAT32 (default originally). Their
Explorers only gave me NTFS & exFAT. Why no old FAT32?


Open a command shell (cmd.exe) with admin privileges. Use the
format.exe program inside the command shell. Run "format /?" for help.
You'll need to use the /fs:fat32 argument. explorer.exe has code to fix
the limitation to 32GB hence why you cannot use it beyond that capacity.
This was a deliberate ploy to get users to move to NTFS.

Or use a 3rd party (non-Microsoft) partition manager if you need a GUI.


I think this supposed "limitation" appeared when Microsoft introduced
their proprietary ExFAT format.

I think even Microsoft know NTFS isn't a good idea on flash storage that
doesn't have wear levelling.


So would ExFAT be better than FAT32 also, for the sake of wear?