[Ponmayilal]

Sony Play Station 3 does not recognise large NTFS formatted external USB drives. Many people have felt the need for reformatting these large HDDs with FAT32, so that they can play the media files from it as also transfer a large collection of media files from elsewhere.

Years back, I had reformatted my Maxtor 250 GB External HDD with FAT32 and also created a NTFS partition in it to store large (more than 4GB) system backup files. I hardly remember how I did it. I must have used the Windows ME startup disk or a similar one with fdisk and format DOS commands. I could have used Partition Magic too which I still have on my XP machine. Those days however are gone. No more floppy disks and Partition Magic does not work with Vista and Windows 7. So a google search began for an easy way to accomplish the task that culminated with the Fat 32 Formatter by Ridgecrop Consultants Ltd., UK. Read about it here .

FAT 32 Formatter is basically a DOS based program that can be run within Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, all with administrator priveleges. But I chose to use the GUI version of the same that can be downloaded from
here . And so the "How to" in pictorial form with the resultant joy first begins here.











My next task will be to create an NTFS partition too apart from a FAT32 Partition. I still have no idea on the how of it. When accomplished I shall post it here as a followup.

[Ponmayilal]

This morning I completed the task of creating an NTFS partition in the 320GB FreeAgent Go using the PowerQuest Partition Magic 8 on my Windows XP machine. And that reminds me to install the Windows XP Mode (Virtual PC) on my Windows 7 Ultimate machine so that these evergreen programs can continue to be used. (Windows XP Mode can be installed only on the Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate editions - one reason I went in for Ultimate)



One may also try the freeware program Parted Magic (can be download from here) for all partitioning and formatting excercise. I understand that it is a very good utility. The ISO image has to be burnt on a CD and the computer booted from the CD to use the program.

Cheers and happy formatting.

[surd_biker]

Nice tutorial buddy. Neatly written with clear explanations. But why not simply use the default windows partitioning software?

[anilkalvani]

Thanks a ton! This was going to be my next question after the explanations in the PS3 thread. Thanks! I need to do it.

*EDIT*
Thank you Ponmayilal. I'm all set, i got my 500gig HDD FAT32 Formatted, PS3 ready!!!

[_raVan_]

Originally Posted by surd_biker

Nice tutorial buddy. Neatly written with clear explanations. But why not simply use the default windows partitioning software?

Windows does not allow you to format any drive greater than 32GB to a FAT32.

Nice tutorial! Thanks