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A solid-state drive (SSD), is the next big thing in storage: it is faster, more durable, and more reliable than a hard-disk drive.
FAT32 is an older file system that has been around since the hard disk days. Also, if you are wondering why you should format SSD to FAT32, it is because of its wide compatibility, meaning that all operating systems support the FAT32 file system.
Can you format an SSD partition to FAT32 using the Command Prompt? Absolutely! Read on to learn how to format an SSD partition to FAT32 via the Command Prompt!
Can I format an SSD partition as FAT32 using Command Prompt?
Yes, you can format the SSD partition to the FAT32 file system using the Command Prompt, but there are a few things you should know first.
While you can format an SSD as the FAT32 file system, the partition itself should be 32 GB or smaller.
If it's larger than 32 GB, you won't be able to format it as FAT32. This is because FAT32 is an older file system that limits the maximum size of a single file to 4 GB and the maximum size of a partition to 32 GB.
How to Format an SSD to FAT32 from the Command Prompt (CMD)
Before you format the SSD partition to FAT32 via Command Prompt, there is one important thing you need to do – back up your computer.
After backing up your computer, here's how to format the SSD partition as FAT32 using Command Prompt:
Step 1. If you're formatting an external SSD, connect it to your computer. If it's an internal SSD, skip to the next step.
Step 2: Click the “Start” button, and then search for “Command Prompt.”
Step 3: Once the results load, click “Run as administrator.”
Step 4: Type "format /FS:FAT32 (drive letter):" and press "Enter" in the Command Prompt. For example, "format /FS:FAT32 O:".
Step 5: Type “Y” to proceed with the formatting.
Additional Tip: Formatting Large SSD Partitions (64GB+) as FAT32 Using CMD
Your SSD partition is over 32GB; can it be formatted to FAT32? Yes! While you cannot format an SSD partition larger than 32 GB to FAT32 using the Command Prompt, you can use a partition manager tool for the job. This is a powerful third-party utility that caters to all your partitioning needs.
With Partition Master, you can create or delete partitions, merge or resize partitions, format and wipe partitions, and more. It's a complete formatting tool for all your formatting needs.
So, how to format SSD with Partition Master when the partition size is larger than 32GB? Well, its “Advanced Format” feature is essentially designed and engineered to split your 100GB partition into 32GB + 32GB + 32GB + 4GB, even if your partition size is 100GB. That's how Partition Master helps you format the drive.
Step 1. Launch Partition Master, right-click the partition you want to format, and select "Format".
Step 2: In the new window, type a partition label, select the FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4 file system, set the cluster size as needed, and click OK.
Step 3: You will then see a warning; click "Yes" to continue.
Click on “Execute 1 Task(s)” in the upper left corner to preview the changes, and then click on “Apply” to begin formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.
Otherwise, you would have to shrink the volume first, and then format it as FAT32. With the advanced format feature, this is no longer necessary.
Here are some additional features of the Partition Master tool:
- Migrate OS to SSD
- Free convert SSD partition from NTFS to FAT32 or from FAT32 to NTFS.
- Free convert SSD data disk between MBR and GPT.
- Extend system partition
- Clone system partition
Conclusion
In short, to format an SSD drive to the FAT32 file system using traditional means, the partition size must be 32 GB or less. If it exceeds the partition size limit, formatting will not be possible.
However, if you choose to format SSD with Partition Master tool, you can even format it to FAT32, no matter the disk size is 1TB like format 1TB hard drive to FAT32 or 2TB like format 2TB hard drive to FAT32.
If your partition size is over 32 GB, use the Partition Master tool to format the SSD to FAT32.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Format SSD to FAT32 from Command Prompt with UTF-8 Encoding
Below are some common issues regarding formatting an SSD to FAT32. We believe you might be looking for the answers to these questions:
1. What does the format command fs=fat32 mean?
This is a formatting command that formats your hard drive or USB through the Command Prompt, quickly formatting the drive to the FAT32 file system.
How to fix the error "The specified file system fs=fat32 is too big for quick formatting"?
You can use the Disk Utility from the Command Prompt, or you can use PowerShell to do this.
3. Can I format SSD to FAT32 in Windows 11?
Yes, you can also format an SSD to FAT32 in Windows. You can follow the aforementioned method to format the SSD to FAT32.
How to create a FAT32 partition using Diskpart?
Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1. If you're formatting an external SSD, connect it to your computer. If it's an internal SSD, skip to the next step.
Step 2: Click the “Start” button, and then search for “Command Prompt.”
Step 3: After the search results appear, click “Run as administrator.”
Step 4: Type “diskpart” in the Command Prompt, and press Enter.
Step 5: Type “create partition primary size=20480” and press “Enter” again.
Step 6: Type “assign letter=G” and press Enter.
Step 8: Type “format /fs:FAT32 G:” and press Enter.