[HOW TO / GUIDE] Format Micro SD FAT32 (Windows) - VERIZON

[pdinphx]

So, I've got a new SanDisk 64gb Class 10 micro SD and want to use it for app and data storage, as well as for nandroid recoveries.

Unfortunately, the stock format - exFAT - is not recognized by many apps or by any of our custom recoveries.

Now, you've got two virtually bulletproof options to reformat that disk to FAT32 ... you choose your poison.

**************** HARDCORE *******************

I call this the "Use your teeth to open that bottle of beer" method ...

1. Place the card in your PC's card reader and determine the drive designation (i.e., G:\, H:\, etc.)

2. Download the program Fat32Format to your PC from here: http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?fat32format.htm. The download link is actually situated about mid-page.

3. Unzip the downloaded file with 7Zip (which you can get here: http://www.7-zip.org/)

4. Navigate to the folder with the unzipped fat32format.exe file; while holding down the [Shift] key, right click on the folder.

5. A menu should popup. Scroll down and click on <Open Command Window Here>.

6. You are now in virtual DOS (.. don't be scared ..)

7. Enter the following command sequence> fat32format h: (or whatever drive designates the location of your SD card)

8. You will be prompted to confirm a wipe and format of your SD card. Type "y" and hit enter.

9. In approximately 5 seconds, your SD card will be FAT32 formatted.

10. Remember to follow whatever procedure you normally would before removing a drive from USB.

***************** EASY PEASY ******************

This, on the other hand, is the "my hands are as soft as a baby's bottom" method ... (thanks to lynkdead)

1. Place the card in your PC's card reader and determine the drive designation (i.e., G:\, H:\, etc.)

2. Download the fat32format utility in GUI version from here: http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/guiformat.exe. Click on the picture to retrieve the file.

3. Launch the guiformat.exe.

4. Choose the drive that corresponds to your SD card.

5. Choose the size of the SD Card you are formatting.

5. Check the Quick Format box.

6. Press Start.

And voila !!!

Enjoy your new SD card !!!

Pj
Phoenix, AZ

p.s. Needless to say, this process will erase all data on the card. Also, you will no longer be able to transfer files larger than 4gb to the card.

 

[lynkdead]

http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/guiformat.exe

If you use the GUI version from the same website it's WAY easier.

Just launch the .exe, choose the drive that corresponds to your SD card, make sure Quick Format is checked, and press start.

 

[pdinphx]

I thought I'd give people to a chance to explore Command Prompts as sort of a baby step to ADB or Terminal Emulator.

The GUI method works just as well. :good:

Thanks for the heads-up ... I edited the OP to reflect both options.

Pj
Phoenix, AZ

 

[nabbed]

Sorry, I don't download and run any unknown/noncorporate apps, for the fear of them being trojans. Do you have any other methods?

Can one not format a mounted sdcard to fat32 on their pc by using "right click/properties/tools/format" or something? Does Microsoft not provide an official tool to format an sd card?

 

[pdinphx]

The functionality is built into Windows, through the command prompt. It is, however, excruciatingly slow.

Fat32formatter is open source and has proven to be the only reliable method of formatting large drives without spending any money.

Let us know if you find a good alternative ...

Pj
Phoenix, AZ

 

[nabbed]

The functionality is built into Windows, through the command prompt. It is, however, excruciatingly slow.

Fat32formatter is open source and has proven to be the only reliable method of formatting large drives without spending any money.

Let us know if you find a good alternative ...

Pj
Phoenix, AZ

So, basically - use command prompt on windows7? "format X: /FS:FAT32", where "X:" is the sdcard drive name.
Right? (just reading "format /?" in windows)

 

[pdinphx]

That should work, though others have reported trying the native Windows format command and later running into trouble with a damaged disc prompt when the card was inserted into the phone.

Pj
Phoenix AZ

 

[lynkdead]

Sorry, I don't download and run any unknown/noncorporate apps, for the fear of them being trojans. Do you have any other methods?

Can one not format a mounted sdcard to fat32 on their pc by using "right click/properties/tools/format" or something? Does Microsoft not provide an official tool to format an sd card?

If you don't trust it you can always upload the files to VirtusTotal, run them against your own virus scanners, or just rely on the handful of people here who have run the program without issue.

In Windows if you try to simply right-click format it doesn't give the FAT32 option, only exFAT. You can try it through the command line, and it appears to work, though once you actually try to use it CWM throws a fit. Other tools that I've tried also don't work (likely because they simply do exFAT even though they say FAT32, since the difference usually doesn't matter).

This tool works, I've had zero issues, and it hasn't tripped any of the virus scanners I've run against it.

 

[baudac]

I don't have a 64g card yet, but only my old 16 for more. Why not have the s3 format your card. I did that with my 16g and its a fat32.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

 

[drksilenc]

... NEVER use fat32 with anything above 32 GB.... there is a reason for this it is designed for a max of 32GB you need to use the phone to format it. it will become a newer ext partition.

 

[carhauler1969]

Either format it in the phone fully booted into Android, or download EaseUS Partition Master (free) & format it as a Primary Drive FAT32 file system. Either way will work.

Sent from my E4GT packed full of "The Goodness" of TNz Blend ICS on Tapatalk 2 Pro, the SGS3 is on my hip...

 

[will6316]

... NEVER use fat32 with anything above 32 GB.... there is a reason for this it is designed for a max of 32GB you need to use the phone to format it. it will become a newer ext partition.

How u r so wrong. You wont be able to use asop cm9 or cm10 when released. unless the 64gb card is in fat32 format. the only disadvantage I see is the 4GB file limit.

 

[drksilenc]

why wouldnt cm9 be able to use ext4 thats what the 4.0 version of android was built on and why the partitions can scale.

 

[carhauler1969]

why wouldnt cm9 be able to use ext4 thats what the 4.0 version of android was built on and why the partitions can scale.

It's not a matter of a specific ROM being able to read it, it's a matter of external storage not being recognized by your recovery(only sees fat & fat32 at /mnt/sdcard), and the OS cannot see external storage formatted as ext2/3/4, only FAT, FAT32, & exFAT.
not my best explanation ever


Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[zmore]

It's not a matter of a specific ROM being able to read it, it's a matter of external storage not being recognized by your recovery(only sees fat & fat32 at /mnt/sdcard), and the OS cannot see external storage formatted as ext2/3/4, only FAT, FAT32, & exFAT.
not my best explanation ever

You sure about that last bit? I was going to reformat my 64GB extSD as ext4 (when I got around to it), since Microsoft's exFAT is patent FAIL, and it's the only other fs the phone supports that'll handle files larger than 4GB. No good reason why it shouldn't be supported on stock touchwiz or on CM10||AOKP

 

[pdinphx]

... NEVER use fat32 with anything above 32 GB.... there is a reason for this it is designed for a max of 32GB you need to use the phone to format it. it will become a newer ext partition.

As I noted above, none of our custom recoveries recognize the exFAT format, which means that you cannot boot, backup or flash from that giant 64gb card. Many users have reported the same problem with their favorite apps ...

No one has reported issues with a FAT32 64gb card , so I don't think this is an issue.

Either way, it is your choice ...

PJ
Phoenix AZ

 

[pdinphx]

You sure about that last bit? I was going to reformat my 64GB extSD as ext4 (when I got around to it), since Microsoft's exFAT is patent FAIL, and it's the only other fs the phone supports that'll handle files larger than 4GB. No good reason why it shouldn't be supported on stock touchwiz or on CM10||AOKP

Try it and report back ...

PJ
Phoenix AZ

 

[pdinphx]

This convinced me to go FAT32: http://www.epiccm.org/2012/06/why-not-exfat.html

I suspect the phone respects your card's native format. My 64gb SanDisk remained exFAT formatted even after running it through the phone. Thus, the need to format it with my computer. If your experience is different, please let us know.

PJ
Phoenix AZ

 

[baudac]

This convinced me to go FAT32: http://www.epiccm.org/2012/06/why-not-exfat.html

I suspect the phone respects your card's native format. My 64gb SanDisk remained exFAT formatted even after running it through the phone. Thus, the need to format it with my computer. If your experience is different, please let us know.

PJ
Phoenix AZ

This is what I wanted to be certain on cards >32gb. I know Team Epic posted points on how to avoid exFAT, but only for 32gb that you can run thru the phone.

 

[ricky babalu]

Sorry, I don't download and run any unknown/noncorporate apps, for the fear of them being trojans. Do you have any other methods?

Can one not format a mounted sdcard to fat32 on their pc by using "right click/properties/tools/format" or something? Does Microsoft not provide an official tool to format an sd card?

I can confirm download is not a Trojan. I did the second option and it worked perfect took 5 seconds.