What is the command code to format to FAT32 in CMD?

bgi123

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I am trying to get windows 95 on a computer and I need to convert the disk to FAT32. What is the command line to do it from Windows 7 installation CMD? I have tried Format C: /FS:FAT32 , but I apparently don't have permission to do that... Pressing SHIFT + Control doesn't do anything to the CMD in windows install...
 
format or convert

Code:
Converts a FAT volume to NTFS.

CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename] [/NoSecurity] [/X]


  volume      Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
              mount point, or volume name.
  /FS:NTFS    Specifies that the volume will be converted to NTFS.
  /V          Specifies that Convert will be run in verbose mode.
  /CvtArea:filename
              Specifies a contiguous file in the root directory
              that will be the place holder for NTFS system files.
  /NoSecurity Specifies that the security settings on the converted
              files and directories allow access by all users.
  /X          Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary.
              All open handles to the volume will not be valid.

Code:
Formats a disk for use with Windows.

FORMAT volume [/FS:file-system] [/V:label] [/Q] [/A:size] [/C] [/X] [/P:passes]
[/S:state]
FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/F:size] [/P:passes]
FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/T:tracks /N:sectors] [/P:passes]
FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/P:passes]
FORMAT volume [/Q]

  volume          Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
                  mount point, or volume name.
  /FS:filesystem  Specifies the type of the file system (FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS
,
                  or UDF).
  /V:label        Specifies the volume label.
  /Q              Performs a quick format. Note that this switch overrides /P.
  /C              NTFS only: Files created on the new volume will be compressed
                  by default.
  /X              Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary.  All opened
                  handles to the volume would no longer be valid.
  /R:revision     UDF only: Forces the format to a specific UDF version
                  (1.02, 1.50, 2.00, 2.01, 2.50).  The default
                  revision is 2.01.
  /D              UDF 2.50 only: Metadata will be duplicated.
  /A:size         Overrides the default allocation unit size. Default settings
                  are strongly recommended for general use.
                  NTFS supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K.
                  FAT supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,
                  (128K, 256K for sector size > 512 bytes).
                  FAT32 supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,
                  (128K, 256K for sector size > 512 bytes).
                  exFAT supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,
                  128K, 256K, 512K, 1M, 2M, 4M, 8M, 16M, 32M.

                  Note that the FAT and FAT32 files systems impose the
                  following restrictions on the number of clusters on a volume:

                  FAT: Number of clusters <= 65526
                  FAT32: 65526 < Number of clusters < 4177918

                  Format will immediately stop processing if it decides that
                  the above requirements cannot be met using the specified
                  cluster size.

                  NTFS compression is not supported for allocation unit sizes
                  above 4096.

  /F:size         Specifies the size of the floppy disk to format (1.44)
  /T:tracks       Specifies the number of tracks per disk side.
  /N:sectors      Specifies the number of sectors per track.
  /P:passes       Zero every sector on the volume passes times. This switch is
                  not valid with /Q
  /S:state        Where "state" is either "enable" or "disable"
                  Short names are enabled by default
 
The command is correct, but you can't format the disk if you're booting from it. If you'll install Windows 95, then boot from the floppy and format the hard disk.
 
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Do I do now...
 


Try this code from the Windows 7 Disk / Startup Repair / Command Prompt
Format /FS:FAT32 C:

 
If the disk has been previously formatted with NTFS, I doubt you can repartition and reformat it with Windows 95.
What hardware you are trying to install onto? Do you have the necessary drivers for it?

- Download UBCD, and burn it onto a CD.
- Repartition your hard drive fresh, with eg 10gb boot partition for Win95. Format it as FAT32, make it bootable with "format C: /s"
- Copy Win95 installation files onto temporary folder with "xcopy D:\win95 c:\temp\ /s /e".
- Remove CD, reboot from hard drive. Go to C:\temp, and start installation from here
 
Another option to format from the Windows 7 Disk is with the DISKPART command.

Type: DISKPART>

Next: LIST VOLUME

Answer: your disk volumes are listed by number, letter and details

Type next: SELECT VOLUME #

Answer: volume # is selected

Type format command: FORMAT FS=FAT32

Format starts

----------------------------------

Be aware that under the command prompt you may not be able to format a partition in FAT32 larger than 32GB.. Third party software may be necessary to format larger partitions in FAT32..

You will also not be able to install Widows 95 on a computer with more than 512MB of RAM memory (according info on the web).. but there may be some trick to achieve it.

http://www.computing.net/answers/windows-95/windows-98-and-1gb-ram/170671.html


 


There is a specific program that only uses windows 95 for a company that engraves stuff. I just got tasked with this...
Windows 95 was out a bit after I was born so I have zero experience with it. I even told the boss man what I was a nub at windows 95, but that I could try it. I might just have to call it quits. I'll go try the other solutions soon.
 


Ya I tried this already. It fails since the HDD is 250 GB. I'll have to physically pull it out and put it into the HDD bays on my other PC. Is there a command to select and/or create a 10GB partion? Now that I think about it I guess I could use the windows 7 installation disc to partition it couldn't I... Hmm I should go try it out.

The PC also has 2gb of ram so will it not work?
 


The option to format in FAT32 is not available in Windows 7 either from the OS or from the DVD Startup
Repair / Command Prompt.. but only if the partition is more than 32GB so you create a partition of 32 or less GB for the option to be available. OR you can use FAT 32 Formatter tool to format any size partition in FAT32 at least that's what they claim.. I tried downloading it to test it but the download failed.

Comments are you can install Windows 95 with installed RAM up to 512MB... I once tried installing Windows 98 on a computer with 1GB and a message said "insufficient intalled RAM' which was obviously not the case, but it meant that the Windows installer could not access the RAM modules... I also read then that Windows 98 can access up to 768MB (Windows 95/98 access around the same maximum RAM), so the 2GB will probably prevent the installation but see if the article helps... it suggests editing the System.ini file in the Windows 95 CD*... read under RESOLUTION for details.

Memory Issues in Windows (95/98/98SE/Me)
http://toogam.bespin.org/newcomp/ramlimit.htm

*You can copy the Windows 95 files to a folder, edit the System.ini file and build another ISO and burn it to CD... Use IMGBurn to do it this way.... Or copy the CD to ISO, edit the file in the ISO, save it and burn it using PowerISO, MagicISO, InfraISO, or a freeware similar...

IMGBurn
http://www.imgburn.com/

FAT 32 Formatter
Quote: "As of now, fat32format has worked on disks from 40GB to 2TB"
http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm

FAT 32 Formatter
http://fat32-formatter.software.informer.com/

 

You mentioned "system for engraving". Most probably, that equipment is connected to the printer port of the PC, and needs direct access to the hardware, hence Win95 requirement.

Tell your boss that whatever you do, will be temporary. This time it was the hard drive which broke, next time it will be the motherboard. It is quite doubtfull you will be able to find a computer with native printer port which will run Win95, and he needs to upgrade to something more modern.
 


That's exactly it. Win95 was the last OS that allowed direct HW access that doesn't have to go through the OS. I have to maintain a 3.1 PC, and yes, it gets quite expensive when it goes. But there are jobs like that, and you just hope it holds together until you move on.
 


How do I designate the drive label with part magic? I formatted a partition to 10 gb with FAT32 , but didn't see anywhere how to designate the drive letters. Is there a command in DOS that would let me list all the drives or volumes? Thanks for the information thus far everyone. I really appreciate it.
 
Drive letters are assigned by the operating system when booted, and is determined by some rules (eg first partitin of the first drive becomes C:, first partition of the second drive becomes D: etc). When you boot Win95 floppy (or CD), this 10gb partition should be visible to you as C: If not, start "fdisk" after you boot, and it will display what partitions are recognised.
 
What I found from placing in the Windows 7 install disc and pulling up the Command prompt with Shift + F10 and getting into DISKPART the VOLUME 1 C: drive is Hidden. I have tried the ATTRIBUTE VOLUME CLEAR HIDDEN but it keeps giving a error: Virtual Disk Service error:
The object is not found.
 
Ok. I solved that hidden volume problem and I had gotten the disk formatted with format C: /s , but using the xcopy command made it give a error saying invalid directory or some such. I could just go into parted magic from UBCD and copy the files over into the disk volume which I just did. It won't boot or anything. Just a flickering under score. What folders do I need to create? And where do I need to place them. I guess I need to make a folder called temp, but what does the /s and /e mean?
 
Quote: "Format C: /S - Copies the operating system files to the disk after formatting......"
Format C: /e is not included in the list.

Diskpart command list
http://commandwindows.com/diskpart.htm

FORMAT commands
http://www.easydos.com/format.html


By doing this:
Quote: "copy the files over into the disk volume which I just did"

Do I understand you correctly and you simply copied files from the Windows 95 CD to the C: partition, trying to install it that way?
 


I was following what Alabalcho posted. To install it from the C: partition I believe. Its not working. =(
 
Alabachio's instructions say: "start installation" (after copying the Windows files) meaning you have to start the installer running the Setup.exe file...

I may have missed something but why don't you install Windows 95 from a CD?

If you must install from the hard drive because CD is not an option and USB does't boot in the old computer; just in case Alabalcho's suggestion should not work, another method is using a hard drive as USB flash drive connecting it via USB adapter or USB enclosure to a working computer and with a USB Installer Maker* create the Windows installer on a small HDD partition which for Windows 95 you should format in FAT32.
Next install the hard drive internally in the target computer, boot it and the Windows 95 installation should start.

*Not all installer makers can detect a regular hard drive as USB drive but two such programs I know that can, are Universal USB Installer, and LinuxLive USB Creator. Universal USB installer can even detect all installed HDD partitions apparently offering them as installer options, so that may be another option to make a hdd partition into a Windows 95 installer. I have not tried that option so I don't even know if it works or not, but I think it should.

LinuxLive USB Creator
http://www.linuxliveusb.com/

Universal USB Installer
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/
 
@bgi123,

Your goal is to make your hard disk boot into C:\ prompt on the target hardware. The easiest way to do is with either with Win95 boot floppy, or Win95 CD. So, forget everything we've discussed up to now, and start from the beginning.
- what installation media (floppies, CD, bunch of files) you have for your Win95?
- what hardware (motherboard, video, floppy, hard drive, CD drive) you have available?