# Can WinXP Read a FAT32 Formatted Drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022 "2004-08-09T14:23:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/1 "2004-08-09T14:23:46Z")
Can WinXP read a FAT32 formatted drive? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/2 "2004-08-09T14:26:26Z")
Yes, it can, although I have heard of people who have had some problems getting Windows XP to recognize the drive. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/3 "2004-08-09T14:29:04Z")
Yes - (IIRC) when installing XP on a virgin machine, you get the choice of partitioning/formatting the drive as FAT32 or NTFS - XP can fully utilise FAT32 drives and can convert a FAT32 drive to NTFS, even after installation (but this is a one-way conversion). Win9x cannot natively read an NTFS formatted drive. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/4 "2004-08-09T14:40:12Z")
thanks ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/5 "2004-08-09T14:42:07Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Yes - (IIRC) when installing XP on a virgin machine, you get the choice of partitioning/formatting the drive as FAT32 or NTFS - XP can fully utilise FAT32 drives I’m pretty sure that you’re not recalling correctly here, and that XP can in fact not be installed on a FAT32 drive, although it can read them. I could be wrong, though. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/6 "2004-08-09T14:52:06Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > I’m pretty sure that you’re not recalling correctly here, and that XP can in fact not be installed on a FAT32 drive, although it can read them. I could be wrong, though. You were right that you might be wrong. XP will install on a FAT32 or NTFS formatted drive, but there are limitations re intial sizing if the drive is being partitioned and formatted during install vs being placed on a previously formatted drive . [NTFS vs. FAT32: I am planning to install Windows XP, so which should I choose?](http://www.thundercloud.net/information-avenue/ntfs-vs-fat32/) [Choosing a File System](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/getstarted/installnew.mspx) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-winxp-read-a-fat32-formatted-drive/259022/7 "2004-08-09T15:07:53Z")
[Nope.](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/getstarted/installnew.mspx) > [@](#): > > **Choosing a File System** > During a new installation of Windows XP, you may have to choose which file system your computer should use. Windows XP Professional supports: > > • FAT32: An enhanced version of the file allocation table (FAT) system that is standard on all Windows operating systems starting with later (32-bit) versions of Windows 95. The FAT32 system can be used on large hard disks, from 512 megabytes (MB) to 32 gigabytes (GB). > > • NTFS: The NT file system (NTFS) is used with the Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP operating systems. NTFS provides enhanced reliability, stability, and security, and supports large hard disks of up to 2 terabytes (TB). > > \*\*IMPORTANT \*\* > You can convert your file system any time, even after you install Windows XP, without losing any of your data. > > The conversion to NTFS is one–way only; if you convert your FAT or FAT32 file system to NTFS you can’t convert your hard disk back to FAT later. > > If you’re not sure which file system to use, keep the one your computer defaults to during Setup. If you want to change your file system, here are a few recommendations: > > • Use FAT32 if your hard disk is smaller than 32 GB. > > • Use FAT32 if you want to install more than one operating system on your computer. > > • Use NTFS if your hard drive is larger than 32 GB and you are running only one operating system on your computer. > > • Use NTFS if you want enhanced file security. > > • Use NTFS if you need better disk compression.