Why is the Windows format limit for FAT32 file systems only 32 GB?

[1] The Real Reason Behind 32GB Formatted Size on Windows – An Engineer's Answer

The real reason that Windows reserves the 32 GB formatting limit for FAT32 dates back to the 1970s, and a Microsoft engineer named Dave Plummer. Plummer thought carefully about the needs of future Windows users and what size clusters to use. With a maximum number of clusters set for the FAT32 file system, he needed to decide on an appropriate volume size.

Using FAT32 on such a large volume is, in his opinion, a waste of space. If he increases the cluster size to make it more efficient for large files, he has to make the volume larger, which costs more money and wastes disk space. So he chooses a 32KB cluster size, figuring that it won't waste too much space even if it overallocates a bit for very small files.

The reason he limited the FAT32 Windows format to 32 GB was actually to improve efficiency by reducing the amount of unnecessary space for storing data. You can learn more about this in a YouTube video by Dave Plummer.

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What is FAT32?

FAT32 is a version of the File Allocation Table (FAT) file system that uses 32-bit entries to identify clusters of data on a given storage device. It is the most common due to its compatibility with various devices, including:

• Smartphone

Computer

• Digital camera

Camera

Game consoles, etc.

It is compatible with various operating systems, including Windows 11/10/8/7, Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. Microsoft primarily introduced FAT32 to increase the capacity of the file system and support longer file names (up to 255 characters).

In case of a drive failure, FAT32 can move the root directory to a new location and use a backup copy. FAT32 is also known for using smaller cluster sizes on smaller disks, reducing cluster waste – any reduction can matter.

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Implications of the 32 GB Limit for FAT32

Microsoft imposed a maximum partition size of 32 GB for the FAT32 file system primarily to encourage adoption of its newer file system, NTFS, which was considered more efficient in handling larger partitions. The 32 GB limitation on FAT32 had various implications for the file system, including: 1. **Performance degradation**: As the size of the partition approached the 32 GB limit, the performance of FAT32 would degrade due to increased overhead in managing the larger number of clusters and files. 2. **Inability to store large files**: With a 32 GB limit, users were unable to store files larger than the remaining available space, which could be less than 4 GB due to the way FAT32 allocates space. 3. **Reduced efficiency**: Large partitions with FAT32 led to increased fragmentation, as the file system had to allocate clusters across a broader area, affecting overall system speed and performance. 4. **Compatibility issues**: While FAT32 was widely supported, some older devices or operating systems might have trouble reading or writing to partitions larger than 32 GB. 5. **Limited data storage**: For users with high data storage needs, such as multimedia content creators or businesses, the 32 GB limit quickly became insufficient. 6. **Security concerns**: FAT32 lacked advanced security features present in NTFS, like file permissions and encryption, making it less suitable for environments where data security was a concern. 7. **Disk space waste**: The FAT32 file system was less space-efficient compared to NTFS, leading to more unused or wasted disk space on larger partitions. These factors contributed to the gradual phasing out of FAT32 in favor of NTFS for managing larger storage volumes. However, FAT32 is still used in smaller devices and flash drives due to its simplicity and wide compatibility.

• The maximum size for a single file is 4 GB. If your file is larger than 4 GB, the FAT32 file system will not allow you to save it. You may receive an error like "The parameter is incorrect" or "File too large for the target file system."

• The maximum partition size is 2 TB. FAT32 does not support partitions larger than 3 TB, so you'll need to install a third-party partitioning tool to format the drive. You can't do this with the Windows Disk Management tool, as it limits partitions to 32 GB max.

• No journaling. Because FAT32 doesn't support file journaling, the system is more prone to file corruption. This isn't as big of an issue with modern file systems like NTFS, which has a journal that logs changes made to the disk. As such, recovery operations don't take too long if the system experiences a power failure while writing to the disk.

• No file permissions. The main reason for setting file permissions is to enhance data security. Since FAT32 does not let you set file permissions, it's impossible to prevent different users from modifying a given program. You also can't restrict users from accessing specific files stored on the system. This is unlike the more secure NTFS file system.

Although there are many limitations to formatting a 32 GB drive as FAT32 on Windows, you can still find workarounds using third-party tools or the Command Prompt.

The Real Reason Behind the 32GB Limit of the FAT32 File System Format

Plummer says the 32GB limit on the FAT32 file system that Windows still uses is his fault. It was a personal decision he made back in the day, and he still thinks he was right. When testing the limits of FAT32's largest file size, the biggest memory card Plummer had access to was 16MB.

So when he was developing the FAT32 file system for Microsoft, he picked this number, multiplied it by 1,000, doubled it, and that's how he got the maximum file size that would forever work on any device running NT 4.0. And that's why the limit is 32 gigabytes.

Plummer also argues that his decision is based on the theory that 16TB is currently the maximum volume size for file systems. Should other developers change this value, it could severely overwrite presets, including FAT32. To avoid clashing with existing file systems, developers must adhere to Plummer's decision (to limit 32GB formatting to FAT32).

That's why FAT32-formatted Windows partitions have been limited to 32 GB so far.

How to overcome the FAT32 file size limit?

The Command Prompt is the easiest way, as it's available on virtually all Windows computers. With Command Prompt, you can troubleshoot startup problems, manage disks, and run batch files. You can use it to overcome FAT32's size limitations and convert it to NTFS with the following steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type "cmd" to open the Command Prompt.

3. Type `help convert` and press Enter.

4. At the command prompt, type the following command: convert (drive letter): /fs:ntfs.

Next up, we just need the translation in American English:

5. When the conversion is done, type Exit to close the program. You have now converted your FAT32 partition to NTFS, and will no longer be restricted by the 32 GB file size limitation.

Alternatively, you can refer to this article to get a more comprehensive guide on how to convert FAT32 to NTFS.

Note: You may see an error message that reads "Data error (cyclic redundancy check)" once the conversion is finished. Don't worry about it, as this simply means that the partition has been converted to NTFS.

You need to check for errors through Disk Management. Also keep in mind that once you convert FAT32 to NTFS, there's no turning back. So, approach this with care.