"FAT32 format cannot be opened [Fixed]"

"Hello, I can't open my USB drive on my Windows 10 computer. However, this drive works fine and I can access all the files on my Windows Vista PC. The USB drive is formatted as FAT32. Why can't I open it on Windows 10? Please help."

If you've encountered the "FAT32 can't be opened" issue, then you're in the right place. This article will guide you through why your Windows 10 computer fails to open a FAT32 USB drive and possible solutions to fix it. We'll also recommend a third-party tool - AOMEI Partition Assistant - for formatting FAT32.

Can't open FAT32? Why?

The first reason you might not be able to open a FAT32 formatted drive is that the partition you're trying to use is larger than 32 GB. This is because Microsoft limits the maximum file size on a FAT32 drive to 32 GB. If you try to open a file larger than this, you'll encounter the "Can't Open" error.

Also, if you try to format the partition from File Explorer, you won't see the FAT32 option. On the other hand, if you use Diskpart to format the disk, you will get an error: “The volume is too big for this format.” Secondly, since your primary partition on the removable drive isn't FAT32, you might not be able to open it on a Windows 10 machine.

Since Windows 10 only recognizes the first primary partition, it doesn't allow you to partition it. Lastly, if your removable drive is write-protected, you won't be able to open FAT32 on Windows. This means the drive is read-only and can't be altered through writing or formatting.

How to fix “FAT32 option is not available”?

While FAT32 is typically unformatable, you can format the drive on your computer using one of several methods. Here are your best options for formatting FAT32:

• Method 1: Using Partition Master Tool
• Method 2: Through CMD Command Prompt
• Method 3: Using Disk Management

Now, let's discuss each method in detail. Don't forget to share this amazing list of FAT32 formatting tools to help your online friends fix the issue successfully:

Method 1: Format to FAT32 with Partition Wizard

Using a third-party app is one of the best ways to format FAT32. We recommend a tool called Partition Master. It's easy to use and supports disk partitioning on Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista. The free version of this software offers many advanced features compared to other third-party tools.

tools Partition Master allows you to format small and large storage drives to FAT32. This may include USB drives, SD cards, external drives, and HDDs/SDDs. The software lets you convert partitions from NTFS to FAT32 and vice versa in Windows.

Features of Partition Master Tool

Apart from formatting FAT32, this software lets you:

• Extend the system partition
• Create or delete partitions
• Merge partitions
• Convert MBR to GPT, and vice versa
• Clone the system partition

Two Ways to Format FAT32 with Partition Master in American English: 1. Formatting FAT32 with Partition Master Method 1: Open Partition Master, select the desired partition you want to format, right-click on it, and choose "Format". In the format window, select "FAT32" as the file system, then click "OK" to begin the formatting process. 2. Formatting FAT32 with Partition Master Method 2: In Partition Master, locate the partition you wish to format, click on it to highlight it, then click on the "Format" button from the top menu. In the format options, set "FAT32" as the file system, and hit "Apply" to proceed with the formatting.

You can format FAT32 using one of these methods:

1. Format it directly to FAT32

AOMEI Partition Assistant features a direct formatting function that can easily format your drive to FAT32. Aside from formatting to FAT32, this method also allows you to convert the drive to NTFS, EXT2, EXT3, and ReFS. It's a simple and secure process that won't result in data loss.

To get started, simply download and install the free version of Partition Master tool on your computer. If you encounter any issues, follow these steps:

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition you want to format and choose "Format".

Step 2: In the window that appears, type in a volume label, select the FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4 file system and set the cluster size as needed, then click “OK”.

Step 3: A warning will appear. Click "Yes" to continue.

Step 4. Click on the "Do It Now" button in the top left to review your changes, and then click "Apply" to begin formatting the partition to FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4.

2. Extend the FAT32 Partition

With its “allocate space” feature, the Partition Master tool will allow you to seamlessly extend your system drive. If your system drive is running on FAT32, you can expand its partition to unallocated or unused space on another drive. The system will format that space as FAT32.

We will provide you with the steps for doing this, which are also easy to follow.

Step 1. Run Partition Master, right click the hard drive partition you want to format and choose “Format”.

Step 2. In the new window, set the "Volume label," "File system" (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT) and "Cluster size" for the partition to be formatted, then click "OK".

Step 3: You'll then see a warning prompt; click “Yes” to proceed.

4. Click “Perform 1 Task” to review the changes, and then click “Apply” to begin formatting the hard drive partition.

Method 2: Format to FAT32 via CMD

Another utility you can try is the Command Prompt, also known as CMD. You can format a FAT32 drive using CMD by following these steps:

Step 1. Plug the USB drive into your computer.

Step 2. Press the Windows logo key, then type "cmd" in the search bar to open Command Prompt.

Step 3. Click "Run as administrator" in the search results.

Step 4: Type "diskpart" in the Command Prompt window, and press Enter. This will open Diskpart, the disk management tool.

Step 5: Type in "list disk" and press Enter. You should see the name of your USB drive listed.

Step 6. Type "select disk [disk name]" to choose the USB drive you want to format, and press Enter.

Select the disk to install Ubuntu alongside Windows

Type clean, then press Enter. Wait for the command prompt to format the drive, and when it's done, you'll see "DiskPart successfully cleaned the disk".

Step 8. Type create partition primary, and press Enter.

Create a primary partition

Step 9: To format the drive as NTFS, type "format fs=ntfs" and press Enter.

Step 10. Once it's formatted, type "exit" and press Enter to close the program. Your USB drive should now be accessible on Windows 10.

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#FAT32 Formatter#Free#Command Line

Method 3: Format to FAT32 via Disk Management

If you're having issues formatting the USB drive from the Command Prompt, try using the Disk Management instead. The only requirement is that your USB drive must be smaller than 32 GB. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Open File Explorer on your computer.

Step 2. Right-click on "This PC" and select "Manage".

Step 3. In the next window, click “Disk Management” under “Storage.”

Step 4. Right-click on your USB drive and select "Format."

Step 5: Format the USB drive with the FAT32 file system.

Step 6: Check the box next to "Quick Format", then click "OK". Your drive will now format to FAT32 and show up on your computer.

Please provide the English content you would like translated, and I will do my best to translate it into Chinese.

#FAT32 Formatter#Disk Management#Windows

Regarding FAT32

FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32) is a file storage system used for devices storing up to 32 GB of data. Introduced in 1977, it is currently supported by all operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as mobile devices.

Due to its compatibility with various devices, FAT32 is considered more reliable for sharing files between different computers. As such, all SD cards and USB drives are formatted with FAT32. The main drawback of FAT32 is that it doesn't support larger storage drives and doesn't allow individual files larger than 4 GB to be stored.

However, the file system is still compatible with other devices, including:

• Windows 98
• Closed-circuit television camera
• Game console
• Smartphone
• Digital camera

FAT32 does not have built-in compression functionality. The file system can handle partitions with a maximum total storage capacity of 16 TB. It's also worth noting that Windows 10 computers cannot format drives with the FAT32 file system. Aside from FAT32, other standard file systems include NTFS and exFAT.

NTFS is suitable for the latest operating systems, while exFAT is best for devices with lower memory and power requirements. The table below compares the three file systems.

FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS Comparison Dialogue

FAT32	exFAT	NTFS
- Supported by various devices including Windows, Mac, and Linux	- Works well on Windows 10/8/7 computers	- Works well on Windows 10/8/7 computers
- First used for Windows 95 devices	- First used for Windows XP and Vista	- First used for Windows NT devices
- No additional configuration needed on Mac	- Requires additional configuration on Mac OS X and Linux	- Read-only access on Mac and some versions of Linux
- Maximum partition size is 8 TB, file size limit is 4 GB	- No limitations on partition size or file size	- No limitations on partition size or file size
- Considered an older file system type, less efficient than NTFS	- Seen as a replacement for FAT32, suitable for most devices	- Modern file system used by the latest Windows devices

If you're interested in a FAT32 converter, consider reading the following article:

Best FAT32 Converter Free Download [Verified & Free]

Do you need to convert an existing partition to FAT32? This simple guide introduces some FAT32 converters that you can download and use for quick conversion. Converts RAW, NTFS, or any other format to FAT32.

Conclusions

FAT32 is a common file system due to its compatibility with both modern and old devices. It's quite common for most Windows 10 users to come across the issue of not being able to open a FAT32 formatted drive. The primary reason behind this is that Microsoft has put a limit of 32 GB on the maximum file size for FAT32 drives.

If there's more on the drive, it won't open. You can fix this by formatting your drive:

• Third-party tools (such as Partition Master)
• Command Prompt
• Disk Management

However, we highly recommend using the Partition Master tool, as it is very efficient when it comes to formatting FAT32 drives. The software is user-friendly and allows you to perform various disk partition operations without losing data. To get started with Partition Master, make sure you download the free trial version of the software.

"Frequently Asked Questions about 'FAT32 Format Cannot Be Opened'"

Here are some questions you might be interested in:

How do I open a FAT32 file?

In most cases, you cannot open a FAT32 formatted drive, but you can format the drive on your computer. There are 3 ways to open a FAT32 formatted drive. First, use a third-party tool, like Partition Master, which allows you to directly format FAT32 or extend the FAT32 partition. Second, format FAT32 by running CMD. Third, format FAT32 through Disk Management. The only requirement is that the USB drive must be less than 32 GB in size.

2. How to fix FAT32 errors?

When encountering a FAT32 error, you can repair the FAT32 drive and recover data using CHKDSK by following these steps. First, ensure the drive with the FAT32 file system is connected to your computer. Second, type 'cmd' in the search bar and hit Enter to open the Command Prompt. Third, right-click on cmd.exe and select 'Run as administrator.'

3. Does Windows 10 support FAT32?

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to format a USB device as FAT32 when the option is not available. By default, Windows 10 doesn't allow you to format external USB drives larger than 32 GB as FAT32. For USB drives larger than 32 GB, the formatting tool only offers the NTFS and exFAT file systems.