Contact Forum Editor

Send an email to our Forum Editor:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the Forum Editor know who sent the message. Both your name and email address will not be used for any other purpose.

Tech Helproom

It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion

View Forum Rules | Contact Forum Editor

 

Formatting External HDD to FAT32 or Ext3

Scrivers

Likes # 0

Posted June 25, 2012 at 12:04PM

In order to export files from a FreeSat box I need to format an external HDD to either FAT32 or Ext3. The only format that either my Windows 7 PC or an old XP PC will allow other than NTFS is exFAT. The FreeSat box doesn't recognise the HDD formatted to either exFAT or NTFS. Anyone help?

Like this post
Fruit Bat /\0/\

Likes # 0

Posted June 25, 2012 at 1:11PM

You need something like EaseUS partition manager here

Like this post
scotty

Likes # 0

Posted June 25, 2012 at 3:54PM

If you can run linux (either from a full installation or a "live" version running from CD or USB stick) you can format a disc using GParted.

Even after formatting your drive, you may still have a problem as I doubt if any windows program will read files from an ext3 formatted drive. What do you intend to do with the files copied to the drive? If you just want to stores files for copying back on to the freesat box for viewing, you should be OK.

Like this post
Scrivers

Likes # 0

Posted June 25, 2012 at 4:34PM

Thanks for the tip Fruitbat, I'll look into that.

Hi Scotty. I'm trying to export video files from the FreeSat PVR HDD. These apparently export in .TS format which I can then convert into DVD format and burn onto DVD for playing on portable equipment.

Like this post
Zeppelyn

Likes # 0

Posted June 25, 2012 at 8:46PM

Im doing something similar, except Im converting .ts to .avi for playback via a media HDD. I used MiniTool Partition Wizard which did the job of creating a FAT32 partition.

Like this post
scotty

Likes # 0

Posted June 26, 2012 at 12:37PM

I would format to FAT32 to give the the widest choice of operating systems able to read the disc.

Like this post
lotvic

Likes # 0

Posted June 26, 2012 at 1:52PM

The reason the option to format to FAT32 does not appear is because the drive partition is bigger than 32GB. If you make a partition of 32GB the option will appear.

Also read this info guide (with screenshots) on how to format partition bigger than 32GB

Like this post

Reply to this topic

This thread has been locked.



Check out PC Advisor's other tech forums

Send to a friend

Email this article to a friend or colleague:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the recipient know who sent the story. Both your name and the recipient's name and address will not be used for any other purpose.