Computer Hope

Software => Computer software => Topic started by: saint_hades on April 25, 2009, 09:38:31 AM

Title: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: saint_hades on April 25, 2009, 09:38:31 AM

Hi is it possible to turn a external hard drive into a FAT format like a USB pen, SD card ect

Because my PS3 has broke and it can't read game disk's so I'm taking it back to the shop. But first I have to back up my data. None of my USB pens are bigger enough so I decided to use my external hard drive.

 I made my Hard drive a FAT32 type using PartitionMagic but my PS3 still won't recognise it. But it recognises my USB pen (8Gb) and my SD card (4Gb)

So any idea's
thanks

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: mroilfield on April 25, 2009, 09:40:37 AM

You may just have to move stuff from your PS3 in smaller chunks (8 gig & 4 gig) instead of trying to get it all in one whack.

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: saint_hades on April 25, 2009, 09:48:02 AM

the ps3 doesn't seem to let you.

I chose back up data, choose the external drive then it say you need 8gb or more and you can't say you want to save the data in parts

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: saint_hades on April 25, 2009, 10:24:51 AM

'by external drive' I meant the usb pens not the hard drive

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: patio on April 25, 2009, 10:44:53 AM

USB flash drives are already FAT32...
Sounds like you got a bootleg 8G pendrive....eBay perhaps ?

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: saint_hades on April 25, 2009, 02:14:06 PM

Yea I know flash drives are already FAT, but I want my external hard drive to be a FAT drive because my PS3 only seems to be recognising that sort of drive.

Quote from: saint_hades on April 25, 2009, 10:24:51 AM

'by external drive' I meant the usb pens not the hard drive

Sorry if that confused you, it was only for the text above it and didn't apply to the whole thread.


So to make things clear again

I was wondering if it is possible to make a external hard drive act like a flash drive (USB pen). My external hard drive is already been  formatted into a FAT32 drive and that doesn't work for some unknown reason   

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: patio on April 26, 2009, 07:30:00 AM

To convert it to strictly FAT16 you will need to use an older Win boot floppy and run FDisk...
The drawback to this is it will run alot slower and you will have a filesize limitation on that drive of 1G...
I was not aware PMagic does not offer this option on partitioning a drive.

Beyond that this is no guarantee the PS3 will still recognise the drive but Good Luck !

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: saint_hades on April 27, 2009, 08:29:46 AM

Quote from: patio on April 26, 2009, 07:30:00 AM

that drive of 1G...

its that 1Gb because i need at least 9gb.

Anyway thanks for all your help, but I think I may just buy a bigger memory stick. There not that expensive these days so I don't mind.

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: patio on April 27, 2009, 08:37:21 AM

Sorry i was wrong...2G file size limit in FAT16.

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: soybean on April 27, 2009, 10:40:44 AM

Quote from: patio on April 27, 2009, 08:37:21 AM

Sorry i was wrong...2G file size limit in FAT16.

Actually, isn't it 4GB if using Windows XP?  See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310561

Title: Re: Turn a external hard into FAT like a USB pen
Post by: saint_hades on April 27, 2009, 03:53:07 PM

So I found out PMagic does support FAT32 to FAT, but my playstation still didn't recognise it.

But in My Computer the External Hard drive was still in the 'Hard Disks Drives' section and not in the 'Devices with Removable Storage' section So I don't think it really worked.