XP will not format FAT32 on partitions greater that 32GB,
so you are not offered that choice. If partition is <=32GB you can
choose either NTFS or FAT32.

On anything over about 8GB, FAT32 is hugely inefficient
because the WHOLE table gets loaded into RAM.

You CAN get FAT32 up to 127.9GB (it's limit) but you need
to use a 3rd party program, Partition Magic (R), or the like
to format it (or win98 CD).

Robert
(who just went through this exercise with a 160GB external
HD that I wanted as FAT32/NTFS for backups).

John J. McDonough wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jose Da Silva" <Digital@JoesCat.com>
> Subject: Re: [OT] Windows Xp on W98 SE
> 
> 
> 
>>If you have sp2, you need NTFS since it won't install on a fresh
> partition.

Yes it will. I have a Win XP pro SP2 install CD and it works just
fine. No more install SP1 then upgrade to SP2.

> I wonder if what you are seeing there is SP2 or the drive size.  I noticed
> that on drives larger than about 50G or so, WinXP just goes ahead and
> formats it to NTFS without asking.  I haven't done THAT many installs, but
> on smaller drives, I'm pretty sure it asked.
> 
> I have only one machine to go on installing SP2, but it happens to be my
> only machine with a FAT32 boot partition.
> 
> --McD

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