Tips & Tricks

Converting a drive to FAT32

The File Allocation Table (FAT) is the way in which data is stored on your hard disk drive. Until now, the only option has been to use FAT16, but Windows 98 has the capability of converting your drives to FAT32. The difference between the two is in how they store data. FAT32 stores data in smaller units than FAT16 and, by using these smaller units, can save a lot of hard disk space.

Here's how to convert a drive:

• On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click System Tools.
• Click Drive Converter and follow the instructions on your screen.

Older disk compression software is not compatible with FAT32, so if your drive is already compressed, you may not be able to convert to FAT32. For more information on this and other FAT32 issues, please read the Using Drive Converter Help on FAT32 before you convert.

Here's how to check if your hard disk drive is already using FAT32:

• In My Computer, right-click the icon for the drive in question (typically C, for your hard disk), and then click Properties. The File System field indicates whether a drive is FAT16 (listed simply as FAT) or FAT32.