I need to format an sd card that is currently formatted ext4 to fat32. In Gparted there is fat32 in the list of format options but it is grayed out, only ext2-3-4 and linux swap are enabled. Why is this and is there another way to format it with the pi?
Jim
Gparted question
8000 feet(2438M) above the average!
Re: Gparted question
Unmount the partition first, then look at the available format options.
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FTrevorGowen
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Re: Gparted question
Hi Jim,alfiesty wrote: I need to format an sd card that is currently formatted ext4 to fat32. In Gparted there is fat32 in the list of format options but it is grayed out, only ext2-3-4 and linux swap are enabled. Why is this and is there another way to format it with the pi?
I usually use Gparted via Ubuntu on my netbook, or by booting Knoppix Linux from USB or CD. IIRC if you wish to change the format of a given partition for some "change types" you may have to first delete the partition, then create a new one which (hopefully) will have "more choices" of format type. Also, IIRC, the fat32 format has an upper limit on size (which may depend upon whether the partition is a "primary" one or not - it's a while since I last had to be concerned about such and (hard) disk sizes continue to increase
). It's possible that, due to the Pi's ARM architecture, the version of Gparted for the Pi may have constraints that limit the format types available but I'd be somewhat surprised if fat32 is one such.Trev.
Still running Raspbian Jessie or Stretch on some older Pi's (an A, B1, 2xB2, B+, P2B, 3xP0, P0W, 2xP3A+, P3B+, P3B, B+, and a A+) but Buster on the P4B's. See: https://www.cpmspectrepi.uk/raspberry_pi/raspiidx.htm
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FTrevorGowen
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Re: Gparted question
True. But the Ubuntu version of Gparted doesn't allow you to "format" a mounted partition anyway - I've just checked.DBryant wrote: Unmount the partition first, then look at the available format options.
Trev.
Still running Raspbian Jessie or Stretch on some older Pi's (an A, B1, 2xB2, B+, P2B, 3xP0, P0W, 2xP3A+, P3B+, P3B, B+, and a A+) but Buster on the P4B's. See: https://www.cpmspectrepi.uk/raspberry_pi/raspiidx.htm
Re: Gparted question
Which is why I said UNmount!
Re: Gparted question
I unmounted the partition before starting to partition. Must be that pi doues not allow fat32.
Jim
Jim
8000 feet(2438M) above the average!
Re: Gparted question
No that's not true, fat32 is supported by Linux
I've just inserted a Pi backup SD into by Ubuntu (Debian-base) desktop. It auto-mounts the two partitions, one is fat32 and the second is ext4.
In GParted both partitions are recognised and have a key-ring icon against them. I select either drive, right-click, see the Formatting options are restricted and so u(n)mount it; the key-ring icon disappears. Right-click again and the 'Format To' options include fat16, fat32, the extNs, btfs, linux-swap and reiserfs are now active. (Some options like ufs and xfs remain blanked out and unselectable.) This is the same for both fat32 and ext4 partitions.
I do have two 2Mb areas unallocated in the SD. These are for alignment purposes of the sectors on the disk and is done automagically during creation. Some operations under Gparted seem to complain about alignment of partitions, I seem to recall SDs prepared under Windows (not specifically Pi stuff) often have issues under GParted, but never (rarely/ever?) the reverse.
One suggestion is to try to re-size your partitions; this may prompt GParted to re-align them too. And once they're up to spec then you may find the format option springs into life. I would do it here but I really don't want to play with my own backups. You don't have to commit the change so you can investigate before messing the SD card up and starting again, just be sure not to 'Apply all Operations' until your sure you want to proceed. The worst scenario is you have to start again.
I've just inserted a Pi backup SD into by Ubuntu (Debian-base) desktop. It auto-mounts the two partitions, one is fat32 and the second is ext4.
In GParted both partitions are recognised and have a key-ring icon against them. I select either drive, right-click, see the Formatting options are restricted and so u(n)mount it; the key-ring icon disappears. Right-click again and the 'Format To' options include fat16, fat32, the extNs, btfs, linux-swap and reiserfs are now active. (Some options like ufs and xfs remain blanked out and unselectable.) This is the same for both fat32 and ext4 partitions.
I do have two 2Mb areas unallocated in the SD. These are for alignment purposes of the sectors on the disk and is done automagically during creation. Some operations under Gparted seem to complain about alignment of partitions, I seem to recall SDs prepared under Windows (not specifically Pi stuff) often have issues under GParted, but never (rarely/ever?) the reverse.
One suggestion is to try to re-size your partitions; this may prompt GParted to re-align them too. And once they're up to spec then you may find the format option springs into life. I would do it here but I really don't want to play with my own backups. You don't have to commit the change so you can investigate before messing the SD card up and starting again, just be sure not to 'Apply all Operations' until your sure you want to proceed. The worst scenario is you have to start again.