• Swissknife

How do I format a drive to install Windows 10 Pro? Should it be GPT ot MBR, Should it be NFTS or FAT32, Etc. I have seen all of these recommended in different articles, books and sites. If I understand it right the System files for booting go in an MBR partitionat the front of drive and then there is a System Reserved partition after that (maybe MBR) but it seems to do that itself. Then there is a data partition in NTFS whjere the actual Windows files I see and use are located and whatever else I put there. Typicallythis would be Drive C: After that there is another GPT partition that holds something like a copy of the System boot files for Recovery.

Swissknife

I have an ISO Win 10 Pro disk to install from and have done this a couple of times. Once it installs it looks good untilI reboot the system. At that point I just get a Black Screen after it tries to start. (Never thought I would miss the BSOD but it at least gave an error message).This was an existing system, working fine for 18 months, updated to Creators Edition with no issues. Then in did some overnight update and had a Black screen.

I used the Windows repair tool off the ISO disk, which could never repair it, but from the CMDwindows I was able to xcopy all the files to another drive on the system. I know I have to reinstall my programs but that will only take a week or so and this had taken more than that just trying to get it going.

But as noted after formatting the disk andinstalling Windows I get a black screen every time it restarts and have to reinstall again. So I think the boot files are not installing right due to format or partition issues.Thanks, Walter. Go to a working computer, download, create a bootable copy, then perform a clean install.Step 1: How to download official Windows 10 ISO filesStep 2: How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10Review the following guide for instructions and details about configuring your BIOS or UEFI boot settings for DVD, CD, USB or SD Card.BIOS/UEFI Setup Guide: Boot from a CD, DVD, USB Drive or SD CardOnce your computer is set to boot from the DVD, you should see this option. If you are installing from a retail Windows 10 USB thumb drive, you will be asked to select either 32 or 64 bit Windows 10.

Learn more hereThe Windows logo will appear on screen, this might be here for a while, as long as you see the animating dots, everything should be ok.Select your Language, Time and Keyboard method then click Next.Click Install nowWindows 10 setup will prompt you for a product key during installation a couple times. If you originally upgraded from Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 click the option 'I don't have a key' and 'Do this later'. If you have a Windows 10 product key, you can proceedto enter it.Setup will also prompt you to select the edition you have a license for - Home or Pro.

Please make sure you choose the right edition.

I have read through many similar topics but have not found a solution. I have purchased 3rd party software only to find out it cannot perform the task.So now I'm turning the to pro's.Can anyone confirm how (or if possible) to format a 64gig USB to FAT32. I know it's possible because I have a Patriot Magnum 64 gig which came FAT32 out of the box.Now I purchased a Corsair Voyager 64gig GTR which is NTFS. I can't recall if it was packaged that way or I formatted it to NTFS. I have so many drives I lost track.So anyway. I need that Voyager to go FAT32 and most recently I have tried using Fat32Formatter or FAT32Format and Partition Magic doesn't format USB's and the list of failures goes on.I know NTFS is the norm for large drives, but I need a car player to access this storage device and it only does so for FAT32, which in my opinion is stupid but maybe necessary. I know it works easy for 32gig which I also have, but we have to keep switching the devices and 64gig would be ideal.I've been at this for months and don't want to give up since I have a working product in my hand and can't make another.

I was even thinking of cloning, but don't know if you can clone a USB flash drive or what software to use.I have either Vista or Windows 7 OS's to choose from. Can someone please tell me the magic trick to make this happen. Wow, that was fast replies, good site. All answers are all good but none seem to match up to the expected result.For example.Germ-XUsing W7 I go to Computer Management then click on Storage then on Disk Management.Right Click on the drive which is my USB and select Format. Drop down file system only shows two choices.

NTFS or exFATEven in the help section it reads the following.If the partition you want to format is larger than 32GB, the FAT32 option will not be visible.(that's not to say it can't be done, it's just not visible)WHSI deleted the partition and made a new one, same results as above, no choice for FAT32Maybe one of my windows settings need to be changed.