[RESOLVED] FAT32 Quick Format above 32gb

[SwampeastMike]

Using VB6

Must use FAT32 file system for a device using a USB thumb drive now above 32gb. Need to make a "quick format" via code as a fast way to "erase" the drive. Currently shelling out to a batch file running in the command (DOS-like) system.

I can format above 32gb but no syntax variation I can find in the "Format" command will allow the /q option with return error indicating "FAT32 cannot be used above 32gb" yet there is no problem doing a complete and successful format of a 64gb drive without the /q option.

Is my only option using a batch file to teletype to into DiskPart? If so how do I find the disk number beforehand? I find nothing in either VB or the FileSystemObject to return a simple integer value of a drive to correspond with that in the DiskPart interface.

Thanks for any suggestions/assistance.

[wqweto]

https://github.com/usbtool/formatusb...format_fat32.c

It's not simple because there are no ready-made API calls to use. In sources above they resort to DeviceIoControl and directly writing sectors to disk.

Btw, I guess you can shell their formatusb_x64.exe too.

cheers,
</wqw>

[-Franky-]

A long time ago I programmed something together from various links. It's not perfect, but it works.
Code in a module

Option Explicit


' https://github.com/microsoft/winfile/blob/master/src/fmifs.h
' http://read.pudn.com/downloads153/sourcecode/windows/system/670288/FORMAT/FORMAT.C__.htm


Public Const API_FALSE As Long = &H0&
Public Const API_TRUE As Long = &H1&


Public Enum CLUSTER_SIZE
    FMIFS_SizeDefault = 0
    FMIFS_Size512 = 512
    FMIFS_Size1K = 1024
    FMIFS_Size2K = 2048
    FMIFS_Size4K = 4096
    FMIFS_Size8K = 8192
    FMIFS_Size16K = 16384
    FMIFS_Size32K = 32768
    FMIFS_Size64K = 65536
    FMIFS_Size128K = 131072
    FMIFS_Size256K = 262144
End Enum


Public Enum MEDIA_TYPE
    FMIFS_MediaUnknown = 0      ' Format is unknown
    FMIFS_MediaRemovable = 11   ' Removable media other than floppy.
    FMIFS_MediaFixed = 12       ' Fixed hard disk media.
End Enum


Public Enum CALLBACK_COMMAND
    FMIFS_PROGRESS = &H0
    FMIFS_DONE_WITH_STRUCTURE = &H1
    FMIFS_INCOMPATIBLE_FILE_SYSTEM = &H3
    FMIFS_ACCESS_DENIED = &H6
    FMIFS_MEDIA_WRITE_PROTECTED = &H7
    FMIFS_VOLUME_IN_USE = &H8
    FMIFS_CANT_QUICK_FORMAT = &H9
    FMIFS_DONE = &HB
    FMIFS_BAD_LABEL = &HC
    FMIFS_OUTPUT = &HE
    FMIFS_STRUCTURE_PROGRESS = &HF
    FMIFS_CLUSTER_SIZE_TOO_SMALL = &H10
    FMIFS_CLUSTER_SIZE_TOO_BIG = &H11
    FMIFS_VOLUME_TOO_SMALL = &H12
    FMIFS_VOLUME_TOO_BIG = &H13
    FMIFS_NO_MEDIA_IN_DRIVE = &H14
    FMIFS_DEVICE_NOT_READY = &H18
    FMIFS_CHECKDISK_PROGRESS = &H19
    FMIFS_READ_ONLY_MODE = &H20
End Enum


'Public Type FORMAT_VOL_PARAMETERS
''29          BOOL bDevice;
''30          BOOL hiddenVol;
''31          char *volumePath;
''32          unsigned __int64 size;
''33          unsigned __int64 hiddenVolHostSize;
''34          int ea;
''35          int pkcs5;
''36          uint32 headerFlags;
''37          int fileSystem;
''38          unsigned int clusterSize;
''39          BOOL sparseFileSwitch;
''40          BOOL quickFormat;
''41          DWORD sectorSize;
''42          int *realClusterSize;
''43          Password *password;
''44          int pim;
''45          HWND hwndDlg;
''46          BOOL bForceOperation;
''47          BOOL bGuiMode;
'End Type
                         
Public Declare Sub CopyMemory Lib "kernel32" _
                   Alias "RtlMoveMemory" ( _
                   ByRef Destination As Any, _
                   ByRef Source As Any, _
                   ByVal Length As Long)
                   
Public Declare Function FormatEx Lib "fmifs.dll" ( _
                        ByVal DriveRoot As Long, _
                        ByVal MediaType As MEDIA_TYPE, _
                        ByVal FileSystemName As Long, _
                        ByVal VolumeLabel As Long, _
                        ByVal QuickFormat As Long, _
                        ByVal ClusterSize As CLUSTER_SIZE, _
                        ByVal Callback As Long) As Long
                        
Public Function FormatExCallback(ByVal Command As CALLBACK_COMMAND, _
                                 ByVal Modifier As Long, _
                                 ByVal Argument As Long) As Long
    
    Dim lngPercent As Long
    
    'Debug.Print Command, Modifier, Argument
    
    Select Case Command
        
        Case CALLBACK_COMMAND.FMIFS_PROGRESS
            Call CopyMemory(lngPercent, ByVal Argument, 4)
            Debug.Print "Percent completed: " & CStr(lngPercent)
        
        Case CALLBACK_COMMAND.FMIFS_OUTPUT
            Debug.Print "Output: " & CStr(Argument)
        
        Case CALLBACK_COMMAND.FMIFS_DONE
            Debug.Print "Done: " & CStr(Argument)
            
    End Select
    
    FormatExCallback = API_TRUE
    
End Function

The call itself:

Option Explicit


Private Sub Command1_Click()
    
    Debug.Print FormatEx(StrPtr("G:"), FMIFS_MediaRemovable, _
                         StrPtr("FAT32"), StrPtr("SomeLabel"), _
                         API_TRUE, FMIFS_SizeDefault, _
                         AddressOf FormatExCallback)


End Sub

Drive G: is a USB stick for me. NTFS can also be specified instead of FAT32.

[SwampeastMike]

Thank you @wqweto

Didn't think it would be easy (to automate) as I'd spent quite a bit of time searching and researching. It's nothing for me to quick format using DiskPart or other partition utility program but I intend to distribute this program (not commercially however) and want to keep things as simple as possible for the user.

The program is for use with a specific brand of modern solenoid player piano that unlike the others is designed to use "everyone's" player piano music.

At present I'm "erasing" the thumb drive with a shell to simply use del[ete] and RmDir recursively and "quietly" with the appropriate switches. Much faster than a full format but not like AOEMI and probably DiskPart can do a "quick" format.

I'll mark as "resolved" even though I'm likely to keep looking for a better solution.

[wqweto]

@-Franky-: Declare Function FormatEx Lib "fmifs" is a nice find I didn't know it was accessible. Should make providing a Format utility trivial incl. quick format.

cheers,
</wqw>

[SwampeastMike]

The second post wasn't there when I first looked and I hadn't fully studied that FormatEx function provided in the first. It reminded me of some of the crazy batch files we had to use and write in the early days of DOS. I'll certainly look into it some more once I have it and all of the associated routines refined from their "works for me" semi-automated sequence into something suitable for use by others.

[fafalone]

There's also the Virtual Disk Service COM interfaces; e.g. IVdsVolumeMF::Format.

These aren't in oleexp yet but I'm working on adding them for the next version. Will release it as soon as I'm done with them since I just added BITS and DirectML since the last release already.

[wqweto]

Btw, formatting a logical drive happens *after* partitioning the physical disk i.e. using DeviceIoControl with IOCTL_DISK_SET_DRIVE_LAYOUT_EX and IOCTL_DISK_SET_PARTITION_INFO_EX might be prerequisite to calling either of the Format methods.

There is no complete sample how to format a completely blank USB/HDD drive on VBF which would be nice submission to CodeBank.

cheers,
</wqw>