Solved - "Virtual Disk Service Error: The Volume Size Is Too Big"

When you use Diskpart to format a hard drive larger than 32 GB, you may receive "Virtual Disk Service Error: Volume size too large". Why does this prompt appear? How do I successfully format a 32GB+ drive to FAT32? Here you can find your way out.

Dervish

By Dervish / Updated on May 12, 2023

Share this: instagram reddit

Scenario: “Virtual Disk Service error: The volume size is too big”

Hey, I tried to format NTFS to FAT32 with Diskpart, but I get Virtual Disk Service error: The volume size is too big. I need to install this disk in my PS4, and the file system must be FAT32. Any help is appreciated.

Volume too big

Virtual disk service(VDS) is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs), which provide a single interface for managing disks and volumes. It contains the Disk Management snap-in, the DiskPart command-line tool, and the DiskRAID command-line tool (Diskraid.exe).

Reason for “The volume size is too big” error

Diskpart works as a Windows built-in tool, which can help you solve disk and partition problems. However, you may be bothered by Diskpart. When you try to format a hard drive larger than 32 GB to FAT32 file system, you will receive "Virtual Disk Service error: The volume size is too big".

NTFS and FAT32 are both popular file systems among computer users like all versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, or other game consoles etc. Both file systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. In some cases, computer users may change file system owing to specific needs.

Why did you receive this error? This is because Microsoft does not allow you to format the partition larger than 32 GB to FAT32 with Diskpart.

When fails to format hard drive in DiskPart, you may turn to Disk Management. However, it will also let you down. If you try to format a hard drive larger than 32GB, you can only see NTFS in drop-down menu of File system.

Can't format to FAT32

How to fix "Diskpart Virtual Disk Service error: the volume size is too big"

To fix “Virtual Disk Service error: The volume size is too big” error, you need to switch to the third-party free partition software: AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard. This software allows you to format a large hard drive to FAT32 as you like and supports you to format a hard drive with a few clicks, it's easier than Diskpart.

Besides, you can fix other problems appearing in Windows built-in tool, such as, extend volume is disabled, new simple volume greyed out, shrink volume greyed out, etc.

Step 1. Download AOMEI Partition Assistant, install and launch it.

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 2. Right-click the NTFS partition, and then select "Format Partition".

Format Partition 256GB

Step 3. Input a partition label, then select "FAT32" as your file system. At last, click "OK" to summon the next window.

Select File System 256GB

Step 4. Preview and click "Apply" > "Proceed" to finish the last step. After that, you will get a new partition with FAT32.

Apply Proceed 256GB

★Tips:
Format partition will clean all data, please back up in advance.
Apart from “Format Partition”, you still can choose "NTFS to FAT32 Converter", which can convert NTFS to FAT32, or FAT32 to NTFS without losing data.

Summary

So, now you should know what to do when receiving the "Virtual Disk Service error: the volume size is too big" in Diskpart. AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard can satisfy the basic needs of the majority of use`rs. It allows you to resize partition, move partition, shrink partition, merge partitions, create partition, etc.

But if you need to fix problems the standard edition cannot or want more advanced features, you can upgrade to AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional.

Dervish
Dervish · Staff Editor
Dervish is an English editor of AOMEI Technology; He is delicated to offering users easy and effecitve solutions for issuses related to disks and partitoins. In his spare time, he enjoy wathcning films, playing footable, traveling and so on.