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How to Format Settings for a Hard Drive for Video Playback on the Xbox

The file system used by Microsoft's Xbox 360 is not the same one used by the Microsoft Windows operating system. The Xbox 360 video game console uses the FAT32 file system, while Windows uses NTFS. If you have an external hard drive that you want to use with your Xbox 360 for video playback, make sure it is formatted in FAT32 before proceeding.

Instructions

- 1
  Plug the external hard drive into one of your console's USB ports using the USB cable that came with the hard drive.
- 2
  Turn on your gaming console.
- 3
  Open the "My Xbox" main menu. Scroll through the menu until you find "System Settings." Select this option.
- 4
  Open "Memory." Highlight the listing for your external hard drive.
- 5
  Select the "Configure Now" option. This process will format the hard drive and install the FAT32 file system. When the process finishes, as indicated by a message on screen, the hard drive will be ready for video playback with your gaming console.

Xbox 360