I can't format a memory stick FAT32

I have a SONY memory stick that I'm trying to format FAT32 in the Disk Utility. I only have the FAT option. Why don't I have the FAT32 option? Has it got something to do with the memory stick?
Thanks in advance...
Dave

Because OSX calls it FAT. Every Memory stick shows the same options.

I just had a look at the Info window for this stick an it said that the stick is FAT16. Does this sound right? I was after FAT32 for compatibility/sharing.

All Memory Sticks I have tried here, even formatted on a Windows system show up in Get Info as FAT 16 like you are seeing. Seems to work fine on both Windows and OSX systems as well as Linux for me.

My memory stick shows up as FAT16 and works on windows and osx as well.

Should work fine.

I just took a look at a memory stick I had previously formatted on XP. I noticed the mac recognizes it as a FAT32 usb... Hmmm I wonder what we are doing different.

davedave said:

I just took a look at a memory stick I had previously formatted on XP. I noticed the mac recognizes it as a FAT32 usb... Hmmm I wonder what we are doing different.

Click to expand...

The difference is the size of the stick. FAT16 only works for volumes up to 2GB in size, whereas FAT32 is needed instead if you go above that size.

Discerptor is correct. Most of my USB Memory sticks are 1GB and under and they show as FAT16. My 4GB stick is FAT32.

Like I said above though, In OSX FAT in the format options is FAT32. There is no separate FAT32 in the Disk Utility.

Thanks for the explanation guys - Much appreciated.