Can a Windows computer read from and write to a FAT32 formated external hard drive?

Question

I have a windows computer and plan on buying a Mac. I asked about what hard drive in another question and I was told for a Mac to write it needs to be a FAT32 formated hard drive. So if it is formated like that will a Windows computer write to it. Also how do I format it to be FAT32?

Answer 1

windows can read FAT32 and NTFS(windows2000 and up only) if you want to format your drive manually(make sure there's nothing in it first),

go to my computer, right click on the drive you want to format and click format. make sure you have the right drive though(you can check this by unplugging or plugging it in. if it disappears or appears, that the right drive.

you can choose which  file type you want to format the drive into (fat or ntfs)