FAT32 Failure - Options?

[ChicagoIrish]

Hi -

I just bought a Western Digital Passport 250GB external drive. Went to
backup using the Windows XP Home Backup utility and I got the FAT32 4GB file
size limit error message.

I will not buy an additional backup program (although I'm open to other free
options) and would prefer to use the Windows XP Backup utility. I tried the
WD Sync utility but that is extremely limited: I can't back up mine and my
wife's documents and settings at once, and can't even back up my Internet
Explorer AND Mozilla Firefox bookmarks.

Do I have any options here or do I need to return the Passport?

Thanks.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Convert from FAT32 to NTFS.

 

[peter]

The NTFS file structure does not have this limitation.

Check under Control Panel/Admin Tools/Computer Management/disc management
to see if you have XP installed with the NTFS file structure........if you
do format the External Drive to NTFS
peter

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi -

I just bought a Western Digital Passport 250GB external drive. Went to
backup using the Windows XP Home Backup utility and I got the FAT32 4GB file
size limit error message.

Convert to NTFS and that problem will go away.

I will not buy an additional backup program (although I'm open to other free
options) and would prefer to use the Windows XP Backup utility.

It's entirely your choice, of course, but you are insisting on using
what is undoubtedly the poorest possible choice of backup software.

I recommend Acronis True Image, but it isn't free.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

He does not have to format. He needs to convert.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Can you tell me how to convert an external hard drive from FAT32 to NTFS?

Thanks again.

 

[peter]

Click start....open Help&Support.........type in convert fat32 and the
information will display
peter

 

[Tim Slattery]

Hi -

I just bought a Western Digital Passport 250GB external drive. Went to
backup using the Windows XP Home Backup utility and I got the FAT32 4GB file
size limit error message.

Convert the disk to the NTFS file system. Open a command console ("DOS
box"), and type

convert /?

For information about the convert command.

 

[windmap]

To convert fat32 to NTFS do this

Examples
To convert the volume on drive E to NTFS and display all messages, type:

convert e: /fs:ntfs /v
Text acquired frm the windows Help and support center

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks for all the feedback.

Can you tell me how to convert an external hard drive from FAT32 to NTFS?

To convert to NTFS, you use the CONVERT command. But first read
http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm because there's an issue regarding
cluster size that isn't obvious.

Also note that conversion is a big step, affecting everything on your
drive. When you take such a big step, no matter how unlikely, it is
always possible that something could go wrong. For that reason, it's
prudent to make sure you have a backup of anything you can't afford to
lose before beginning.

Thanks again.

You're welcome. Glad to help.