ntbackup file limitation for Windows XP home

[Li]

As Windows XP home has FAT32 file system and gives the file limitation
no larger than 4g, is there any way that I can back up the whole hard
drive more than 4 gig? In other words, is there anyway to work around
this file limitation?

Any response will be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Leonard Grey]

Hi Li:

Where did you get the idea that "Windows XP home has [the] FAT32 file
system"? XP can run on FAT32 and NTFS.

Convert to NTFS, which is what you really should be using in the first
place. NTFS is more secure, more robust and you don't have to worry
about 4GB file lengths.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

As Windows XP home has FAT32 file system

Not at all true. Windows XP Home, just like Windows XP Professional,
can use NTFS, FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32, in any and all combinations.

and gives the file limitation
no larger than 4g, is there any way that I can back up the whole hard
drive more than 4 gig?

In other words, is there anyway to work around
this file limitation?

The "limitation" doesn't exist.

 

[peter]

Once you have the whole HD backed up with ntbakup ...how do you aim to
restore it when XP quits working???
Would it not be simpler to use a Specific imaging or Cloning program for
that purpose???
There are a few on the market but I like Acronis True Image.It has the
capabilities of creating a Startup CD which can restore without an Operating
System....it can clone the whole HD to another ...it can image a specific
partition of the HD to another HD....it can perform backup tasks on
schedule.
peter

 

[Li]

Not at all true. Windows XP Home, just like Windows XP Professional,
can use NTFS, FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32, in any and all combinations.





The "limitation" doesn't exist.

Thank you for the response. Yes it does for FAT file system. As for
NTFS, it should be ok.

 

[Li]

Once you have the whole HD backed up with ntbakup ...how do you aim to
restore it when XP quits working???
Would it not be simpler to use a Specific imaging or Cloning program for
that purpose???
There are a few on the market but I like Acronis True Image.It has the
capabilities of creating a Startup CD which can restore without an Operating
System....it can clone the whole HD to another ...it can image a specific
partition of the HD to another HD....it can perform backup tasks on
schedule.
peter

I would like to back up the whole drive to an external hard drive. If
the system crashes, I can reinstall the O/S, connect to the external
hard drive, and then restore the rest from the backup. It is very
simple. Thank you for your response and information. I appreciate it.

 

[peter]

But with Acronis you can clone the drive to an external drive then when your
HD crashes you just exchange HD and your up and running in minutes not
hours.
peter

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thank you for the response. Yes it does for FAT file system. As for
NTFS, it should be ok.

My point was that there is no need to back up to a FAT32 device, since
Windows XP Home *does* support NTFS. Simply choose to format your
backup drive as NTFS, and there is no such limitation.

 

[Jim]

As Windows XP home has FAT32 file system and gives the file limitation no
larger than 4g, is there any way that I can back up the whole hard drive
more than 4 gig? In other words, is there anyway to work around this file
limitation?

Any response will be greatly appreciated!!!

It is not an ntbackup problem/ Rather, FAT32 will not create a file which
is larger than 4 GB.

The solution is to use NTFS.

Jim

 

[Li]

But with Acronis you can clone the drive to an external drive then when
your HD crashes you just exchange HD and your up and running in minutes
not hours.
peter

I agree with you but it is not free, is it?

 

[Li]

It is not an ntbackup problem/ Rather, FAT32 will not create a file which
is larger than 4 GB.

The solution is to use NTFS.

Jim

Thank you very much. By the way, will Converting to NTFS be in the risk
of losing any data?

 

[Jim]

Thank you very much. By the way, will Converting to NTFS be in the risk of
losing any data?

It should not, but take no chances anyway. The only time that I have done
such a conversion, everything went well.

Jim

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I agree with you but it is not free, is it?

No, it's not. You have to decide whether the better facilities it
provides is worth its cost.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thank you very much. By the way, will Converting to NTFS be in the risk
of losing any data?

Two points:

1. As I understand your situation, you want to backup to a drive
that's presently FAT32 and you are considering converting it to NTFS.
If that's correct, the issue of possibly losing data doesn't come up.
Although you can also convert your primary drive to NTFS, that isn't
required to back up to an NTFS drive, and is really another issue
entirely.

2.If you do also convert the primary drive, there is no reason to
expect the conversion to lose anything. But realize that what you do
will affect everything on the drive. However unlikely, it's always
possible that something might go wrong. For that reason it's prudent
to be sure you have a backup of anything you can't afford to lose
before beginning.

 

[Jim]

I agree with you but it is not free, is it?

You must decide for yourself whether an application that costs money, but
works quite well, is
more useful than one which is free but is full of pitfalls. and quirks.
Jim