xp backup file size limit?

[todd]

I've got XP at home with the backup utility installed.
I'm trying to backup another computer on my home network,
total size ~20GB. My backup starts, as soon as i hit

4GB, looks very close to 2^32 bytes, my backup dies

complaining it can't access the file its been writing
too. I know backup files go over the 4GB limit,
wondering if there is something i need to do.. The disk
i'm backing up is on windows me.. ? any ideas? thanks t

 

[Cari MS-MVP]

You must still be formatted in FAT32 which has a file size limit of 4gb.
Switch to NTFS which has a file size limit of 4tb.

Cari
www.coribright.com

 

[Johnthan]

It looks like the software that you are using to back-up
is the problem. Try to contact the vendor.

 

[Guest]

ahh, my windows ME computer(which has my backup disk) is
FAT32, damn, looks like i'll have to upgrade to xp to get
NTFS.. oh well.. thanks cari.. t

 

[Willit]

If it's a fat32 disk, you're right. You cannot use it to
back up a file over 4gb. The only around it is format the
backup partition to ntfs ( mixing them is ok ). You could
do the backup in two pieces or do your system state and
forget all the system files. Depending on the system you
have to install XP then restore anyway.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I've got XP at home with the backup utility installed.
I'm trying to backup another computer on my home network,
total size ~20GB. My backup starts, as soon as i hit
complaining it can't access the file its been writing
too. I know backup files go over the 4GB limit,
wondering if there is something i need to do.. The disk
i'm backing up is on windows me.

ME will be using FAT 32. That has an absolute limit of 4GB (minus a few
bytes) for any file. You either need a backup program that can 'span'
multiple output files, or do the backup in suitable sized chunks. I
suspect that the backup utility has this 4GB limit on file size in it
anyway when writing to hard disk; it is really intended for tape backup