Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

[Guest Geoff]

I must be missing something somewhere. I want to backup at least 40 gig and

apparently I can't because of a limitation imposed by FAT 32.

 

I am not overly techy, but it is hard to imagine, considering the size of

most hard drives these days, that there is not some other way of backing up

large amounts of data.

 

Thanks for any help.

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

Convert the drive to NTFS. If you are still using FAT32 you should probably have converted a long time ago. You can convert with the convert command. Click on Start then Run, then type "command".

 

From XP Help and Support:

 

"To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt

Open the Command Prompt window.

In the command prompt window, type

convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

 

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the ntfs format."

 

Converting does not disturb your files and apps but you should back up your drive just in case.

 

 

"Geoff" <g_alcock@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:810BEC3F-1EA2-4C6C-B48C-BE569539A868@microsoft.com...

>I must be missing something somewhere. I want to backup at least 40 gig and

> apparently I can't because of a limitation imposed by FAT 32.

>

> I am not overly techy, but it is hard to imagine, considering the size of

> most hard drives these days, that there is not some other way of backing up

> large amounts of data.

>

> Thanks for any help.

[Guest Uncle Grumpy]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

Geoff <g_alcock@hotmail.com> wrote:

>I must be missing something somewhere. I want to backup at least 40 gig and

>apparently I can't because of a limitation imposed by FAT 32.

 

You aren't missing a thing: its a limitation imposed by FAT32.

 

Change to

[Guest Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 03:39:01 -0800, Geoff <g_alcock@hotmail.com>

wrote:

> I must be missing something somewhere. I want to backup at least 40 gig and

> apparently I can't because of a limitation imposed by FAT 32.

>

> I am not overly techy, but it is hard to imagine, considering the size of

> most hard drives these days, that there is not some other way of backing up

> large amounts of data.

 

 

No, this has nothing to doing with backup up in particular. There is

simply a 4GB limitation on the size of a FAT32 file. Especially

"considering the size of most hard drives these days," you should be

using NTFS, rather than FAT32.

 

The only good reason for using FAT32 is if you are dual-booting to

another operating system that is not NTFS-aware.

 

I recommend converting 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.

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[Guest Shenan Stanley]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

Geoff wrote:

> I must be missing something somewhere. I want to backup at least

> 40 gig and apparently I can't because of a limitation imposed by

> FAT 32.

>

> I am not overly techy, but it is hard to imagine, considering the

> size of most hard drives these days, that there is not some other

> way of backing up large amounts of data.

 

You are trying to write a file to a FAT32 file system that is larger than

4GB. The FAT32 File System is antiquated and does not support files larger

than 4GB in size. If you wish to have files larger thasn 4GB in size, you

need to utilize a file system that support it. Simple as that.

 

Think of it this way... You wouldn't download/purchase a "For MAC OS X

ONLY" application and expect it to run on your Windows XP only PC, would

you? You wouldn't buy tractor tires for a Nissan Sentra and expect them to

fit without modification (large modifications - hah) to the Nissan, would

you?

 

Then why would you expect a File System (FAT32) with antiquated

specifications (such as not allowing for files larger than 4GB) to allow you

to save files larger than 4GB?

 

--

Shenan Stanley

MS-MVP

--

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Guest jason.mangiafico@verizon.net]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

>quoting:

>

> I recommend converting to NTFS. To convert to NTFS, you use the

> CONVERT command. But first readhttp://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm

> because there's an issue regardingcluster sizethat 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.

>

 

Convert command ends up with 512 byte clusters, which tends to make

the file system overhead rather huge and can slow performance. I'd

recommend using a third party utility insead. The OP can break up the

backup by doing a little at at time keeping each file under 4gb.

[Guest Uncle Grumpy]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

"jason.mangiafico@verizon.net" <jason.mangiafico@verizon.net> wrote:

>The OP can break up the backup by doing a little at at time keeping

>each file under 4gb.

 

??

 

A good backup program will automatically "break up" the image into 4G

segments.

[Guest jason.mangiafico@verizon.net]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

quoting:

> >The OP can break up the backup by doing a little at at time keeping

> >each file under 4gb.

>

> ??

>

> A good backup program will automatically "break up" the image into 4G

> segments.

 

 

I was following along the thread and so I meant the built-in backup

utility. The built-in backup utility in win2k and xp seems to be

optimized for ntfs so it doesn't automatically break up the image.

You must select under 4gb of directories at a time, or it will fail.

But yes, anybody can use any good third party backup program and all

will be well.

 

Also a real time saver if you happen to have a spare drive and a usb

enclosure, and don't want to mess with your drive or download

anything; format that ntfs and use the built-in backup utility. Which

you should be using an external drive anyway since backing up to the

same drive doesn't make much sense.

[Guest Ken Blake, MVP]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:38:30 -0800 (PST),

"jason.mangiafico@verizon.net" <jason.mangiafico@verizon.net> wrote:

> >quoting:

> >

> > I recommend converting to NTFS. To convert to NTFS, you use the

> > CONVERT command. But first readhttp://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm

> > because there's an issue regardingcluster sizethat 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.

> >

>

> Convert command ends up with 512 byte clusters,

 

 

Often, but not always. Read the link I posted above.

 

> which tends to make

> the file system overhead rather huge and can slow performance. I'd

> recommend using a third party utility insead.

 

 

The convert tool is fine. Again, read the link I posted for info on

how to get around the 512-byte cluster issue.

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[Guest jason.mangiafico@verizon.net]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

quoting:

>

> No, this has nothing to doing with backup up in particular. There is

> simply a 4GB limitation on the size of a FAT32 file. Especially

> "considering the size of most hard drives these days," you should be

> using NTFS, rather than FAT32.

 

"considering the size of most hard drives these days," Is not an issue

as of yet. Having say a 500gb drive with 4kb clusters is within the

limitations of fat32. Though you wouldn't typically need a 500gb

system partition, so I would partition it so that I have a second

partition with bigger cluser size for the storage of big files.

 

> The only good reason for using FAT32 is if you are dual-booting to

> another operating system that is not NTFS-aware.

 

That is what I do. Also I like the simplicity of fat32, and I don't

need the extra features of ntfs.

> I recommend converting to NTFS. To convert to NTFS, you use the

> CONVERT command. But first readhttp://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.

 

 

Convert to ntfs then back up, or back up first, but you can't back up

first so probably at this point it would then be best to find a way to

back up to an external drive or something and just leave the drive

alone asis.

[Guest Holz]

Re: Not able to backup more than 4 gig using XP Pro backup utility

 

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:34:15 -0800 (PST)

"jason.mangiafico@verizon.net" <jason.mangiafico@verizon.net> wrote:

> > The only good reason for using FAT32 is if you are dual-booting to

> > another operating system that is not NTFS-aware.

 

Not so true. Linux can read and write to NTFS partition, although not

so recommended.

 

--

Live & let live, or leave.

:-)