FAT32 and NTFS

I know there's probably not a way, but thought I'd ask.

With USB External HD's, if you use FAT32, there's the 4GB Maximum file thing. Has anyone found a way around this ...besides just formatting to NTFS?

Is there any settings or tweaks one can do ...to allow you to move a file bigger than 4GB to FAT32??

 

No, it is the maximum file-size FAT32 is designed to handle. Even if there was some modification I wouldn't consider using it, everything that is made to work with FAT32 knows about the 4GB limit.

 

Many of the USB hard drives are pre-formatted as FAT32 for compatabity with Windows 98, etc.

You're really better off if at some point you reformat the drive to NTFS, which has better integrity and overall much better protection for disk pointer/table of contents errors, etc. Plus you don't have the 4gb limitation.

http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_vs_fat.htm

 

If you intend to change to NTFS you do not need to format, just use the convert command

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307881

 

I suggest reading this before using the above link. You need to avoid 512 byte clusters.

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.php

 

It's better to do a format than a convert, tho mickey soft claims to have eliminated some of th eissues in Win 2000 and later.

be safe, reformat the drive.

 

Thanks for the replies.
I don't like the sound of "Converting".
I'll just Reformat the "Normal" way.

 

The theory is good. I did a Convert then found out about the dreaded 512 byte clusters. Corrected the problem and the "real-world" difference was not noticeable.

 

How did you "correct the problem"

Once you had the 512byte limitation?

 

Partition Magic. But like I said it didn't make any noticeable difference in day-to-day use of the PC.

In reading some past threads I have the impression that TI restores a NTFS image with 4k clusters. IF that is the case, then maybe that would do the trick. There is a fairly current thread (although about FAT32) that may provide some insight when somebody who knows the details answers it.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=138437

 

The 512 vs 4096 cluster size first became an issue with Windows 2000, which used the 512 bytes. Also the convert (as mentinoed earlier) command, converted FAT32 to 512 byte clusters.

My experience was that changing it to 4096 made a BIG difference and improvement in terms of i/o load. Instead of the hard drive clattering all the time, it was notably quieter and faster after changing to 4096.

 

Yes.
Cluster size makes a big difference.

One can, sort of, fake an experiment that shows some related differences.

Use the following program with a file of, say, 10000 bytes.
If cluster size is 4096, choose buffer sizes of 1, 511, 512, 513, 4095, 4096 and 4097.

http://www.standards.com/index.html?ReadFile

 

Nice thread group.........very informative..........thanks

 

If you plan on converting from FAT32 to NTFS be sure and check out http://lila.godel.com/html/ntfsinfo.htm.