Big Files on a FAT32 System?
 

is there any way to copy files that are bigger than 5gig over to a FAT32 system or only works on NTFS?

max limit on fat32 is about 4 gig....
so copying 1 file, the size of 5 gig to a fat32 system is impossible....

you can easily convert the drive to ntfs without losing data though....

any known programs that can convert without losing data?

erm, if i remember right windows actually has a program to do it for you...

or..

(run from command prompt)

D:\WINDOWS\system32>help convert
Converts FAT volumes to NTFS.

CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename] [/NoSecurity] [/X]

volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
mount point, or volume name.
/FS:NTFS Specifies that the volume is to be converted to NTFS.
/V Specifies that Convert should be run in verbose mode.
/CvtArea:filename
Specifies a contiguous file in the root directory to be
the place holder for NTFS system files.
/NoSecurity Specifies the converted files and directories security
settings to be accessible by everyone.
/X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary.
All opened handles to the volume would then be invalid.

so for example

convert D: /FS:NTFS /X


think theres a gui option to do it as well, i can't remember it though..
maybe someone else does

Backup your data on the drive you're converting first, just in case windows playfully trashes your system ;)

If the drive is a data drive (and the data backed up or moved) you can just format it within WinXP as NTFS, right click on the drive and choose FORMAT, I think it's NTFS by default!

Also from the Windows Help File:

Doesn't say if the data will be detroyed or not though so better back it up beforehand, which you shouild do anyway regardless!

nah i've used it to convert fat32->ntfs before.. no data loss.. provided you dont suffer from a power outage etc

And do make sure if your gonna convert a drive to NTFS your using Windows 2000 or XP.

98 or Me will not read the drives.

The convert command keeps the data on the partition intact (it worked that way since Windows NT 3.51).
There is one thing you should be aware of:
As soon as you have NTFS on your disk, you have the tighter access control activated. If the computer is used by multiple users, this may lead to unexpected behaviour when you are exchanging files.
Also installing programs under C:\Windows\Program Files\ is typically ony possible as administrator.

In General, I would not recommend the conversion of the windows partition on a system that is already in use for a noticable amount of time. Best do it directly after installation - or even better use NTFS during installation

Sysinternals has NTFS for Windows 98. If it's as stable as FAT32 for Windows NT 4.0, which I've been using for years, then it's a damn sure nice software... :)

I Have Win98 on another partition and deliberately ignored any form of NTFS access under it. Win98 is a temperamental bastard and if it decides to throw a shoe while doing any read/write operation on an NTFS partition, who knows what it will do to that partition!

Win98 wasn't designed to use NTFS so my intsall ain't going to!

make another partition then and nfts that

generally as a rule of thumb i make at least 1 os on my system boot from a fat32 drive..

thanx for the tips guys,
greatly apreciated :)
cheers