following Jaspers post about backing up files on an external hard drive...

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=46058

...it prompted me to buy an external HDD to backup my laptop hard drive (something I've been meaning to do for ages). However when using the Win XP backup utility with the new drive it throws up an error message where the backup file size exceeds 4GB as the HDD is formatted in FAT32 format?

What is FAT32 format and what do I need to do to get around this and make a complete backup file?

Any help much appreciated!

Cheers
Nick

What you need to do is reformat the drive as NTFS.

right click on my computer and choose 'Manage'

Go to 'Disk manager'

Right click on your external drive and choose Format, then make sure you choose NTFS. Shouldn't matter whether you choose extended or primary partition.

Scott.

Format the drive using NTFS. Should be able to do that by right clicking the icon in windows, then format, selecting NTFS as the file system.

HTH
Jon

[Edit]Too slow!

[Edited on 6/6/06 by joneh]

You were, but your way is quicker.

BTW you will lose any data you have on the drive when you format it.

[Edit] You can convert rather than Format, but if there's no Data a format will be a lot quicker.

MS KB Article

[Edited on 6/6/06 by scottc]

[Edited on 6/6/06 by scottc]

Yup ditto to all above Nick.........
What a pain! I was talking to James about it this morning, and he suggested a few things, I haven't decided quite how to do it though. I am not that much of a tecchie to be that confident of NOT messing it up entirely!
Fozzie

Ooooo not quick enough at all! In my case its my laptop that is FAT32 then what?

[Edited on 6/6/06 by Fozzie]

quote:

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Originally posted by tks

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What operating system is your laptop Fozzie?

Hi Scott, its XP Pro.

Fozzie

you can convert your Fat32 drives to ntfs with XP Pro , or depending what partitions you have you could leave the system one fat32 if you like, or you could use partition magic and make new partitions whilst keeping all your original files and setup.

You cannot convert back to Fat32 though without reformatting the drive..........


I've been using something called SyncBack to back or Synchronise drives......I must have got it FREE 'cos I wouldn't pay!!!

[Edited on 6/6/06 by Surrey Dave]

If your original drive is FAT32 then it needs to be converted, following scottc's link.

If your NEW drive is FAT32 then it needs formatting, an easy job in itself.

Cheers for your help guys....
I hope that Nicks original question was answered too!

ATB Fozzie