- NTFS file system on ext. USB drive?
- Posted by Don on November 6th, 2005
The title says it. I don't have my new drive yet, but would like to format
a new external USB 250GB hard disk with the NTFS system. I want to get
around the 4GB file size limitation of FAT32. I have been told that I won't
be able to do it. If I can, I would appreciate knowing how. Thanks.
Don
- Posted by Dr Teeth on November 6th, 2005
On Sun, 6 Nov 2005 07:56:11 -0500, "Don" <maccluskie@adelphia.net>
wrote:
>The title says it. I don't have my new drive yet, but would like to format
>a new external USB 250GB hard disk with the NTFS system. I want to get
>around the 4GB file size limitation of FAT32. I have been told that I won't
>be able to do it. If I can, I would appreciate knowing how. Thanks.
I have just got an external USB 2 drive, 300 GB, and it is formatted
NTFS.
--
Cheers,
Guy
** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.
- Posted by Don on November 6th, 2005
Thanks, Guy. I am now breathing easier.
Don
"Dr Teeth" <no.email.here.please@tardis.com> wrote in message
news:252sm1p5pi25pk5qfo7fs3d1c7is24djlb@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 6 Nov 2005 07:56:11 -0500, "Don" <maccluskie@adelphia.net>
> wrote:
>
>>The title says it. I don't have my new drive yet, but would like to
>>format
>>a new external USB 250GB hard disk with the NTFS system. I want to get
>>around the 4GB file size limitation of FAT32. I have been told that I
>>won't
>>be able to do it. If I can, I would appreciate knowing how. Thanks.
>
> I have just got an external USB 2 drive, 300 GB, and it is formatted
> NTFS.
>
> --
> Cheers,
>
> Guy
>
> ** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
> ** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
> ** out of someone who richly deserves it.
- Posted by Shenan Stanley on November 6th, 2005
Don wrote:
> The title says it. I don't have my new drive yet, but would like to
> format a new external USB 250GB hard disk with the NTFS system. I
> want to get around the 4GB file size limitation of FAT32. I have
> been told that I won't be able to do it. If I can, I would
> appreciate knowing how. Thanks.
You can.
And FAT32 has no limit on space that low. You can format it fine with FAT32
and if that drive might be used somewhere other than YOUR PC - I recommend
you do.
(It is a limitation of Windows XP that prevents you ffor formatting a
partition FAT32 larger than 32GB.. Third party tools do not have this
limitation.)
Format larger than 32GB FAT32 within Windows XP with this utility:
http://www.mager.org/mkdosfs/
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
- Posted by Dr Teeth on November 7th, 2005
>You can.
>And FAT32 has no limit on space that low. You can format it fine with FAT32
>and if that drive might be used somewhere other than YOUR PC - I recommend
>you do.
Surely only if the other PCs are Win 98/Me?
The drive's performance would also be much better with NTFS.
--
Cheers,
Guy
** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.
- Posted by Shenan Stanley on November 7th, 2005
Dr Teeth wrote:
>> You can.
>> And FAT32 has no limit on space that low. You can format it fine
>> with FAT32 and if that drive might be used somewhere other than YOUR
>> PC - I recommend you do.
>
> Surely only if the other PCs are Win 98/Me?
> The drive's performance would also be much better with NTFS.
Does MAC OS X read NTFS now?
Linux does - but I would still trust FAT32 compatibility over NTFS..
Performance is not usually something one would consider if using a USB
device. Fast transfers - sure - but file system overhead just isn't really
a factor when using a portable device - compatibility is higher on my list.
=)
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
- Posted by Don on November 8th, 2005
"Don" <maccluskie@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:rMydnaAK3olrYPDeRVn-uw@adelphia.com...
> The title says it. I don't have my new drive yet, but would like to
> format a new external USB 250GB hard disk with the NTFS system. I want to
> get around the 4GB file size limitation of FAT32. I have been told that I
> won't be able to do it. If I can, I would appreciate knowing how.
> Thanks.
>
> Don
I have now used my new drive for a day and written enough times to it to be
confident it is formatted properly. I used the XP Disk Management Utility.
I figured I would try the simple stuff first and, fortunately, it worked.
Thanks, everyone, for all the help.
