Korean Job Discussion Forums

[snufalufagus]

The 120 GB refers to a supposed limit for the size of paritions. Thus, it's not entirely accurate.

Windows XP and Windows 2000 cannot CREATE a new parition for FAT32 larger than 32GB. But it can use an access a FAT32 parition larger than 32GB if it's created via Windows 98 or other methods that allow it's creation (Partition Magic, Windows 98 Boot/ERD Disk, etc).

A general article can be read with additional reference material below
--------------------
--------------------
In the April 17 Windows Client UPDATE, I wrote about the 4GB file-size limit in FAT32. In response, I've received dozens of email messages telling me that FAT32 isn't limited to 4GB but rather that the 4GB limit is a FAT16 artifact. I also received messages questioning my assertion that NTFS is appropriate for small office/home office (SOHO) and small business users, but my point didn't center on NTFS's general appropriateness. I stand by my conclusion that if you're doing video editing on Windows, you need to use NTFS.


I've run into the 4GB wall when creating files on FAT32 partitions. Because I realized that the problem might have been caused by the video-creation software I was using, I tried again with different software to create an AVI file larger than 4GB. No dice: As soon as the file size reached 4GB, the application failed.


With that 4GB figure stuck in my head, I went to my accustomed research tools and found plenty of references to the FAT32 4GB limit. To back up that number, I searched the Microsoft Web site and found numerous articles confirming that the file-size limit on FAT32 is (2^32)-1 bytes, or one byte less than a full 4GB.


The confusion about FAT file size seems to stem from the fact that FAT16 has a 4GB limit on partition size, whereas FAT32 has a 2TB limit on partition size. A large number of my respondents appear to have confused "partition" with "file." To add a little additional confusion, many respondents commented that they're running large drives as one partition on FAT32. In these days of inexpensive 120GB+ hard disks, I guess my definition of "large" differs from that of these readers.


Windows XP and Windows 2000 limit partition creation to no larger than 32GB on FAT32. This limitation is by design: Microsoft wants you to use NTFS for large drives. If you use Windows Me or Windows 98 to format a drive, XP and Win2K can use a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB; however, these OSs can't create the partition. Also, keep in mind that when you use ATA/IDE hard disks larger than 127GB, you might need to update your computer's or hard disk controller's BIOS to properly support those larger drives.


For more information about file-size limits, check out the following Microsoft articles:


"Limitations of FAT32 File System"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;184006


"Windows NT File Size and Partition Size Limits"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;93496


"Description of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310525


"Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314463

[Thunndarr]

Well, I did it. Surprisingly simple and easy. Wish I'd done it sooner, oh well.

[wylde]

i was spose to do it a while ago...

is there any problems doing this on a drive that is full, fat32 to ntfs?

what % of free space is required?

i still believe... if its not broke, don't fix it... but 1 of these days i'll need it so its best taken care of before that time

[snufalufagus]

Glad to hear it went fine, as it usually does actually

As for free space required to convert ... the program itself actually does a calculation on the fly to determine how much free space it needs and if it exists. The process can continue despite not having the space and then can fail ... however, due to the nature of the conversion and how it works, the failure MAY NOT necessarily cause data corruption.

Read an article here to see and then determine on your own.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3BQ314875

However, yes, it's good to have some free space -- a few hundred MB is sufficient

[wylde]

thanks snuf.. i won't bother reading.. i trust you..

i'll just shift a few things around when i do the job, that should be ok...






1 last thing...


what about the os drive? will that convert and run the conversion at the same time?

or it doesn't matter cuz it's done from a dos boot up disk?

[snufalufagus]

Actually what you do is open a command "DOS" prompt, run the command and then it does what it needs, then it automatically reboots the machine ... the conversion is done after the reboot during the start up process (much like when the system is interrupted to do a chkdsk) .. it completes, then reboots, checks the system for errors, then starts up normally

[Giant]

[wylde]

i have 7 partitions.. it might take a while... 1 last, last thing... how long does it take to convert say 50 gb?

[Demophobe]

Go to "Command Prompt" ...Type: CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS
Press ENTER..finished.

There is no DOS code in WINXP.

[wylde]

2000 here

[snufalufagus]

The drive conversion time will vary depending on the amount on the disk, free space, and other factors, But 50 GB will, as a guess, take less than 30-40 minutes or so, but don't quote me on that

[wylde]

thanks guys

[Demophobe]

[snufalufagus]

That's why I wrote .... command "DOS" prompt

Command prompt being a window prompting for typed commands

and "DOS" for implying what resembles the DOS most people know

And the normal, common terminology to this day, despite its inaccuracy is a "DOS prompt" or "Command prompt"

Either way it's there because it's a long standing way of being done and most people still understand the lingo, despite it's underlying programming