Help! I'm Missing Storage Space!

[J. J. Jameson]

I have an external hard drive that has a total of 100GB of storage. I have 50GB free space. However, when I go to copy a 4GB file, it says that the disk drive is full! Could someone please offer a solution?

 

[Kipobe]

Can you copy anything? Even a small file of say, 5 megs?

Have you changed any of your set up since the last time you went to store your data?

What's the USB connection? 2.0?

Did you try disconnecting and reconnecting and restarting?

 

[J. J. Jameson]

I can copy files maybe up to a gig

Nothing has been changed.

It's USB 2.0

Tried disconnecting and restarting and reconnecting

 

[Man-Thing]

It sounds like your flux capacitator has de-evolved to the point where the nominal has became an enomoliy.

 

[J. J. Jameson]

It sounds like your flux capacitator has de-evolved to the point where the nominal has became an enomoliy.

ummmm....

 

[black_dust]

Whats the model/make of the ex-Hd?

 

[J. J. Jameson]

Maxtor Personal Storage 3100

 

[Malice]

Here is a question.
What is the 100GB drive formatted with?
FAT32? NTFS?

FAT has a limit if a 4GB file...so you might be larger than that..

 

[J. J. Jameson]

Here is a question.
What is the 100GB drive formatted with?
FAT32? NTFS?

FAT has a limit if a 4GB file...so you might be larger than that..

It's FAT32. My computer says that 54.4 GB are free, but I can't stick the 4.35 GB File on the hard drive. it says its full.

 

[Malice]

Try a TEST
Copy something to it that is LESS than 4gb.
See if that works

If it does, and the 4.35gb file doesnt, its because its formatted via FAT32

 

[J. J. Jameson]

Try a TEST
Copy something to it that is LESS than 4gb.
See if that works

If it does, and the 4.35gb file doesnt, its because its formatted via FAT32

See, I know that shouldn't be a problem I've copied folders that have 10+ gigs and had no trouble at all. Of course, those were folders with small files in them. So it can't copy a single file thats larger than 4gb. I see. so i should format it to be NTFS?

 

[Malice]

See, I know that shouldn't be a problem I've copied folders[\B] that have 10+ gigs and had no trouble at all. Of course, those were folders with small files in them. So it can't copy a single file thats larger than 4gb. I see. so i should format it to be NTFS?

YES!
If you have the option of formatting to NTFS do it.
This will resolve the issue of the 4GB single file issue you are seeing first of all.

Also, NTFS uses tighter sectors if I remember correctly, thus not wasting more space on the drive. Its a win win situation.

 

[J. J. Jameson]

YES!
If you have the option of formatting to NTFS do it.
This will resolve the issue of the 4GB single file issue you are seeing first of all.

Also, NTFS uses tighter sectors if I remember correctly, thus not wasting more space on the drive. Its a win win situation.

It makes sense now. Thanks. So I could use something like "PartitionMagic" to do that. I'll give that a try.

 

[Malice]

Actually...you should be able to just use the Drive Manger builting into XP or 2000 and do that I believe.

 

[J. J. Jameson]

Well, I already do have PartitionMagic on my comp. But yeah, the drive manager would work. Thank goodness I have enough space between my desktop PC and my laptop to back everything up.

 

[J. J. Jameson]

Seems to be working great now. Thanks for your help, Malice.

 

[Malice]

No problem...
I have a 250GB drive and had to decide on how to format it.
NTFS is the only way to go when it comes to windows...

 

[jaguarr]

If you ever want to see your free space again, leave $10,000 in small, unmarked bills in a grey duffle bag in locker #756 at the bus station.

(Either that, or Malice is right).

jag

 

[Kipobe]

He'd be paying 10 grand for 50gigs of hd space? Hm.

 

[jaguarr]

He'd be paying 10 grand for 50gigs of hd space? Hm.

Well, in reality he'd be paying for the data he had stored on the other 50GB of the hard drive, but that didn't sound as dramatic at the time.

jag

 

[Kipobe]

It's just porn he downloaded off some peer network service. We all know it.

What we don't know is what kind of porn? Does he have a thing for horses? Hmmmmm...

 

[jaguarr]

It's just porn he downloaded off some peer network service. We all know it.

What we don't know is what kind of porn? Does he have a thing for horses? Hmmmmm...

Actually, it was german shepards. *dry heaves*

jag