Hi,

My first time asking a question. I bought an external 320G HD. When trying to back up my laptop, it says it's full at only 4G. The message I get says if the system is FAT32, the external will only hold 4G. Aren't most systems FAT32? Am I doing something wrong, or is this false advertising? Is there a way around this problem?

Thanks!
Jerry

Aren't most systems FAT32?

Most systems that are Windows NT or later are formatted using NTFS. However, removable drives often come formatted using FAT32 because the file system is supported by many operating systems and consequently the drive can be used out-of-the-box on a wide range of platforms with no additional preparation needed.


Am I doing something wrong, or is this false advertising?

Yes, you are using a file system with an inherent maximum individual file size limitation of just under 4 GB. Reformat the drive using NTFS or whatever file system is appropriate for your operating system.

Additional Info:
Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463/EN-US/)
Wikipedia: File Allocation Table (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table)

Thanks!