Windows 7: Simple NTFS vs FAT External Drive Question

Hi guys, I'm trying to copy some files to my external drive as a backup, but it won't let me copy files bigger than 4gigs. My external drive is 1TB.

How can I make it an NTFS drive WITHOUT loosing the data stored on it?? Or can I make a partition of it NTFS and then move the data there, and THEN delete the FAT32 part and allocate that space to the NTFS drive?

In short, can I change a FAT drive to NTFS without loosing data using Windows 7 tools? I don't even want to try until I hear something, I'm afraid I'll destroy my data. Thanks guys,



Mud

You will need to format your External HD to NTFS, to copy files over 4.3g,
Hope this of help.

As far as I know using Windows 7 tools there isn't a way to.. split I guess is the word I'll use.. a drive that is already formatted. Unfortunately I think you are stuck either trying to split the file into a couple different ones or just leaving it on your main HD.

Call me stupid. All I did was search this forum and come up with this:

Convert FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS

Should have done that before posting the question, I guess! Didn't have to split the drive into two partitions at all. I just did the conversion and I'm moving my files over....... feels like bein' on the highway with that to rolled down........

Thanks guys, life is good again.....

Mud

There's a command-line app called convert that should be able to do it on the fly, but the first advice anyone would give you is to back up the data first from the drive. Given that, it makes no sense to attempt it, because if you could back the data up, you could also empty the drive, delete the partition, and recreate it.

If it was me, I wouldn't attempt to convert it at all with important data on it. I'd be copying the data off first.

there is alot help in the tutorial part of the forums.

Well done on your search.

Learn somethin new everyday