Solved Format NTFS 500 Gb drive to FAT?

[oldyeller38]

I just recently reformatted my computer with Windows 7 x64 Home Premium, then did the upgrade to Pro. Still got some programs yet to add, so my question is: I have an external 500 Gb Hdd formatted NTFS that shows 465.66 Gbs free space & I need 479.72 for a disk image wth Macrium. Can I format that drive as FAT & grain the needed space for the image or would it work if I could even do that?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I just recently reformatted my computer with Windows 7 x64 Home Premium, then did the upgrade to Pro. Still got some programs yet to add, so my question is: I have an external 500 Gb Hdd formatted NTFS that shows 465.66 Gbs free space & I need 479.72 for a disk image wth Macrium. Can I format that drive as FAT & grain the needed space for the image or would it work if I could even do that?

It's very very unlikely you need 479 GB for the Macrium image.

To calculate the approximate space required:

Decide which partitions are to be part of the disk image, presumably C and System Reserved.

Add up the occupied space on those partitions. How much is that?

The Macrium image would normally be 40 or 50 percent of that occupied space.

So--unless your occupied space is circa 1 TB, you wouldn't need 479.72 GB for the Macrium image. You can't calculate it exactly in advance regardless.

 

[pbcopter]

Also FAT32 has a maximum file size limitation of 4GB.

 

[Berton]

If you try it in Windows Disk Management you may not have a choice of FAT32. I just did a 250GB and found that to be true on Win7 so I booted to a GPARTED Live CD and did it there, no problem. I can't say if it will work with a 500GB.

 

[oldyeller38]

I thank all of you for your replies. I just ordered a 2 Tb Hdd and will do a disk image to it, then install as my C drive. I have a 1Tb drive now and C partition is showing red while E is only showing 115 Gb's left.

 

[Berton]

You're welcome.

 

[jumanji]

Since I had already composed my post - I am always slow. - here it goes anyway.

As ignatzatsonic said check Macrium Reflect and the maximum compression it would employ.(Usually imaging software allows you to set the compression level) From the compression level chosen you should be able to calculate the approximate image file size for the data size you want to image.

From your specs I see you have 2 1TB drives too. So what is the problem?

Coming to file size limitation that Pbcopter brought out, yes it is 4GB for FAT32. But again most imaging software will allow you to divide the image into 4GB chunks and so it shouldn't be a problem.

Check on the above facts.(I do not use macrium reflect)

If you are hellbent on storing the image into your 500GB drive then format it as FAT32 using FAT32Format Ridgecrop Consultants Ltd (Click on the picture to download the GUI Version) and see for yourself how much free space you get. Seeing is believing.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I thank all of you for your replies. I just ordered a 2 Tb Hdd and will do a disk image to it, then install as my C drive. I have a 1Tb drive now and C partition is showing red while E is only showing 115 Gb's left.

Do you keep your personal data on C?

If you do, it's entirely possible that Windows is taking up maybe 100 GB, with your personal data taking up the rest of the occupied space.

If Windows and programs occupy 100 GB, then you'd need only maybe 45 GB for a Macrium image.

It's easy enough to keep Windows and applications on C and personal data on another partition entirely and not have that data partition be part of the Macrium image.

 

[jumanji]

That was a good suggestion by ignat. It is best done while installing Windows.Keeping the Windows OS exclusively in one partition and your data in other partitions will reduce the image size and result in faster imaging.

Next your other data should be copied and backed up one to one by other simple copy programs.I use Syncback for that. SyncBack Free Backup Software - freeware version

Screenshot showing my drive:

 

[AddRAM]

A 465 GB is a 465 GB hard drive, you can`t make it any bigger.

You need to post the shot of disk management so we can see the drive layout.

all you should be concerned about is the C partition and the System Reserved partition (if you have one)

 

[oldyeller38]

C, D & E is the 1 Tb primary Hdd; G is an external drive.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What's on E?

What's on C other than Windows and apps?

A Macrium image of C and System Reserved should be roughly 230 to 250 GB.

A Macrium image of C, E, and System Reserved should be roughly 350 GB.

On the other hand, a Macrium image of Windows, applications, and System Reserved might take up as little as 30 or 40 GB. We don't know because we don't know how much of C is NOT Windows and apps.

Why do you need to include E in the image?

I think Paragon imaging (maybe Aomei also?) will allow you to EXCLUDE certain folders from your image. Sound like it might be useful to you if you can't or won't put personal data on its own partition.

 

[AddRAM]

That is not a shot of Disk Management, and why does the System Reserved partition have a drive letter ?

It should not have one.

You really need to reduce the size of C, get that stuff off there, store it on E and your empty G drive.

There is wayyyyyyyy to much on C.

You should consider re installing windows on a new ssd

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