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    Question about FAT32 limitations

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by hybridzzz, Jul 7, 2007.

  1. hybridzzz

    hybridzzz Notebook Consultant

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    What exactly are the limitations of a FAT32 disk drive? I don't really understand what the 4 gb limit on file creation means in daily use. Does this mean you can't download items over 4 gb?
     
    hybridzzz, Jul 7, 2007
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  2. 123456

    123456 Notebook Consultant

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    FAT32 is faster than NTFS. It is often used for flash drives. No single file can be larger than 4gb. If you're using it for Windows, you should format using NTFS.
     
    123456, Jul 7, 2007
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  3. SideSwipe

    SideSwipe Notebook Virtuoso

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    basically the files in a FAT32 drive cannot exceed 4GB each. so say a DVD is 4.3GB or your average movie is over 8GB, you cannot move those files onto a FAT32 drive or partition, it will give you an error.

    you could try downloading something over 4GB and see what happens, you may get an error, the file may not download at all or once it reaches 4GB it will stop and may or may not give u a reason for it.
     
    SideSwipe, Jul 7, 2007
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  4. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    FAT32 has both tight limits for file size and volume size. If you try to copy a file of >4GB into a FAT32 drive, the file will stop copying and end up corrupt after 4GB has been transferred.
    You also cannot create a volume of >2TB.
     
    Budding, Jul 7, 2007
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