New external hard drive

[wdwgrandma]

Ok. I got a lovely new 1 terabyte external hard drive from Santa Hubby. :smoochboy: That should be enough space to last me for a while, I'd think.

Anyway, in reading the documentation yesterday I discovered that it has been preformatted as FAT32 which has a maximum individual file size of 4 GB and partition size of 32 GB. When attempting to back up my laptop yesterday I quickly reached that file limitation.

The documentation says I can reformat the drive as NTFS to overcome the file and partition limitations. This is probably a silly question, but should I go ahead and reformat the drive? Oh, I'm running XP, by the way, which is why the new drive was preformatted as FAT32...

Also, when I tried to bring up my laptop this morning WITH the drive attached, my laptop never came up. However, when I removed it and powered my system back on, it came right up. Any ideas?

[Keith]

Hiya,

I actually prefer FAT32 for external drives because pretty much everything can read/write them, xp/vista even linux and so on. NTFS is becoming more widespreadly supported but not quite as much so as fat32.

In terms of the limitations, actually you can have a FAT32 partition greater than 32GB, my 1TB external drive is FAT32 and all 1TB is accessible, it's just that the XP format utility in the setup procedure won't do it.

(so I'm kinda surprised if they really only formatted it to 32GB from the outset :/ I dont see any reason for that)

Anyway, to be honest there's nothing to be lost by formatting it to NTFS if you like and especially if you'll only be accessing it from windows.

In terms of not booting up, it sounds like perhaps the laptop has assigned bootable c: to the external drive rather than the internal drive of the laptop :/ which again is REALLY weird.

None of it is insurmoutable :) I'd give it a go formatting it as NTFS first and go from there.. just be careful to format the right one :/ I know you know what you're doing but sometimes the letters can get swapped around and it's easy to end up blanking the wrong drive

[wdwgrandma]

Thanks, Keith. You are pretty much just confirming what we already know. But it was a bit scary to even consider doing something to a new gift! I'll need to copy the stuff that was already on the new drive before I reformat it (utilities, documentation, etc...). I always get a bit nervous when doing something so drastic.

[Keith]

Thanks, Keith. You are pretty much just confirming what we already know. But it was a bit scary to even consider doing something to a new gift! I'll need to copy the stuff that was already on the new drive before I reformat it (utilities, documentation, etc...). I always get a bit nervous when doing something so drastic.

totally know what you mean :hug2:

I'm really surprised it's been formatted as 32GB to be honest :/ I mean, staggeringly surprised.

Anyway, I think you're definitely on the right path. Give me a shout if looks like it's not working out or something goes weird

[wdwgrandma]

It said it was formatted that way for "compatibility with all updated Windows and Macintosh operating systems..." Their words, not mine. LOL So I'm sitting here trying to work up the nerve to attempt this feat!!!

[Keith]

It said it was formatted that way for "compatibility with all updated Windows and Macintosh operating systems..."


I'm sitting here scratching my head and getting nothing but splinters

Anyway yeah, sounds like it's a good idea to wash it all away


Their words, not mine. LOL So I'm sitting here trying to work up the nerve to attempt this feat!!!

I totally know what you mean :yes:

Thing is, it's not useful with 32GB so something has to be done

[wdwgrandma]

LOL So a quick look at the C: drive on my laptop shows me that it is also NTFS!!!

[malcolm]

Someone better not tell Crayola DeVille about these as all the pictures she takes when she meets me and knocks me black and blue for talking the "wee-wee's" out of her on the forum..

Keith...thinking of getting one for me laptop for itunes/films etc...recomendations of one ?

[Keith]

LOL So a quick look at the C: drive on my laptop shows me that it is also NTFS!!!

yep :) that's just fine!

NTFS has been around as the default filesystem for ages now so no problem there :yes:

[Keith]

Keith...thinking of getting one for me laptop for itunes/films etc...recomendations of one ?

Well most of the big name brands are just fine. We've kinda settled on the Western digital range

[wdwgrandma]

Hey Keith, on the Partition Format screen in the wizard there are two boxes: "Perform a Quick Format" and "Enable File and Folder Compression". Should I choose either of these?

[Keith]

Hey Keith, on the Partition Format screen in the wizard there are two boxes: "Perform a Quick Format" and "Enable File and Folder Compression". Should I choose either of these?

Wellllllll

quick format will save you time for no real disadvantage given its a new drive so I'd go for that one

I dont tend to do file/folder compression since it makes every access a little slower but can save space if you think you'll be pushed (which on a 1TB unit I doubt you will be ;-)

[wdwgrandma]

Ooooooooookkkkkkkkkkk............ It's formatting... Somebody hold my hand here!

[Keith]

Ooooooooookkkkkkkkkkk............ It's formatting... Somebody hold my hand here!

We're with you all the way :hug2:

[wdwgrandma]

It seems to be finished. Could it have really finished that quickly?????

[Keith]

It seems to be finished. Could it have really finished that quickly?????

yep :) hence the quick format.... if you hadnt have clicked that, it could have taken an hour

[wdwgrandma]

Ok... Now I'm supposed to go to the support website and download the software. Off to see what to download!

[Keith]

Ok... Now I'm supposed to go to the support website and download the software. Off to see what to download!

I think the most important thing to do next is make sure that your laptop can reboot with it plugged in.... to make sure it comes up as drive D: or E: or whatever rather than stopping the laptop starting :yes:

[wdwgrandma]

Ya gotta love user manuals and support websites. The documentation states: "After formatting, go to Downloads, find your product, download the My Book utility and follow instructions as prompted." However, there is NO My Book Utility... I have no idea what I'm supposed to download! I know not to download the 98E driver utility since that is for Windows 98 only...

[wdwgrandma]

I think the most important thing to do next is make sure that your laptop can reboot with it plugged in.... to make sure it comes up as drive D: or E: or whatever rather than stopping the laptop starting :yes:
Ok. I'll give that a shot...

[Keith]

Ya gotta love user manuals and support websites. The documentation states: "After formatting, go to Downloads, find your product, download the My Book utility and follow instructions as prompted." However, there is NO My Book Utility... I have no idea what I'm supposed to download! I know not to download the 98E driver utility since that is for Windows 98 only...

I wouldnt worry about it Donna, the My Book utilities arent worth having in my humble opinion, I format my WD drives just to get rid of them ;)

[wdwgrandma]

Ok... Nope. Didn't work. I shut down and rebooted my computer. It just sat there when it reached the part where it says it is starting Windows, or whatever it says... I booted down, removed the drive and booted back up. It came right up. And after I plugged in the drive, there it was!

I guess this means I need to go into the BIOS to tell it not to boot from an external drive... This part I am REALLY not looking forward to...

[wdwgrandma]

Or maybe I'll not worry about messing with the BIOS. Plugging my drive in after the system is up isn't a problem.

Question for you tho... What back up utility do you recommend? I's like to be able to back up my laptop to the new drive. I also plan to move some size intensive folders to my external (photo folders, etc).

[Keith]

Or maybe I'll not worry about messing with the BIOS. Plugging my drive in after the system is up isn't a problem.

yeah it would seem like the bios is saying boot from external drive before internal so easy enough change but perhaps not worth the hassle you're right. I was wondering if the XP disk management tool could help but yeah, probably the bios


Question for you tho... What back up utility do you recommend? I's like to be able to back up my laptop to the new drive. I also plan to move some size intensive folders to my external (photo folders, etc).

Have a look at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx

The built in backup utility works ok and can be scheduled (and is of course free). You can get others which are a bit more savvy and perhaps do syncing a little more nicely

To be honest, I just drag everything I need onto the backup drive but I agree that's not the cleverest strategy in the world

[wdwgrandma]

This was the utility I used when I discovered my new drive was FAT32 formatted. I just wondered if there was anything beter out there.