Archos external HD question

I have an archos 80gb external storage device, which I intended to use as a back up. Unfortunately I have found it will not allow me to back up, if the back up file exceeds 4gb. It tells me that I need to do something with "fats" to enable larger files.

Can you explain what this means, and what do I have to do - in idiot proof language to enable me to use it the way I wish.

 

Hi Fran, Eldest says it can be done but cannot expain how. He has an external hard drive which he has on NFTS? so he has no problems downloading, however, he can't explain how to do it in a way ordinary people can understand, (I think this means he doesn't really know but being a teenager doesn't like to admit it infront of a wrinkly ie Mum)

 

Thanks for that - I appreciate it.

After a bit of research I discovered what FATS is - and I got FATS 32 on my Archos, which accounts for the problem. Only allows 4 gb files.

I got NTFS on my pc which will allow more than that. So now my question is how to I get my archos file system to be changed to NFTS - so I can do full backups on my Archos.

 

Hi Fran
You get the choice of FAT32 or NTFS file system when you format the drive.
Backup the drive before formatting if it has stuff already on it.
Alternatively, you could use something like Partition Magic to convert the file system without formatting.

 

Thanks Hex. Just to be clear. To format the drive I connect the archos storage drive as usual via the USB port. Go to My Computer, click on the appropriate drive, then click on File, then format, and it will give me that choice?

Cos that even I could do - and change it from FATS 32 to NTFS.

Can you confirm please.

 

Hi Fran
Thats the way to do it, you shouldn`t have any trouble

Just hook it up(usb) and find the appropriate drive in "My Computer"
Make certain you get the correct drive! :D

Right click on the desired drive icon and select "Format" from the list (or use the "File" method as you said above)

Then you`ll get a Format window pop up

Select "NTFS" in the "File System" box (not FAT32)
Leave the "Allocation Unit Size" at default

Make sure anything on the external drive you want to keep is backed up.. because a format will wipe it clean

and thats all there is to it

 

Brilliant, thanks a lot - I'll do it tomorrow - and hopefully my Archos will finally do what I want it to do.

 

Hex, thanks a lot. It worked - archos reformated, and full back up done. Feel much better now, as I can do incrementaly backups from now on.

Thanks again.

 

Congrats on a job well done :D

 

sounds good to me

 

Hex your advise was just in time - three days later my pc had a major glitch requiring reinstallation of the OS - which lost access to the original programmes and date, and the other internal backup drive.

 

There is a moral in there Fran that we should all observe. BACKUP REGULARILY.

 

Too true Peter. I remember getting lazy about backing up regularly - then had a hard drive go phtt, and lost 6 weeks of data. I never forgot again :eek: . Kinda wakes you up to how much irreplacable data you hold on your pc.

So folks, like Peter says BACKUP REGULARLY