Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows XP => Topic started by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 06:02:04 PM

Title: External Hardrive
Post by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 06:02:04 PM
Hey everyone I have a Western Digital External Hard drive. It's a 500 gig drive. It still has over 100 gig left, yet it won't let me copy things over to it. The only way I can actually copy things to it is if I'm downloading pictures from my camera. But if I do a backup or try to just copy things from one drive to It, it tells me that the drive is full. I've emptied the recycle bin several times and it's totally empty. I'm really scratching my head on this one. Any ideas? Thanks.
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: patio on November 18, 2011, 06:48:47 PM
How large are the files you are trying to move to it ? ?
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 06:55:39 PM
most of the files are between 4 to 10 gigs.
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: nixie on November 18, 2011, 07:01:27 PM
Only time I have ever hit this was when the data to be copied to the external was greater in size than the available space. If you right-click on the data resides that you want to copy, what is the size of the data to be transferred? Files 4 to 10 gigs add up, so what do they add up to as a whole?
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 07:03:48 PM
I have 1 file that is 10 gig. I have over 100 gigs of space. It won't copy it. It says the disk is full. Yet it's clearly not.
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: patio on November 18, 2011, 07:23:34 PM
Where is the free space on the drive being reported from ? ?
What file system is the external ?
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 07:27:45 PM
Where is the free space on the drive being reported from ? ?
What file system is the external ?

Not sure I know what you mean. I go to properties on the External Drive and it shows me the little pie chart and shows I have 100 gigs of free space. I have no idea how to check or find out what file system the Hard Drive uses.
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 07:29:17 PM
If i'm looking at the right thing. the File System says FAT32
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: patio on November 18, 2011, 07:36:51 PM
2G limit with FAT32...there's your issue right there.
Title: Re: External Hardrive
Post by: Natureguy04 on November 18, 2011, 07:46:52 PM
so it will only let me copy a file 2g or smaller? I have files on the drive that are over 2 gigs though. I have 3 files over 3 gigs.