A large file is not copied to the flash drive. What to do if files from your computer are not copied to a flash drive. How to transfer a large file to a flash drive without losing data
With the development of technology, PC users are able to transfer more and more information between PCs using different media.
One such carrier is flash memory(Further flash drive), which is connected via a USB port.
“I can’t write a large file to a flash drive. What to do?".
This question arises when working with flash drives larger than 4GB and writing files larger than 4GB onto them. In this case, the OS displays a message that there is no recording space on the flash drive.
Our support team recently received a similar question:
Hello, I have the following question:
There is a flash drive with a capacity of 8 GB, empty, formatted. When I try to upload files (for example, a game image with a capacity of 4.7 GB), the mdf or other extension shows that there is not enough disk space, I tried to upload a large archive, somewhere up to 5 GB it shows that there is not enough disk space. I upload small files, everything is fine up to 7 GB.
What could be the problem? Thank you.
Therefore, I decided to write this note in which I will explain why this happens and how to solve such a problem.
The thing is that during production, flash drives are formatted in the system FAT32. And this system does not support files of size more than 4GB.
To record larger files, the flash drive must use a system NTFS- this system can work with files of size almost up to 16TB.
I found three ways to make a system on a flash drive NTFS. Now I will tell you in detail about each of the methods.
First, connect the flash drive to the PC; if necessary, wait until the OS recognizes and installs it on the system.
Method number 1. Formatting a flash drive.
To do this you need to open "My computer", select the flash drive, call the context menu by right-clicking, and select “ Format…».
A window for settings and formatting the flash drive will appear.
IN Windows 7 on the menu " File system:» you can select the value NTFS, and in WindowsXP this is the meaning may not be available, as shown in the picture below.
To make this value available in WindowsXP, you need to do the following:
In the window that opens " Properties of the system» open the tab « Equipment" and click the " ».
In the "" window, expand the " Disk devices", double-click to open the properties window of the connected flash drive.
Open the tab " Policy", set the switch " Optimize for execution", press the "OK" button.
Close all windows.
Now again call up the window for settings and formatting the flash drive.
On the menu " File system:» you can select the value NTFS, as shown in the picture below. The same menu is initially available in Windows 7.
After this, you can configure other formatting options, for example, set the volume label and select quick format.
Now you can format the flash drive in the format NTFS.
After formatting the flash drive in WindowsXP set on the "" tab Policy» switch « Optimize for quick removal».
Method number 2. Converting a flash drive.
To do this, you need to use a file system conversion program " convert.exe» ( File System Conversion Utility, you can read the description , is in the folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\).
Click the button Start", select " Execute...", type the command " cmd", and click the " OK».
A command handler window should appear.
In it you need to type the following command:
« convert<буква_флешки>: / fs:ntfs/nosecurity /x».
In my example you need to enter " convertr: /fs:ntfs/nosecurity /x».
Press "Enter", after conversion is complete, enter the command " exit" and press "Enter", or simply close the window.
In the picture below I showed an example of using this command.
If the flash drive is already in the format NTFS, then there will be no conversion. And so it happened, because... after the first method, my flash drive was already in the format NTFS. I formatted it again FAT32, and again executed the command “ convert».
As a result, I saw this message and received a flash drive in the format NTFS.
- Although the utility convert.exe allows you to convert the file system of a flash drive without losing data; it is recommended to copy all the data on the flash drive to your computer’s hard drive before converting;
- There must be free space on the flash drive to convert the file system. Otherwise you will receive an error message. In this case, free up the required space on the flash drive by deleting unnecessary files, or copy some of the files to your PC’s hard drive;
- If the flash drive is labeled " Volume Label", then when you try to convert, the message " Enter the volume label for the disk<буква_флешки>: " In this case, enter the label of your flash drive, otherwise you will not be able to convert the flash drive - the message “ Invalid drive label specified" Or, before you start converting, remove the checkmark in the " Properties" on the tab " Are common».
Method No. 3. Using the free HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool.
Download the program from the Internet (you can download it, for example, from here: version 2.2.3.0).
Run the file HPUSBDisk.exe. A window should appear as shown in the picture below.
The program is in English, however, it is easy to understand:
- If multiple USB devices are connected, the drop-down list " Device» select the one you need (the flash drive you want to format);
- On the menu " File system» select NTFS(or, if necessary, FAT/FAT32);
- You can specify a label in the text field " Volume label" (not necessary);
- For quick formatting, check the " Quick Format»;
- Click the button Start»;
- A dialog box will appear warning (in English) that all data on the flash drive will be destroyed. Click the button Yes»;
- Wait for the formatting process to complete and in the dialog box that appears with the formatting results, click the " OK».
Be careful when choosing a device to format so that you don't accidentally format the wrong removable drive.
Before changing the system, be sure to copy all the data on the flash drive to your computer’s hard drive.
After converting the file system of the flash drive to NTFS it will be possible to record files of size more 4GB.
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When writing some files to an external hard drive (flash drive, memory card), an error suddenly appears. But everything is correct, the disk opens in Explorer, other files are copied and deleted, but one file is not written even if you crack it! Even formatting doesn't help.
Look at the file size, I'm sure it will be more than 4GB. And if such a file is not copied to an external drive, then it needs to be reformatted, but to the NTFS file system.
Formatting to NTFS
Right-click on the disk and select “Format…”
IMPORTANT: The file system should be NTFS, that's the whole point. Leave the “Quick (cleaning table of contents)” checkbox. "Volume label" - any. Click “Start” and wait for the process to complete.
WHEN FORMATING ALL DATA ON THIS DISK WILL BE DESTROYED! So if there are any, copy them to another location first.
Now you can record any files. The whole point was that your USB drive was formatted in the FAT32 system, where the maximum size of one file is only 4GB. Please note that not all external devices understand the NTFS format.
Hello dear visitors. Yesterday they asked me a question: what should I do? I can’t transfer a large file to a flash drive? The system says that there is not enough disk space, but there is enough space on the flash drive. It was necessary to copy a movie of about 9 GB in size to a 16 GB flash drive. If you think logically, then everything should fit, but the system refused to put such a large file on a flash drive and that’s it.
I knew what was going on, and while I was explaining what needed to be done, a bright thought appeared in my head that I should write about this on a blog, so I’m actually writing it :). Let's first explain why large files, or to be precise, files larger than 4 GB do not want to be written to the flash drive and a message appears that there is not enough disk space.
The fact is that when you buy a flash drive, it is already formatted in the file system FAT32, and the file system is FAT32 does not support files larger than 4 GB. Here's the thing, it's very simple. We need to change the file system of the flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS. Because the NTFS file system supports, if I'm not mistaken, files up to 16 GB.
This question is becoming more and more relevant every day, because the size of memory on flash drives is growing and they are becoming cheaper every day. You can already buy a 16 GB flash drive for the same money that a year ago you could only buy a 4 GB one.
We just need to change the file system of our flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS. I will now write two ways in which this can be done.
Format the flash drive to the NTFS file system
I have already written about how. But I think it wouldn’t hurt to repeat it again and pay special attention to the fact that we are formatting it into an NTFS system.
Attention! Formatting a flash drive will destroy all information on it. Make sure that your flash drive does not contain the files you need. If there are, then copy them to your computer.
We connect the flash drive to the computer, wait until the computer recognizes it, go to "My computer" and right-click on our flash drive, select "Format".
A window will open in which we need to select the NTFS file system, select and click “Start”. We agree to the system warning.
After the formatting process is completed, you will receive a blank flash drive with the NTFS file system, onto which you can copy large files.
Converting a flash drive to NTFS for writing large files
The second method is to simply convert the flash drive to NTFS, this method essentially differs from the first, only in that the files you have on the flash drive will not be lost. But I still advise you not to risk it and copy the necessary files to your computer.
Our flash drive is connected and recognized by the computer. We go to “Start”, "All programs", “Standard” and select “Run”. Or just press Win+R. A window will open in which we write the command cmd and click “Ok”.
A window will open in which we need to enter a command to convert the flash drive to NTFS:
convert k : /fs:ntfs /nosecurity /x
Where k is the letter that the computer assigned to your flash drive, go to "My computer" and see what letter you have. Enter this command and press “Enter”.
Once completed, a report will appear:
How to transfer a large file to a flash drive? Converting a flash drive to the NTFS file system. updated: December 27, 2012 by: admin
If no files are copied to the flash drive, the problem with the drive appears to be at the hardware level. Especially if copying cannot be done on any computer - otherwise, a ban on transferring files may be set by the system administrator in the Windows settings of the PC with which the flash drive does not work.
Hardware problems with a flash drive are resolved in a service center, and it is usually cheaper to purchase a new flash-disk or flash drive. However, for starters, you can try to format the flash drive using standard OS tools or a special program.
Lack of space on flash drive
If you can’t copy only one file to the flash drive, that’s the problem. First, you should make sure that there is enough free space on the flash drive to transfer this file.
The amount of unallocated space and file size can be viewed in the “Properties” section of the flash drive and file context menus, respectively.
This menu opens when you right-click on the flash drive and file icon.
File system problems
Secondly, if the file size is more than 4 GB, and there is enough free space on the flash drive, the problem lies in the file system.
Most flash drives are formatted by default in the FAT32 system (FAT16 is occasionally found), and it has a maximum file size limit of just 4 GB (read more about how to write files larger than 4 GB).
To bypass it, you should reformat the flash drive in the NTFS system.
This is done through the context menu of the flash drive: in it you need to select the “Format” item, and in the window that opens, set the file system value to “NTFS”. Read more about formatting a flash drive into the NTFS file format in the following articles:
Before formatting, all necessary files should be transferred to another storage medium. An NTFS formatted flash drive is ready to work with large files.