Why does my flash drive not have enough space when it DOES?

[Saladsamurai]

Why does my flash drive not have enough space when it DOES!?

I am trying to copy a folder that contains an .iso to install a program.

When I right-click the program folder, the properties tab says that size=4.0 GB.

When I right-click my flash drive, the properties tab says free space=7.97 GB

When I go to copy and paste the program folder from my Hard Drive to my flash drive it
says there is not enough free space.

?!?!

What the hell gives?

Thanks!

 

[robphy]

Is your flash drive formatted as FAT32?
I believe there is a roughly-4GB limit on the size of a single file in FAT32.
I'm not sure how close your file is to that limit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table#FAT32

 

[Saladsamurai]

Yeah...it is FAT 32. Damn it! Any ideas on how I can get an iso file from one computer to another if it is exactly 4GB?

Also: Do they make other kinds of flash drives that can transfer bigger files, i.e., not FAT 32?

They probably cost a lot.

 

[mgb_phys]

Try and format the flash drive as ntfs (assuming you are on windows)
This might not work on some cheap drives, although the flash drive should look just like any other drive to windows - some cut corners on the implementation of the disk controller and only support a subset of commands

 

[Saladsamurai]

Try and format the flash drive as ntfs (assuming you are on windows)
This might not work on some cheap drives, although the flash drive should look just like any other drive to windows - some cut corners on the implementation of the disk controller and only support a subset of commands

I wish I knew what that means. And whatever it is, will I lose the files already on he flash drive?

 

[mgb_phys]

Yes you need to erase the drive (there are tools to convert it but I wouldn't trust them on a flash drive)
Right click on the drive, select format
In the options box that says fat32 change this to select ntfs
Click format YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING ON THE DRIVE
NTFS isn't really as ideal for a flash drive as fat32 but does allow larger files.

Or you can use a tool to split the .iso into smaller files and recombine them
see http://www.spadixbd.com/freetools/jsplit.htm