Flash drive issues

bigoltool

bigoltool

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Ok so I just got a new Adata 16 GB flash (jump) drive and I have been getting truly frustrated with it. My issue seems to be that when I try to transfer large files (2-4GB) or lots of files en mass I end up getting massive data loss and or corruption. My first thought is that I am transferring files between a 64-bit XP Pro workstation and a normal XP Pro (MCE) 32 bit PC. If I format the drive in my workstation, it just says FAT format but if I format it in the PC, it says FAT32. Once again, I have no idea if that is part of the problem or not? I can place all of the files on the drive and even access them from the drive on the workstation without a hitch but once I remove it from the Workstation all heck breaks loose on practically every other pc I have tried it on it’s the same. Its like it will copy the folders but not the files in the folders or the files will have really bizarre names or extensions on the PC. It is selective about what it culls out too. Any thoughts?
 
FAT does have a 2G volume size limit... maybe hitting that wall...

You can compress the files and break them down into smaller more manageable sizes with WinRAR.. (is how I store large file sets) you can also turn them into PAR files if you require absolute ability to recover them..

I quit using the BIG flash drives due to compatibility issues... end up in places I can not use the thing.. my 2 and 4 gig drives seem to work almost everywhere...
 
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my 16GB Adata works great. dont know what format it is. i just put it in and started using it. i dont know know if I tried 4 gb files yet or not.

check users' results on newegg.com
 
:rofl:
Mr Biscuit said:
FAT does have a 2G volume size limit... maybe hitting that wall...

You can compress the files and break them down into smaller more manageable sizes with WinRAR.. (is how I store large file sets) you can also turn them into PAR files if you require absolute ability to recover them..

I quit using the BIG flash drives due to compatibility issues... end up in places I can not use the thing.. my 2 and 4 gig drives seem to work almost everywhere...
Click to expand...

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
here is the table for you.. and links for WinRar and QuickPar

WinRar has a U3 compatible I run on my U3 drives... works like a charm and saves having to load it on all the client machines.

http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm
http://www.quickpar.org.uk/CreatingPAR2Files.htm

table.jpg
 
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bigoltool said:
Ok so I just got a new Adata 16 GB flash (jump) drive and I have been getting truly frustrated with it. My issue seems to be that when I try to transfer large files (2-4GB) or lots of files en mass I end up getting massive data loss and or corruption. My first thought is that I am transferring files between a 64-bit XP Pro workstation and a normal XP Pro (MCE) 32 bit PC. If I format the drive in my workstation, it just says FAT format but if I format it in the PC, it says FAT32. Once again, I have no idea if that is part of the problem or not? I can place all of the files on the drive and even access them from the drive on the workstation without a hitch but once I remove it from the Workstation all heck breaks loose on practically every other pc I have tried it on it’s the same. Its like it will copy the folders but not the files in the folders or the files will have really bizarre names or extensions on the PC. It is selective about what it culls out too. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...


The maximum possible size for a file on a FAT32 volume is 4 GB.
 
that would be with 64K clusters... (not commonly used, see table) I think you have to do a custom format command to get the big clusters..

FORMAT volume [/FS:file-system] [/V:label] [/Q] [/A:size] (A being the cluster size)
 
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yup... might get past the FAT (file allocation table) but when it goes to hit the file itself. crashNburn (file will be truncated)

Download the WinRar and make the file segments like 500M each. It takes CPU time but will let you save very large files

When you need the large file, winrar will have to recompile to a single file again (more CPU time)
 
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bigoltool said:
So if I subdivide the files into less than 2gb packets it might fly?
Click to expand...
Yes... the problem with 2G files is that it stands a bit more chance of becoming corrupted during transfer.. The smaller files seem to suffer less issues down the road..

If you are transferring these files via FTP or to other users, that is where the PAR files are so nice... you can be missing complete files and PAR will still reconstruct a complete and ACCURATE file.. PARITY CHECKS... works in the same manner as say a RAID 5 drive... you can loose a drive and still have complete data
 
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Well I tried to break the test file into 5 parts and added them to the drive seperately. Same result, the folders all seem to come across but most of the children were missing or corrupt.
 
are you dragging full file structures over? I know there are limits on this part but will have to find the cheat sheet...

if you compress the files do they work?
 
you might try formatting to NTFS... from the cmd window: (no brackets)

Format (X:) /FS:NTFS /U


X: is the drive letter your flash drive is assigned
 
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Well...The file started out as 3.65GB. I broke it into 5 "packets" (not all equal sizes ) and I had to (dont laugh) take screenshots of the file structure just so I could get them all back together correctly later. The largest of the "packets" was 1.99GB and the smallest was 372KB. It blew up on the first try and then I decided to try and grab them each individually, disconnecting the drive between each Packet. Same result. I am at a loss now.

Mr Biscuit said:
are you dragging full file structures over? I know there are limits on this part but will have to find the cheat sheet...

if you compress the files do they work?
Click to expand...
 
someone may correct me but XP should not have any trouble with NTFS... Win98 and under will...
 
a little checking around, seems that particular drive is prone to this... guys are jumping around FROM NTFS to fat32 to fix the problems of file corruption...

need to poke around on this a bit more to see if it is an issue with the adata..

love this stuff.. :)

there is a suggestion that chkdsk will fix the issues...
 
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