Tuesday, March 10, 2009

"The disk in the destination drive is full. Insert a new disk to continue" although there is lots of free space

Recently I tried copying a file larger than 4gb, on my 8gb USB stick. I kept getting a message saying that "The disk in the destination drive is full", (although there was lots of space) so I tried reformatting the stick. Still, I got the error.

I checked and found out that the USB stick was formatted in FAT32, which I remembered limits files to 4gb. NTFS doesn't have this limitation so I tried formatting it to NTFS, unsuccesfully; there was no choice for NTFS when I right clicked and selected "format", nor there was when I tried through the Disk management.

Doing a bit of research, I learned that a disk can be optimized "for performance" or "for quick removal". By default USB drives are optimized "for quick removal" which limits them to FAT filesystems. In order to have the choice for NTFS format:

- right click the USB drive
- go to the "Hardware" tab
- find the disk in the list and double click it
- go to the "Policies" tab
- select "Optimize for performance"

Now you should be able to format as NTFS and copy files larger than 4gb!
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81 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 27, 2009 at 7:24 AM

    sweet as, worked a treat, cheers

    ReplyDelete
  2. badcommandMarch 27, 2009 at 9:16 AM

    Good to hear! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 12, 2009 at 6:44 AM

    It worked. Thank You

    ReplyDelete
  4. simonMay 13, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    Nice one Sherlock, worked a treat!

    ReplyDelete
  5. badcommandMay 13, 2009 at 9:31 PM

    great! :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJune 19, 2009 at 5:05 PM

    Baah, thanks!
    Never thought it... Silly windows...

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJune 22, 2009 at 3:44 AM

    error message: The disk destination drive is full. Insert a new disk to continue.

    I was trying to copy a file (5.55 GB size) to an 8GB sized fash drive; the drive is empty and has no hidden files whatsoever. I tried doing the above mentioned suggestion but to no avail.

    What can I do?

    Thanks in advance for the help/suggestion.

    ReplyDelete
  8. badcommandJune 22, 2009 at 9:26 AM

    Hmm..That's strange. Could you please double check (by right clicking-properties) that the USB drive is indeed NTFS now?

    Is there a new error message or do you get the same one as before?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 10, 2012 at 1:58 PM

      On the hardware tab has to select the right drive or else he change the properties for another drive and change nothing on the right one

      Delete
  9. AnonymousJuly 8, 2009 at 4:36 AM

    THANK YOU for sharing this info! The positive results of your efforts have increased their reach exponentially.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousAugust 15, 2009 at 4:03 PM

    Thanks a bunch man, I had a brand new 8gb drive that I couldnt get a 4.07gb file on. Now it works great!

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  11. AnonymousDecember 11, 2009 at 10:06 AM

    Thanks :))

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  12. kurtDecember 22, 2009 at 9:47 AM

    Awesome !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousDecember 22, 2009 at 12:14 PM

    Thanx, man, saved my day!
    Works escellent!

    happy Holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousDecember 29, 2009 at 5:41 PM

    Thanks man!! I thought i will never get that F***ing game in a PS2!! :D Happy next New Year!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousDecember 29, 2009 at 9:08 PM

    thanks. A lot of help. I was like WTF IS WRONG WITH THIS EFFING JUMP DRIVE!?!?

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2010 at 5:14 PM

    Thanks!! I'm glad to see that there are still persons who share this solutions. I thought my pendrive was ill.

    ReplyDelete
  17. jmsoler2February 7, 2010 at 2:38 AM

    Hi, I came across this blog, looking for the answer to a different yet similar problem. I am trying to download pictures from my camera which is using an already full 8gb SD card and i can get only a few MB downloaded before i get the "destination drive is full" error... Yet, the destination drive is my hard drive, which has over 400GB left. Any ideas?
    Juan

    ReplyDelete
  18. badcommandFebruary 7, 2010 at 6:59 AM

    How big are the files?
    Is the SD fat or ntfs?
    How about the hdd?

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnnaFebruary 14, 2010 at 6:46 PM

    ty :*

    ReplyDelete
  20. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2010 at 5:58 PM

    thankssssssssssssssssssss

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happy CustomerMarch 4, 2010 at 7:57 PM

    Hey, whaddiya know...it worked phenomenally! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  22. badcommandMarch 5, 2010 at 9:23 AM

    I'm happy that this has helped so many people :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousMarch 11, 2010 at 7:42 AM

    A thousand thank you's! I've been trying to copy a 4g+ Outlook .pst file to a new laptop using a 16GB USB disk and it kept failing. Your fix saved me from sitting up half the night trying to figure it out. My co-worker needs the new laptop in the morning. Thanks again. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. badcommandMarch 11, 2010 at 9:06 AM

    my pleasure:)

    ReplyDelete
  25. vijay kumar psApril 14, 2010 at 10:47 AM

    thanku boss.....

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousJune 10, 2010 at 12:14 AM

    This worked great. I'm glad it was so simple.

    ReplyDelete
  27. GrabbaJuly 11, 2010 at 5:50 AM

    excellent. This has been driving me apesh*t for quite sometime now

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousAugust 5, 2010 at 11:41 AM

    great ...thxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  29. AnonymousSeptember 20, 2010 at 5:34 PM

    Nice one. Big thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  30. AnonymousOctober 18, 2010 at 8:27 PM

    Thanks boss

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousDecember 6, 2010 at 9:19 AM

    heeeey .. ihve got a measure prop. her man..
    i have done everything u said but still while copying any ( wii iso. extension file) it shows the same dam msg .....
    does it make anything with the extension of the file!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. PriThviFebruary 19, 2011 at 3:27 PM

    woooo u save it man,thanks a lot for this tip,its really works.. hurray :D

    ReplyDelete
  33. AnonymousMarch 9, 2011 at 6:12 AM

    thanks buddy

    ReplyDelete
  34. AnonymousApril 7, 2011 at 8:19 PM

    Lovely thans for sharing. I was on my last day at work and was trying to copy very mails for my future reference and i was getting this error . Now it worked . Thanks a lot buddy god bless you

    Pavan

    ReplyDelete
  35. AnonymousMay 17, 2011 at 7:51 AM

    I was trying to copy over some files and could not figure this out for so long. You are great! Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  36. badcommandMay 17, 2011 at 4:23 PM

    once in a while I find a thankful comment and it makes me smile:)

    ReplyDelete
  37. AnonymousJune 24, 2011 at 5:34 PM

    it worked....thanx a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  38. AnonymousJune 25, 2011 at 6:52 AM

    nice dude:)

    ReplyDelete
  39. AnonymousAugust 3, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    oh thanks
    that's helpful
    great
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  40. vishwaSeptember 27, 2011 at 1:39 PM

    It worked
    Thanks ......... :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. AnonymousNovember 15, 2011 at 9:06 PM

    Unbelievable! Worked like a charm. Thank you!
    TL
    NY, NY

    ReplyDelete
  42. AnonymousNovember 16, 2011 at 4:16 PM

    Awesome solution it worked for me..........
    Thanks Buddy and keep it up........
    Regards,
    Terry

    ReplyDelete
  43. AnonymousNovember 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    Awsome man it's very nice

    ReplyDelete
  44. badcommandNovember 21, 2011 at 9:21 PM

    It makes me happy to get the occasional email notifying me that somebody's benefited from this post:)

    ReplyDelete
  45. AnonymousNovember 25, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    Good Blog.......Loved It..........:D

    ReplyDelete
  46. AnonymousDecember 26, 2011 at 12:16 PM

    Thanx a lot.. its works for me!!! i was hanging around net about 1 hour in net finally get the solution.

    ReplyDelete
  47. AnonymousJanuary 1, 2012 at 12:24 AM

    Thanks Bro really helped me out i was converting a movie from last 1 hour and after it was copied i was not able to writ it on my 16 gb usb and my wife was about to kill me :P suddenly goggling i hit your post and u save my day or may be nite what ever any ways thnx bro :P

    ReplyDelete
  48. AnonymousJanuary 17, 2012 at 3:34 AM

    great stuff bro!thanks:)

    ReplyDelete
  49. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2012 at 4:52 PM

    Thanks Man. Thanks to Google and you!

    ReplyDelete
  50. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2012 at 8:36 PM

    Thanks a lot, u just saved my life.... :)

    ReplyDelete
  51. AnonymousMay 17, 2012 at 5:59 PM

    thnksssssssssssssssss aaaaaaaaa lot

    ReplyDelete
  52. AnonymousJune 15, 2012 at 11:15 AM

    Thanks a lot!!!

    ReplyDelete
  53. AnonymousJune 18, 2012 at 11:08 AM

    I always like to hear reasons for what I'm doing and your response was just right- clear and easy to follow. Great job, and Thanks for clearing that problem!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Noufal NJuly 31, 2012 at 6:06 AM

    Wow...It worked thanxs

    ReplyDelete
  55. NiceOctober 7, 2012 at 2:26 PM

    Thật tuyệt vời.. cảm ơn bạn nhiều

    ReplyDelete
  56. sua chua do goOctober 7, 2012 at 2:28 PM

    Thế mà mình loay hoay mãi mới làm được... thanks you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  57. UnknownNovember 20, 2012 at 3:50 AM

    It work! Thank you for your helpful post!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  58. AnonymousDecember 6, 2012 at 3:08 AM

    it worked thanks

    ReplyDelete
  59. AnonymousDecember 12, 2012 at 6:00 AM

    Спасибо огромное!

    ReplyDelete
  60. AnonymousDecember 13, 2012 at 6:45 PM

    Saved my azz. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  61. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2013 at 1:25 PM

    Благодаря много! Thank you for your helpful post :)

    ReplyDelete
  62. BeautyParadiseFebruary 16, 2013 at 7:06 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  63. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 10:40 AM

    Thanks....I wasted more 2 hrs trying to figure out what was wrong. Thanks again for saving me lots of time and effort. Donald

    ReplyDelete
  64. AnonymousMarch 27, 2013 at 12:15 PM

    thank you mister!

    ReplyDelete
  65. AnonymousApril 7, 2013 at 12:05 PM

    Thank you! It was very helpful!

    ReplyDelete
  66. AnonymousJune 11, 2013 at 6:08 AM

    It's really helpful and Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  67. AnonymousJuly 3, 2013 at 10:21 PM

    its really worked on my flash drive. million of thanks. you are genius.

    ReplyDelete
  68. AnonymousJuly 14, 2013 at 2:09 PM

    Its Not working for me ....Its still FAT32....I have a trascend 8 GB pendrive...plz help

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 30, 2013 at 7:51 AM

      Right Click it and format it in ntfs.

      Delete
  69. AnonymousJuly 24, 2013 at 6:48 PM

    Thank, thank you! It worked for me. Very informative article.

    ReplyDelete
  70. AnonymousSeptember 2, 2013 at 3:35 PM

    thank you!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  71. chandruSeptember 21, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    yeah u can use convert command too in cmd for file conversion works great

    ReplyDelete
  72. ajayOctober 18, 2013 at 7:03 AM

    Thanks dude

    ReplyDelete
  73. Atestat la informaticaJanuary 2, 2014 at 6:50 PM

    It worked perfectly for me! Thanks for the tip;)

    ReplyDelete
  74. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2014 at 7:22 PM

    The gift that keeps on giving....thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  75. badcommandFebruary 10, 2014 at 10:22 PM

    wohoo!

    ReplyDelete
  76. UnknownOctober 25, 2015 at 5:25 PM

    thank you too much dude

    ReplyDelete

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