Traveling with a big file

[Ben Scott]

On 11/30/06, Ted Roche <tedroche at tedroche.com> wrote:
>>  You can also use the "split" command to split files into chunks, and
>> then use "cat" to put the pieces back together into one big file.  Or
>> on 'doze, use "COPY PART1+PART2 BIGFILE" to concatenate.
>
> Bearing in mind, of course, that the target file system may have
> limitations on the size of the file that can be created.

  Yah, if the computer the OP is trying to transport *to* is limited
to 4 GB files, you're in trouble.  But generally speaking, they would
find their DVD writing program would fall apart with that limit
anyway, so there's not much you can do about that.

> I'm pretty sure FAT32 is limited to 4 Gb

  It is.  But NTFS can do up to 16 TB per file, and I think EXT2/3 can
do 2 TB per file.

> I've heard of people successfully
> reformatting their drive in other less-limited filesystems, but
> haven't tried it myself.

  The various 'doze OSes which support NTFS also provide
"CONVERT.EXE", which will convert from FAT to NTFS in-place.  It
actually works surprisingly well, for the most part.  The major
problem is that it doesn't set-up file permissions the way a new
install to NTFS would.  But then, if one is running FAT, security is
likely not a big concern anyway... :)

-- Ben