Fat32 w/ files larger than 2Gb?

[Future Blues]

So I have a USB drive that's formatted Fat32 and I'm really confused.

I've heard that there are file size restrictions in this particular format (2GB max?) and I'm really worried about some of the data I have backed up on this drive. All my photos, for instance, in an Aperture Vault. That file alone is 20Gb of space on my disk... If Fat32 has these limits... Will it not open up if I have a catastrophe and have to restore from that vault?

I mean, if there's a limit, how did I get it over there in the first place?

I don't really want to format this drive in HFS+ because I'd like to be able to access them in both Windows and Leopard (and on my Xbox 360) but I'm worried that the integrity of my HD, and/or my data might be at risk the way I'm using it now.

 

[kfordham281]

According to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat32, the limit is 4GB for a single file.

 

[danny_w]

I read just yesterday that the latest version of FAT32 has a 2GB/file limit (down from 4GB previously).

 

[wrldwzrd89]

So I have a USB drive that's formatted Fat32 and I'm really confused.

I've heard that there are file size restrictions in this particular format (2GB max?) and I'm really worried about some of the data I have backed up on this drive. All my photos, for instance, in an Aperture Vault. That file alone is 20Gb of space on my disk... If Fat32 has these limits... Will it not open up if I have a catastrophe and have to restore from that vault?

I mean, if there's a limit, how did I get it over there in the first place?

I don't really want to format this drive in HFS+ because I'd like to be able to access them in both Windows and Leopard (and on my Xbox 360) but I'm worried that the integrity of my HD, and/or my data might be at risk the way I'm using it now.

I suspect you did NOT hit the limit because Aperture Vaults are actually folders that contain files smaller than the 2GB limit. This is just an educated guess, I may be wrong.

 

[FreakinSyco]

I read just yesterday that the latest version of FAT32 has a 2GB/file limit (down from 4GB previously).

I dont know where you read that but I'm almost 100% sure no "new version" of FAT32 has been released. Even if they did release a new version the ONE improvement they would make is increasing max file size.

The file size limit for FAT32 is 4gb.

And if the file is already written to the disk then I highly doubt there is an issue. If it was over 4gb is shouldnt even have been able to write it to disk.