How To Non-Destructively change an external HD Filetype On Mac (Without Loosing Data)

[tonyhowie1991]

Hi There,

Im looking to change the filetype of my 1TB Buffalo external hdd from FAT to Mac Journaled. As when i try to transfer files approx 7-8 GB it can not be transfered due to a file size transferring limit

Basically I want to convert the filetype without loosing the data on the drive or even partition it so i can then use disk utilities to format that partition as disk util's format a drive when partitioning :/ ive tried to use ipartition but it just doesnt seem to like my MBP

Thanks for reading
Can anyone Help Me??

Tony

 

[mstrze]

I don't believe you can do this without losing data (is 'loosing' data the opposite of 'tightening' data?). The 'filetype' is an inherent structure and method of laying down data on the drive. Changing it, by nature, requires a reformatting of the whole drive I believe. you can't mix and match...maybe in partitioning, but even then to partition, you need to start from scrath I believe.

Can you transfer the stored info on it to another drive in the interrim, re-format, then pull it all back?

 

[SpeedFleX]

you cant change it on the fly, i dont know any method anyways but you might try using a program for zipping files like .rar for example betterzip you can split them that way.

and when you want to use them you take them back to a filesystem that supports more then 4gb and just unzip it

 

[chrono1081]

Unfortunately youll need to put them on another drive, reformat your buffalo drive to the mac format then drag them back on. When an OS has to change the format of a drive that drive will lose all info.