[Solved] Backup capasity issue

I tried to do a backup of a fresh install of XP PRO to a 16GB flash drive. The backup progressed fine up to the 32 seconds left point where it said the "tape is full". When I checked the flash drive it only had 4GB on it. I tried the backup again and it did the same thing. Any ideas?

How can I tell? There's no driver I'm aware of. It's plug & play.

I assume you mean to right click on the drive and select "format" from the pop up menu. When I do that the only option I have is for FAT 32, however it does show full capacity.

Well, I haven't yet tried loading the drive to capacity any other way but with the XP backup function. Maybe I should try ripping a movie to it to see if it will fill beyond the 4GB mark but that will be in several files. I'm not aware of any limitations of file size in XP, are you? I have previously done a similar backup to a HDD without a problem. Do you suspect the flash drive may have some file size limitation?

Saint is onto something here.

Did you get the flash drive off eBay?

Alot of these drives have been flashed to show a higher capacity than what they actually have.

Here's a link:

http://fightflashfraud.wordpress.c [...] h-problem/

There's a small program you can download and run to see the actual capacity, I will see if I can find it then post the link.

OK, mystery solved. I bought it at Fry's electronics, not Ebay. It tests genuine. I just chatted with a Lexar rep who showed me how to format it for NTSF. There is a 4GB limit on file size in fat 32. News to me. I think it will be fine now. Thanks to all who contributed.

Yes you were correct, but you didn't or couldn't tell me how to change the driver switch to NTSF from fat 32. The tech I chatted with sounded like she answers this question a hundred times a day. I wonder why they format their drives with such an antiquated format. They should say something about this in their paperwork.