problem saving large .rar file on USB stick

breanainneire · 07-05-2008, 07:07 PM

Hi.
I have this old computer with Windows 98SE and need to transfer some big files (around 2GB) to my new computer. One is a 2GB .rar file. I tried using my 4GB USB stick, but every time I try to copy the .rar file onto it, I get a blue error message screen saying that it is "unable to write to disk in drive G:" I press "enter" and then another error message comes up saying:
"An exception OE has occured at 0028 :C00144A7 in VxD ---. This was called from 0028 :C024C5D5 in VxD ---. It may be possible to continue". I press enter again and the computer restarts.

Prior to this, I have been able to save small Word documents on the USB stick, so I know things can actually be successfully copied onto it.

Does anyone know how I can fix this problem? (Or, alternatively, know a better way to transfer large files to another computer? The old computer can't only burn DVDs, only CDs)

Crespo PC Serv · 07-05-2008, 08:13 PM

What kinda format do u have on the harddisk? FAT or FAT32, if its FAT then that would be ur problem.

breanainneire · 07-06-2008, 08:00 PM

It's FAT32. I don't know what that really means; I just checked the properties of the stick.

**OldGrayGary** · 07-06-2008, 11:22 PM

Hi all

breana -

You have a few options to get the files where you want them, keeping in mind some possible file system and maximum file size hurdles . . . .

Divide the large file into a set of smaller files
If your 2gb file set can be reduced in size to several smaller files, they will likely transfer OK in that manner.

File Systems & Maximum File Sizes
If the hard drive is formatted with the FAT32 file system native to Windows 98 2nd Edition, it should be able to contain files of a maximum size of 4gb. If the hard drive is formatted with the FAT16 file system, the maximum file size is slightly less than 2gb (the partitions in FAT16 can only reach 2gb maximum).

It's possible that your transfer of the large file as much to do with the poor USB support in Win9x as with file system maximum size limitations.

Connect as an external drive or as slaved internal drive
To get around such annoyances, you could transfer the large files by connecting the hard drive to your other computer. If the other computer is a laptop, you can connect externally by using a USB to IDE adapter, or by putting the hard drive in an external USB hard drive enclosure. If your other computer is a desktop, you also have the option of connecting it internally via IDE cable (but you'd have to make sure it was setup as a "slave" drive, and make sure not to boot from it).

So long as the computer to which you wish to transfer the files is running Windows 2000 or newer, file sizes and types shouldn't be any barrier at all for the files you wish to transfer.

Connect via home network
If your older Win98 PC is on a home network, you can place your 2gb file in a shared folder, connect over your home network, and copy the files over in that way.
_______________

Best of luck
. . . Gary

07-05-2008, 07:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
breanainneire Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Win98	problem saving large .rar file on USB stick Hi. I have this old computer with Windows 98SE and need to transfer some big files (around 2GB) to my new computer. One is a 2GB .rar file. I tried using my 4GB USB stick, but every time I try to copy the .rar file onto it, I get a blue error message screen saying that it is "unable to write to disk in drive G:" I press "enter" and then another error message comes up saying: "An exception OE has occured at 0028 :C00144A7 in VxD ---. This was called from 0028 :C024C5D5 in VxD ---. It may be possible to continue". I press enter again and the computer restarts. Prior to this, I have been able to save small Word documents on the USB stick, so I know things can actually be successfully copied onto it. Does anyone know how I can fix this problem? (Or, alternatively, know a better way to transfer large files to another computer? The old computer can't only burn DVDs, only CDs)

07-05-2008, 08:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
Crespo PC Serv Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 86 OS: Windows XP Pro SP3 My System	Re: problem saving large .rar file on USB stick What kinda format do u have on the harddisk? FAT or FAT32, if its FAT then that would be ur problem.

07-06-2008, 08:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
breanainneire Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Win98	Re: problem saving large .rar file on USB stick It's FAT32. I don't know what that really means; I just checked the properties of the stick.

07-06-2008, 11:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 1,979 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: problem saving large .rar file on USB stick Hi all breana - You have a few options to get the files where you want them, keeping in mind some possible file system and maximum file size hurdles . . . . Divide the large file into a set of smaller files If your 2gb file set can be reduced in size to several smaller files, they will likely transfer OK in that manner. File Systems & Maximum File Sizes If the hard drive is formatted with the FAT32 file system native to Windows 98 2nd Edition, it should be able to contain files of a maximum size of 4gb. If the hard drive is formatted with the FAT16 file system, the maximum file size is slightly less than 2gb (the partitions in FAT16 can only reach 2gb maximum). It's possible that your transfer of the large file as much to do with the poor USB support in Win9x as with file system maximum size limitations. Connect as an external drive or as slaved internal drive To get around such annoyances, you could transfer the large files by connecting the hard drive to your other computer. If the other computer is a laptop, you can connect externally by using a USB to IDE adapter, or by putting the hard drive in an external USB hard drive enclosure. If your other computer is a desktop, you also have the option of connecting it internally via IDE cable (but you'd have to make sure it was setup as a "slave" drive, and make sure not to boot from it). So long as the computer to which you wish to transfer the files is running Windows 2000 or newer, file sizes and types shouldn't be any barrier at all for the files you wish to transfer. Connect via home network If your older Win98 PC is on a home network, you can place your 2gb file in a shared folder, connect over your home network, and copy the files over in that way. _______________ Best of luck . . . Gary __________________ Last edited by OldGrayGary : 07-06-2008 at 11:23 PM.