How to move music files from ntfs drive to fat32 drive without data loss?

Question

I need to move 700GB of music files from an NTFS drive to a 2TB FAT32 Micro SD drive for a portable music streaming device.

Is there a method to do this without jumping through sequenced events?

If this is not the proper place to ask this question, please let me know where it should be posted...

Answer 1

The only limitation on a drive formatted as FAT32 is no single file can exceed 4GB in size.

So you can copy all files over to that Micro SD card provided all individual files are less than 4GB in size.

To ensure the process goes smoothly, you should copy over the data in small amount, not the full 700GB in one go.

Also, it is very important, never use the Move option in File Explorer, because if that process goes wrong, you will lose the files, always use Copy and Paste, then once the files are in the new location, you can delete them from the original location.

Answer 2

Copy and pasting the files worked quite well, but it very time consuming... It took about three days to get the Music library transferred to the FAT32 drive.

Answer 3

Hi Blair Dunlop,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. I'm happy to help.

You can ensure the movement without data loss by hashing your content.

You may use third-party application like LiamFootHash or an alternative to generate hash for all the content of NTFS drive.

Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology.

Then, copy (not move) everything from NTFS drive to FAT32 MicroSD.

After copying operation, use the generated hash to check for the content of FAT32 MicroSD. If check task reports OK, then copying task is perfect.

I hope that above information is helpful to you.

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Answer 4

To move music files from an NTFS drive to a FAT32 drive without data loss, you can follow these general steps:

1. Backup Your Files: Before starting the transfer, it's always a good practice to create a backup of your music files. This ensures that you have a copy in case anything goes wrong during the transfer.
2. Connect Both Drives: Make sure both the NTFS drive and the FAT32 drive are connected to your computer.
3. Use File Explorer: Open File Explorer and navigate to the NTFS drive. Select the music files you want to transfer. You can select multiple files by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking on each file.
4. Copy and Paste: Right-click on the selected files and choose "Copy". Then navigate to the FAT32 drive, right-click in the desired folder, and select "Paste". This will copy the files from the NTFS drive to the FAT32 drive.
5. Check for Errors: After the transfer is complete, check to ensure that all files have been copied correctly and that they play without issues.
6. Delete Original Files (Optional): If you are sure that the files have been successfully copied and you want to free up space on the NTFS drive, you can delete the original files from the NTFS drive.

Important Considerations:

• File Size Limitations: FAT32 has a maximum file size limit of 4GB. If any of your music files exceed this size, they will not be able to be transferred to the FAT32 drive. You may need to split larger files or convert them to a different format.
• Transfer Speed: Transferring a large amount of data (like 700GB) may take some time, so be patient during the process.

By following these steps, you should be able to transfer your music files without data loss efficiently.