You may want to change the format of your Virtual Disk to NTFS in order to store individual files larger than 4GB. There are different methods to change the format of a Virtual Disk. One way will allow you to keep all your data inside the Virtual Disk by converting it to NTFS. The other will require you to either move data out of the Virtual Disk or delete the disk's contents. To do this please follow these steps.
Convert with the command line
It is strongly recommended to backup the contents of your Virtual Disk before proceeding.
Step 1.
To start with you can either create a new Virtual Disk by following this article:
KB338 - How do I use Virtual Disks?
Or move on to the next step if you already have a Virtual Disk that you would like to change to NTFS.
Step 2.
Mount your Virtual Disk by double-clicking the Virtual Disk and selecting Mount in the Virtual Disk Manager.
Step 3.
In the Virtual Disk Management screen take note of the drive letter (left-hand column) that has been assigned. In this example the drive letter is D:
Step 4.
Open the Command Line by holding Windows + R, type cmd and press OK
Step 5.
In the Command Line type convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs and then press Enter
In our example we are converting the D: drive to NTFS so we have entered convert D: /fs:ntfs
Step 6.
You will be offered the choice to unmount the drive to complete the conversion. Type Y and press Enter.
Step 7.
This will convert the Virtual Disk to NTFS while retaining all data on the disk intact. To use the Virtual Disk, you will need to unmount and then mount the Virtual Disk in the Virtual Disk Manager again.
Format with Explorer
Formatting your Virtual Disk will delete all data inside of it. Ensure you have backed up the data correctly before proceeding.
Step 1.
To start with you can either create a new Virtual Disk by following this article:
KB338 - How do I use Virtual Disks?
Or move on to the next step if you already have a Virtual Disk that you would like to change to NTFS.
Step 2.
Mount your Virtual Disk by double-clicking the Virtual Disk and selecting Mount in the Virtual Disk Manager.
Step 3.
Go to Computer (My Computer in Windows 7) by pressing the Windows + E keys together.
Step 4.
Right-click your mounted drive and select Format
Step 5.
Change the format to NTFS and click Start
If you have backed up your data to a secure location, click OK to confirm the deletion of all data on the disk. If you haven't backed up your data, please click Cancel and complete your backup before carrying on.
Once the format is complete, your Virtual Disk will now be in NTFS format and you can move your data back inside the Virtual Disk.
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