fat32-ntfs

how do i go about and change a hard drive thats fat32 to ntfs? i am using win xp. i dont mind formating my hd

 

Use FAT32 if possible.
To make 1 primary partition if HD larger than ~60GB you will require NTFS, but if not using local security or quotas or encryption etc. you don't need NTFS if you can avoid it.
Given a choice of 1 x 80GB partition (NTFS) or 2 x 40GB (FAT32), if you want only C:\ then must use NTFS.
But nobody with small drives really wants NTFS if they can avoid it...
You can 'promote' or convert a logical volume (partition) to NTFS, but you wouldn't do that to two small partitions - you would want to bust 'em out and make 1 big NTFS partition, capish?
Go to Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management
Regards

 

i need ntfs because i need to convert one of my fat32 because of a 98 windows

 

are there any problems if my main HD is NTFS and my external is FAT32 as far as file transfers and back ups. I'm not worried about partitioning (should i be?) any thoughts are much appreciated

 

any thoughts? don't want to be impatient, but i'm not using the external HD until i figure this out

 

From a command line type:
convert driveletter: /fs:ntfs
That converts the drive letter specified to NTFS. Note that it is a one way conversion and can't be converted back to FAT32. It will not erase your data, but you should make a backup just in case.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/convertfat.mspx

You only need FAT32 if you still need to run Windows 9x/ME. NTFS is a much better file system, with file level permissions, File sizes > 4 gigs (useful for large ISO files), and many more features that you can't get with FAT file systems.

 

[bold]How to Convert FAT32 Drives to NTFS [/bold]

One of the saddest things I see out there in Windows XP land is the new computer with a large hard disk formatted as a single FAT32 partition. FAT32 was available with Win98 and WinME and is an unreliable file system that just doesn't have the features and robust stability of the NT File System (NTFS).

If your computer manufacturer stuck you with FAT32 then you're in luck! You can fix this with a simple command at the command prompt:

1. Click Start and then click the Run command.
2. In the Run dialog box, type cmd in the Open text box. Click OK. 3. At the command prompt type convert x: /FS:NTFS /V (replace the 'x:' with the letter of the drive you want to convert to NTFS. After typing in the command press [ENTER].
4. You'll be asked for the Volume Label. Most drives don't have volume labels, but you can find the label by right clicking on your drive letter in the Windows Explorer and clicking the Properties command. On the General Tab you'll see a text box at the top. If there's nothing in there, you have no volume label. If there is something in there, that's your volume label.
5. You'll see the names of the files fly by as they are being converted. You may need to restart the computer. You may also get a message that the volume is in use and that the system cannot be converted. If that happens, type in the following command at the command prompt convert x: /FS:NTFS /V /X (replace the 'x:' with the drive letter that you want to convert). It might take awhile if you have a lot of files on the drive, so be patient. You’ll be informed when the process is done.

After the drive is converted to NTFS, you can compress files. You system will end up being a lot more stable and you're less likely to lose your work if the system does crash.

All this can be used, when you are using Windows XP a Fat32 system. By changing the file system this way, you will not be losing any data. You don't even have to format the system. (Another way, is to use the option of changing the file system when you are installing the Windows XP. But, then the disk will be formatted and then changed to the NTFS one)

But, there's a small disadvantage in moving from Fat32 to NTFS. You cannot change from the NTFS to FAT32 without formating the disk. So, better act wise and then change.

I had personally used FAT32 for a very long time. Then, i changed it to the NTFS file system, the way mentioned above. Used NTFS for about 2 years. All worked well. Infact very well. Much of security in everything. Even your documents, to that matter, any file in your my documents folder cannot be opened by any other user. To access the files you will have to login with your user id only.
Sounds interesting... but, on one fine day, i had a very bad experience... I was actually using Windows 98 on my C:\ drive with a FAT32 file system and the D:\ drive contained windows XP on an NTFS file system... I accidentally deleted a system file from the Root Directory in C:\ and that was the end of it. I could not logon to the XP anymore. Even when I copied new system files to the C:\ Root directory. I could not logon to the XP.
The thing is that, when you are on a Fat32 system, you cannot view the NTFS system. FAT32 does not recognise NTFS at all. I just could not locate my drive D:\ at all. I had very important documents in my documents folder which had to be retrived. So, I tried to install a New Windows XP operating system on the third drive (i.e. drive E:\), on an NTFS filesystem on this drive.
With this I could only view the files on the drive. But, I could not view my files in the "My Documents" folder, as it was blocked with a username and password.
I had to take my computer to many software technicians in my city here. But, to no use. It was a month after all this happened, that i could at last work out to retrieve my files. But, thats again a different story. So, from that day on, I have changed my file system on my PC to FAT32, as I suppose the security provided by this one is enough. I recommend NTFS only to those in a corporate setup.

If my found the stuff interesting. please do reply back. I would be more than willing to answer your queries.
bye.

 

i got stuck on the first step, my drive letter is C:, so i typed it under the run command, "the black screen" C: /FS:NTFS /V and nothing happened

 

here u go chum
To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt

1.Open Command Prompt. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.

2.In the command prompt window, type: convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the ntfs format. You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command.

Important Once you convert a drive or partition to NTFS, you cannot simply convert it back to FAT or FAT32. You will need to reformat the drive or partition which will erase all data, including programs and personal files, on the partition.

 

I have an Acer Aspire laptop with an 80GB drive partitioned into two 40GB sections running Windows XP (FAT 32). If I converted it to NTFS would I need to convert each partition? Right now the second partition is only for storage and does not contain anything so it is ok if I end up with only one 80GB partition/drive.

 

Hi NipDar,
Windows OS is installed, so you cannot make 1 large (80GB) partition without reinstalling.
In theory, you could use Partition Magic to delete empty partition and merge free space into C:\ partition, then convert to NTFS.
But FAT32 will not recognise 80GB partition...
(ddp says he has huge FAT32 partitions, but I don't think he made them with MS-DOS FDisk) and I cannot make an 80GB partition without NTFS.
If I were you, I would delete all the partitions on the 80GB (it will then be 'raw' like it left the factory). WinXP likes harddisks raw.
I would format a tiny FAT partition as what WinXP will call System Partition.
With FDisk, select 'no' to large volume support (which is actually asking if you want to use FAT32).
Then select largest possible partition and yes make active.
You will get 2GB FAT16 partition C:\
This is useful for troubleshooting bootup problems (boot.ini and ntldr) that cannot be accessed on NTFS.
Also, FAT partition is required to dual-boot OS (ie. Linux).
Windows install from CD is also pleased to see 2GB partition, which it will use to unpack files.
Then, point your Windows install to 78GB raw space, format NTFS.
I don't recommend 'quick' format, do full format.
You will then have 2GB FAT C:\ (system partition) and 78GB NTFS D:\ (boot partition).
Most of us oldtimers love FAT32 and worry about NTFS (do we need it?) but for working with files >4GB and of course giant partitions, NTFS is the only game in town.
Regards

 

Thanks for the help The_OGS.

I just looked at the Win XP disk that came with the laptop and it is a restore disk not a full version. Does that change anything? If I follow what kvpk said ("command prompt type convert x: /FS:NTFS" etc), will that convert both partitions so I can get around not having a full version to use for a fresh install? Or do I need to do it once for each partition and replace "x" with each partition's drive letter? Just go buy a full version of XP???

Thanks again.

 

Hey,
Using Win XP, I formatted my archos av480 after the HD went a little mad. Following the formatting, windows returned an I/O device error when i tried to access the HD through "my computer". I had earlier read that it is better to format the archos in Fat32 then NTFS. Hopefully, by doing so windows might make up with the archos and work together for my sanity. However, Win XP does not give me the option to format in FAT32 and when i accessed computer management there didnt seem to be an option there either. Therefore:

1) Will formating the external HD (archos) with FAT32 solve my problem, or at least be worth a try?
2)Is it possible to revert from NTFS to FAT32 using win XP home edition SP2?

Any feedback very much appreciated,