FAT32 -> NTFS

alexthecheese · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:27

Hi

I have some rather large files that I need to uncompress and I'm having problems due to the fact that they are over 4 gigs. I need to convert from FAT32 to NTFS but cant remember how. I'm sure you can do it with an in-built tool within Windows XP Pro... is that right? ta

badbob · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:29

I would recommend you buy another drive, format that to NTFS and copy across.
Converting partition is a bit risky, will take a long time, and require free disc space.

alexthecheese · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:30

It's an external 500gig drive and I have 150gigs free. I've done it before with Partition Magic, and it did it on the fly and was really quick - once I'd done it I was told that I could've just used the windows tool. Is that not right?

Deleted member 58846 · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:30

the command is

convert [c:] /FS:NTFS

deadite66 · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:32

doing it that way will give you an inefficient cluster size.
best way is to backup then format

alexthecheese · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:35

Short of buying a new drive, backing up my stuff is impossible.

Maybe I should just leave it, or try partition magic again...

badbob · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:36

backing up my stuff is impossible.

DVD writer, with DVD-R or DVD-RW's? Free up space, fresh OS install format to NTFS? Then restore your data.

alexthecheese · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:52

It's 350 gigs of stuff that I cant really dont want to lose. Thanks for the thought, but that would be a lot of DVDrs!

rpstewart · 24 Sep 2007 at 20:55

deadite66 said:
doing it that way will give you an inefficient cluster size.
best way is to backup then format

There's nothing wrong with using the convert.exe route. Inefficient use of clusters is a FAT trait, NTFS will deal quite happily with 4K clusters well into the terabyte range.

MrWhippy · 25 Sep 2007 at 19:07

tbh, if you've got 350Gb of data you "don't want to lose", you really ought to buy another hdd, format it, copy the stuff across and keep the current drive as a backup of said data.

cos if you really don't want to lose it, you need it backed up, and like you say, it's an awfull lot of dvdr's...

badbob · 25 Sep 2007 at 19:23

And if the conversition fails for some reason you'll have lost more or less everything. Just buy another HD.

FAT32 -> NTFS

Deleted member 58846

Deleted member 58846