TSGL: Fw: Convert FAT32 to NTFS

Fri Feb 9 15:51:08 EST 2007

Dieter,

If you want to convert it, just make sure you have a decent whack of free
space on the drive, it will speed up the process and reduce the risk of
problems.

It's not required, but fat32 is more limited a format than NTFS

The main issue is this... taken from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463

•You cannot format a volume larger than 32 gigabytes (GB) in size using the
FAT32 file system during the Windows XP installation process. Windows XP can
mount and support FAT32 volumes larger than 32 GB (subject to the other
limits), but you cannot create a FAT32 volume larger than 32 GB by using the
Format tool during Setup. If you need to format a volume that is larger than
32 GB, use the NTFS file system to format it. Another option is to start
from a Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
Startup disk and use the Format tool included on the disk.

So basically, the advantages of NTFS are minimal if the drive is just used
for storage of personal files.

Regards,

Justin
-- 
http://www.whisperer.com.au

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On 09/02/07, Dieter @ California <go2dieter at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Hasanat ...
>
> My new G: drive is a minature 120GB WD portable drive formatted to FAT32.
> It is already in use without any problems.  Since my other C: and D:
> drives
> are NTFS, I thought I should convert this new external drive also to NTFS.
> Is that really required?  Please, don't lose me with too much technical
> stuff. When you're pushing 80, there's not much left.
>
> Dieter
>
> ========================================
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "A Hasanat Khan" <hasanat at sparkbd.net>
> To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" <list at tsgserver.com>
> Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 7:53 PM
> Subject: Re: TSGL: Convert FAT32 to NTFS
>
>
> > Dieter,
> >
> > The volume label is nothing but the NAME given to that partition, which
> is
> > found next to the drive letter, G. If there is no name, just leave it
> > blank.
> >
> > However, converting from fat32 to NTFS is not that simple.*I have just
> > converted all my partitions, and steps have to be taken to prevent
> > fragmenting of the Master File Table (MFT). I came across the procedure
> in
> > the handbook, Windows XP Inside Out, by Bott and Siechert.
> >
> > I quote, abbreviating the procedure,
> >
> > 1, Defragment the drive, with consolidating free space.
> > 2. Calculate the size of the MFT, roughly 12.5% of drive size.
> > 3. Use the fsutil command to create a contiguous file in the root drive.
> > equal in size to the MFT size. For example type in the command prompt
> > 'fsutil file createnew g:\testfile.txt 1250000000'  The last number is
> the
> > calculated size of the MFT in BYTES. This will create a new contiguous
> > file
> > of the calculated MFT size named testfile.txt in the drive.
> > 4. This will not run if a contiguous space of the correct size is not
> > available on the drive. In that case you will have to go back and
> > defragment
> > again, or delete some files if the drive is nearly full. The NTFS file
> > system does use a lot of space for the MFT
> > 4. Run the convert command, using the following syntax
> > ' convert g: /fs:ntfs /cvtarea:testfile.txt
> > 5. If necessary, restart.
> > You do not say what the size of the drive is, or I could have calculated
> > the
> > MFT size.
> >
> > As I said I have converted all my drives this way and everything is all
> > right.
> >
> > Best of luck
> >
> > Hasanat
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dieter @ California" <go2dieter at comcast.net>
> > To: "Tech Support Guy Mailing List" <list at tsgserver.com>
> > Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 8:46 AM
> > Subject: TSGL: Convert FAT32 to NTFS
> >
> >
> >>I want to convert my external G: drive from FAT32 to NTFS.  After ...
> >>CONVERT G: /fs:ntfs ... it asks me to ... enter the current volume label
> >>for Drive G:.  I don't understand the question.  What precisely is it I
> >>have to enter?
> >>
> >> I tried to name the drive ... External Drive G: ... but that doesn't
> >> work.
> >>
> >> Dieter
> >> _______________________________________________
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