Ntfs / Fat32

[billyo]

just looking at my hardrives and i noticed that one of them is FAT32 which i think is for mac or windows 98/2000 os..and the other one is NTFS which i know is for windows xp..how do you go about changing the fat32 ( i have kma files loaded to fat32 ) to ntfs.? ( can hoster read my kma files on fat32 ?)

[mindonstrike]

I read somewhere (might be urban legend) that for best performance (in XP) you should use ntsf for program files and fat32 for data.
I doubt it has any negative effects on Hoster. I think that's what my external drive for my laptop is but I'd have to check to besure of that. I think you'll find your usb memory sticks are fat32.

The only way to change fat32 to ntsf is to reformat, no way around it.

Sam

[George]

Originally Posted by mindonstrike

The only way to change fat32 to ntsf is to reformat, no way around it.

Sam

Then why is this in the Windows Manual?

"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 started to convert to NTFS a year or so ago, but stopped short when I saw it was irrevocable.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by mindonstrike

I read somewhere (might be urban legend) that for best performance (in XP) you should use ntsf for program files and fat32 for data.
I doubt it has any negative effects on Hoster. I think that's what my external drive for my laptop is but I'd have to check to besure of that. I think you'll find your usb memory sticks are fat32.

The only way to change fat32 to ntsf is to reformat, no way around it.

Sam

i read somewhere that you can change it thru disc management. but they didnt say how..i was hoping someone in the forum knows how

[billyo]

Originally Posted by George

Then why is this in the Windows Manual?

"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 started to convert to NTFS a year or so ago, but stopped short when I saw it was irrevocable.

i just got done researching this and can't uderstand most of it, but i was about to do it, and i chickened out. i read that,and youre right that i will lose my files and etc. it said that the best way to do this is to moved everything out to another drive first, and then proceed to changing it..so i may have to do that just in case i messed up

[ddouglass]

Just to clear a few things up. FAT32 actually came out with Windows 98. The problem with FAT(File Allocation Table)32 is that there are no security functions. All files are accessible by anyone connecting to your computer.
If you convert to NTFS then yes George it is irreversible, but who would want to go back to it anyway?
NTFS is more secure and more stable than FAT32 (how many times did Windows 98 crash for you?) A couple of people have asked to be able to secure their KMA files to prevent them being copied by an employee. This is one way to make it much harder for them to copy the files.
This is the link to the command information sheet:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true
Or to simplify it - Click on Start, and go to Run. Type "cmd" and hit enter. This will open a "DOS" window. Type in convert e: /fs:ntfs /v (e: being the drive you want to convert. This does not erase your files, however it is always a good idea to make a backup before starting anything like this. If the command cannot lock (have exclusive use) your drive, then it will offer to do it on the next restart.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

Just to clear a few things up. FAT32 actually came out with Windows 98. The problem with FAT(File Allocation Table)32 is that there are no security functions. All files are accessible by anyone connecting to your computer.
If you convert to NTFS then yes George it is irreversible, but who would want to go back to it anyway?
NTFS is more secure and more stable than FAT32 (how many times did Windows 98 crash for you?) A couple of people have asked to be able to secure their KMA files to prevent them being copied by an employee. This is one way to make it much harder for them to copy the files.
This is the link to the command information sheet:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d....mspx?mfr=true
Or to simplify it - Click on Start, and go to Run. Type "cmd" and hit enter. This will open a "DOS" window. Type in convert e: /fs:ntfs /v (e: being the drive you want to convert. This does not erase your files, however it is always a good idea to make a backup before starting anything like this. If the command cannot lock (have exclusive use) your drive, then it will offer to do it on the next restart.

i have 2 ext. drive connected to my laptop, is it better to take one out and leave the drive that i wanted to convert and type in convert/fs:ntfs/v ( g: being the drive i wanted to convert ? )this might be a dumb question..but if i make a back-up of my drive ( fat32 )
wont that still be the same fat32 file ? but its just gonna be on a diff. drive ? thanks for your help..( i'll be doing this over the weekend got a show this friday )

[ddouglass]

A backup only backs up the files, not the file system, so no it won't be the same. And yes I would unplug one before doing the other, so it won't get confused. Actually I have never done an external drive so not sure it will if it has to do it at start up. If it can't find the drive it will error out and not do anything so no harm.

[mindonstrike]

Originally Posted by George

Then why is this in the Windows Manual?

"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 started to convert to NTFS a year or so ago, but stopped short when I saw it was irrevocable.

After doing some research online it appears you are correct, a fat32 drive can be simply converted without loss of data, although most info I found suggested moving it or backing it up just to be safe. Going the other direction seems to be trickier.

Originally Posted by Dale

If you convert to NTFS then yes George it is irreversible, but who would want to go back to it anyway?

I have an ME machine that I still use regularly which will not recognize NTFS. When I have a file or collection of files I need to move either to or from that machine, that are to big for the memory stick, I have to use an external HD to do so. For that reason I generally setup those drives as fat32. Some of the online research I did claims that Mac's can read but not write to NTFS, so that might be another situation that would warrant keeping an external drive as fat32.

Sam

[George]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

(how many times did Windows 98 crash for you?)

Since you asked...rarely. I found 98SE to be very stable, but then I gave it the attention any system deserves, namely a monthly cleaning out of Temp internet files, performing scan disc for repairs, and defrag.

I still do it today on both boxes with XP, along with a weekly clone with Norton Ghost from c: to the backup drive, to insure all the updates that I've installed are on the back up drive, so I will truly have a working back up. Keep a clean running pc and there will be minimum problems.


Regarding my reluctance to change file systems. I don't mess with what's working, and if the router firewalls, Windows Defender, Norton Internet Security,etc won't keep a hacker out then there's little chance a file system will prevent my little old pc from getting hacked, especially when you consider that even with all their millions of bucks, Microsoft has been hacked.

You asked.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

A backup only backs up the files, not the file system, so no it won't be the same. And yes I would unplug one before doing the other, so it won't get confused. Actually I have never done an external drive so not sure it will if it has to do it at start up. If it can't find the drive it will error out and not do anything so no harm.

bought a new hardrive and it was fat32 system..it didnt say it on the box when i bought it..so since it is new i figured i might as well follow your instruction..got a msg " dont recognized internal/external drive...so i closed and re-start..got a bad msg " microsoft has encountered a bad error "..so i closed and re-start..then i checked the systemm "fat32 " still..so i was gonna reformat but when the reformat page came on ..left side of the page says " ntfs file ".... ( dont' know whats going on..) so i think i'm just gonna leave it the way the drives are..since its not hurting anything..

[George]

Deleted.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by billyo

bought a new hardrive and it was fat32 system..it didnt say it on the box when i bought it..so since it is new i figured i might as well follow your instruction..got a msg " dont recognized internal/external drive...so i closed and re-start..got a bad msg " microsoft has encountered a bad error "..so i closed and re-start..then i checked the systemm "fat32 " still..so i was gonna reformat but when the reformat page came on ..left side of the page says " ntfs file ".... ( dont' know whats going on..) so i think i'm just gonna leave it the way the drives are..since its not hurting anything..

What ever works, go with it. If you do decide to reformat it best way to do it is from the disk management through the control panel.

[billyo]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

What ever works, go with it. If you do decide to reformat it best way to do it is from the disk management through the control panel.

thanks for your suggestion..i think i'll just leave it the way it is...thank you i do appreciate your continous help..