FAT32 to NTFS Conversion

- using convert.exe - 

Whether to use FAT32 or NTFS for your hard drive file system had always been controversial.  I prefer FAT32 and have never needed NTFS except for video capture (it allows virtually unlimited file sizes), but I keep my main drive with FAT32.  That way I can access the files with a Win98 boot disk for troubleshooting and disaster recovery.

But, many prefer NTFS, so the instructions are included here.

Considerations before you decide to convert using convert.exe

• the NTFS sector size is always 512 bytes, but the cluster size can be set to 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8102, 16k, 32k, 64k
• Win98 machines can read NTFS partitions through a LAN, as can virtually any machine on the LAN
• There is a 4 GB file size limit with FAT32, and for video work files can definitely exceed 4 GB.  In that case, leave your two operating system partitions as FAT32, and convert your Video capture drive to NTFS.
• Only the operating system decides whether a partition's file system can be read - NOT THE FILE SYSTEM OF THE BOOT DRIVE.  
• Win98-ME can read FAT32
• WinXP-2000 can read FAT32 and NTFS

For example, you can boot with a FAT32 partition with XP, and it can read FAT32 and NTFS.  The fact that the boot drive is FAT32 has no bearing on what file systems the OS can read.  Similarly, you can boot with an NTFS partition with XP, and it can read FAT32 and NTFS.  Win98 can only boot on a FAT32 drive, and can only read FAT32 partitions.

Dual-Boot Machines (one WinXP partition and one Win98 partiton)

*** assume you have two bootable partitions (Drives C and D), Win98 and XP, both on FAT32 partitions, and several other partitions (Drives E, F, and G) :

Case 1 - leave both as FAT32 - his is great because if either system crashes and will not boot - you can boot into the other OS, and access the files on both partitions to do repairs.

Case 2 - convert WinXP boot partition to NTFS - unfortunatley, if XP crashes and will not boot - you cannot boot into Win98 and access the NTFS files to do repairs

Case 3 -  leave both as FAT32, and convert drive E to NTFS - this is the best solution - you can boot into the other OS, and access the files on both partitions to do repairs.  You can also use Drive E for video projects with unlimited files sizes (in the Tera-bytes)

using Convert.exe

*** runs on XP in a DOS box (Start/Run . . . cmd)

Convert.exe will not convert back to FAT32 once you convert the partition and files to NTFS !!!  However this is not a problem - Partition Magic will do this for you.  Or you can move the files to another local drive or network drive, use delpart to get rid of the NTFS partition, and fdisk to create the same partition as FAT32, and move the files back.

1)  open a DOS box  (Start/Run . . . cmd.exe )
2)  cd \windows\system32
3)  convert.exe  drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

NOTE:  when you run the convert c: /FS: NTFS command, you might be asked to either restart the computer or allow the utility to "dismount" the partition. If asked to dismount, make sure all your files are closed first, and then allow the utility to dismount.