convert to NTFS

[karl]

i currently have them laptop with amd athlon processor xp 2600+ 1.99 ghz 480mb of ram with FAT32 file system i want to convert this to NTFS file system but am not sure if i will loose my files or something
will i loose my files or maybe my system wont be able to handle NTFS in some way please help

<<hahaha!

[DreamAddict]

backup your important files … just in case.
Otherwise you should be fine.

[karl]

yes but what i want to know is a definite yes or a definite no that they will be wiped, maybe someone who has done this before?

[r3m0t]

If there’s a menu item or button called “Convert to NTFS”, Windows ought to be able to tell you.

NTFS can be handled by Windows NT or XP, but not by older versions of windows such as ME. (From the laptop specs, you’re probably using XP.)

<<hahaha!

Genius, eh?

[karl]

aha! i found this in the windows help thingy

To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt
Open the Command Prompt window.
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.

Notes

To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command.
Related Topics

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the ntfs format.

[Tomas]

I have converted to ntfs a few time in win2k before, and have never lost any files.
Just make sure you do infact convert it and not actually format it.

[r3m0t]

I have some unpartitioned space. I’ll try it.

[r3m0t]

C:\Documents and Settings\Tomer>convert D:\gent_bit /FS:NTFS
The type of the file system is FAT32.
Enter current volume label for drive D:\gent_bit lart
An incorrect volume label was entered for this drive.

C:\Documents and Settings\Tomer>convert D:\gent_bit /FS:NTFS
The type of the file system is FAT32.
Enter current volume label for drive D:\gent_bit NEW VOLUME
Volume NEW VOLUME created 10/31/2004 10:07 AM
Volume Serial Number is 7863-A458
Windows is verifying files and folders…
File and folder verification is complete.
Windows has checked the file system and found no problems.
23,756,544 KB total disk space.
16 KB in 1 hidden files.
1,088 KB in 68 folders.
804,528 KB in 766 files.
22,950,896 KB are available.

   16,384 bytes in each allocation unit.
1,484,784 total allocation units on disk.
1,434,431 allocation units available on disk.

Determining disk space required for file system conversion…
Total disk space: 23768167 KB
Free space on volume: 22950896 KB
Space required for conversion: 91265 KB
Converting file system
Conversion complete

My stuff is still there. It was extremely quick, but there aren’t many files on the volume to convert.

Incidentally, if you ever want to try Linux you won’t be able to. Just a warning.

(You will also need to know the volume label to type in as a confirmation: right-click the drive and select Properties.)

[karl]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh yesssssssssss it worked oh yeh
i done restart f8 safe mode with command prompt then them type convert or what ever c is currently bein g used by blablabblab would you like to terminate this process y/n? y
could not terminate process would you like to figtigwig next time the computer starts? y/n y
ok
off on
chekin disk
windows is sayin about some disk space and processin files and stuff
convert complete oh yeh
windows+e
c properties
file system ntfs oh yeh
no file have been lost!!!

[r3m0t]

Fun fun.

[DreamAddict]

Yay!