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Hard Drive Format Question, FAT32 to NTFS?
It's my understanding that NTFS is a better format to operate XP in. I purchased a laptop last year, and my HDD is in FAT 32 format. I wish to convert it, if it is truly better. I realize this will require a recovery of my HDD; I don't have a problem with this.
My question, however, is about one of my partitions, which includes the recovery program for my computer (in lieu of a recovery CD). Since everything would be wiped, is there a way to reformat to NTFS without losing the program? If not, can I just reformat the C: partition, with Windows on it, and leave the other partition how it is?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
4 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade agoFavorite Answer
changing FAT32 to NTFS does not result in loss of data
- 1 decade ago
i got this from microsoft.....
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CAN I CONVERT ONE SYSTEM TO THE OTHER?
Ideally, a disk is initially formatted in the file system which is to be used permanently — NTFS, for example, can then put the Master File Table in its optimal location in the middle of the partition.
However, on an upgrade of an existing system, the file system is left as it is. For example, an upgraded Windows 98 system will be on FAT32. Also, some computer makers ship new computers with all partitions formatted as FAT32. These can be converted to NTFS if that seems more suitable to your needs. If you use the method described here, the result will be nearly as satisfactory as if a fresh format to NTFS had been done.
But this conversion is a one-way process. Windows XP provides a native tool for converting FAT to NTFS, but no tool for converting NTFS to FAT. It may be possible to convert NTFS to FAT using Partition Magic 7.01, but the result is uncertain. It you attempt it, it is essential that you first decrypt all encrypted files, or they will be forever inaccessible. (For this reason, Partition Magic will stop if it finds one.) If it is a new machine, too, be sure that your warranty will not be compromised by doing a file system conversion.
A further aspect that needs caution is that the conversion may result in the NTFS permissions on the partition and its folders being not the simple general access that might be expected. It is certainly important that the conversion be done when logged in as an Administrator.
Source(s): MICROSOFT - 1 decade ago
you can change all the drives to ntfs with out deleting a thing heres a link on how to do it.
- ?Lv 45 years ago
why definite of path... the fat32 stress may be good to keep records on like music, movies, etc. jointly as you shop your os and different stuff on the NTFS... fat 32 is extra risky and NTFS is extra good yet fat32 is particularly quicker...
