Conversion to NTFS - implications for recovery procedures

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
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J

John

I'm thinking of converting a mixed set of partitions (some FAT32, some
NTFS), to NTFS only.

Some of my established procedures rely on my ability to get 'outside
of' windows, using DOS. I've read that DOS won't run in an NTFS
partition so how does one, for example, modify or replace windows
files without being blocked because they are in use?
 
Hi

You can convert FAT32 partitions to NTFS partitions without losing any
files. Type the following from a command prompt to see the options
available:

convert /?

I've never had any problems using the above command, although it may prudent
to backup all your data files beforehand - which I do.

--


Will Denny
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups
 
John,

When the conversion from FATx to NTFS is done on the System partition, it is
actually done on system reboot - very early in the boot process and before
most of Windows even is loaded. Assuming that you have a sufficient amount
of space on the drive for the conversion process to take place, there should
be no issues.

I think that you will find NTFS a more robust, faster performing and secure
file system than FATx.

- Greg/Raxco Software
Microsoft MVP - Windows File System

Want to email me? Delete ntloader.
 
My thanks to Will and Greg.

Unfortunately, I now realise from your responses that my question was
ambiguously worded for which I apologise.

It was perfectly logical to assume that by 'established procedures' I
meant procedures for switching to NTFS. However, that is not what I
intended to convey.

To dispose of the conversion matter first. I run Partition Magic and
want to use it to do the conversion because I am finally persuaded,
after a cautious introduction over the past year, that NTFS is just
fine in almost all respects.

However, my question was intended to address my one remaining doubt
about NTFS in the XP environment.

I am accustomed (by 'my established procedures) to dealing with
certain Windows problems by setting up a DOS environment so that I can
'get at' certain XP files which would be in use were I runnning
Windows XP itself. A simple example is when I want to reinstall
Windows (when the existing one becomes hopelessly cluttered e.g.), I
go into DOS and rename the Windows folder 'oldwindows' and do a 'fresh
install' selecting what missing files I need from oldwindows as and
when attempts to run applications report the absence of a file they
need. I wouldn't want the discussion to get into this particular
example - it is just to illustrate how DOS is sometimes valuable.

Now, the crux. DOS won't run on NTFS, I've read. That being the
case, how does one do things 'outside' windows. How, for that matter,
does Partition Magic do it?

I suspect that Greg has already provided the answer if I'm smart
enough to 'get it'. He referred to file changes being effected before
Windows loads. OK - so what operating system is interfacing between
the commands of keyboard, or more accurately, software, and the
actions leading to file changes such as, for example, the change to
NTFS. Come to think of it, what OS is interfacing between the
'format' command and the hard disk changes that are made?

Grateful to anyone who can clear this up for me.
 
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