FAT 32 to NTFS conversion

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kathie
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K

Kathie

I am a new user and have a question that I really have not seen an answer to.
If I convert my hard drive from FAT 32 to NTFS, do the computers drivers need
to be reinstalled? I think that the answer to the question is no, because
everything that I have read says that there is no data loss. This is for a
computer running Windows XP Pro installed over Windows 98.
Thank you for any help and insight.
 
The answer to your question is 'no', but you deserve more than simply that.

A file system (like FAT32 or NTFS) is the manner in which files are
organized on your hard disk. Nothing happens to the files stored on your
hard disk when you change the file system - they're just laid out in a
different way. To give a simplistic comparison: If you re-arrange your
socks drawer so that your socks are now organized by brand instead of by
color, you haven't done anything to the socks.

Converting from FAT32 to NTFS is safe, BUT you should always backup
before doing operations on your hard disk.
 
If it runs, doesn't burp, gurp or slurp then stay FAT and happy :-)

If you are "Dual Booting" and using Win98
then it (Win98) does not support NTFS and will no longer function.
If however you mean you upgraded Win98 to WinXP and XP is
your only OS then converting to NTFS is not a problem.

Read these tips:
Converting a partition from FAT32 to NTFS:
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.php
At the end of the above article it talks about product activation.

How to convert a FAT16 volume or a FAT32 volume to an NTFS file system in
Windows XP
MS KB Article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881

It is recommended that you backup all you critical data files or
better still create an "Image Backup" of the entire Windows partition/drive.
There is always a slight chance that something can go wrong and that
backup will then be worth it's weight in gold.

Don't have an Image Backup utility, then try True Image.
True Image 2009 (has a 15 day trial version available, trial version
which can create a Restore/Rescue CD, but I have not verified this yet)
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

JS
http://www.pagestart.com
 
Thank you all for the answers. No, it is not a dual boot machine, it is only
running Windows XP. The computer in question is used in a retail setting and
runs a program through a mapped drive, where the program is stored on another
computer. The reason I want to do this conversion is that the program
actually suggests that you run NTFS. The other computers are. This computer
is slow and sluggish and the employees are complaining about performance. I
just noticed the disparity between the file systems yesterday. I am hoping
that if I do the conversion and make the computer compatible with the
software, it will run better. Fortunately, this is the primary use of the
computer and there really are no other programs that run on it. Thanks again.
 
Can you tell us the specifications:
Make, Model, how much Ram Memory, Free disk space,
Network Card speed?

JS
 
if you are running specialized
applications used by retail stores
or accounting software with high
encryption, you should actually
refer and consult with those
software providers before doing
"anything" to the machine.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
 
It is a no-name computer, 2.00 ghz, 96 MB Ram, 34 GB free. I don't know the
network card speed.
 
We run only one program, I installed and maintain for the company. When the
program was first installed 2 yrs ago is when this computer was upgraded to
XP for the program. The RAM may have been upgraded as well, I don't have
updated specs. Plus the POS software is not actually installed on this
computer.
 
96MB of RAM is inadequate for Windows XP alone, let alone additional
software. That's why the computer is slow.
 
I would say that you have 128MBs of RAM, all up.
Totally insufficent to run XP properly.
Get the RAM upgraded to 512 MBs, or 2 x 256MBs, depending on capacity of
Memory slots on your Motherboard.
Having run '98SE, it is an old computer, and needs a bit of a hardware
overhaul.
 
Kathie said:
We run only one program, I installed and maintain for the company. When
the
program was first installed 2 yrs ago is when this computer was upgraded
to
XP for the program. The RAM may have been upgraded as well, I don't have
updated specs. Plus the POS software is not actually installed on this
computer.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't have a problem shifting to NTFS, but on the other hand, it
likely won't affect performance much, either.

Any time you are making a change like this, you should be sure you have a
current backup.

As to doing this for compatibility, applications don't generally care at all
about the filesystem - the OS does.

Your application probably wants you to use NTFS for system reliability and
security reasons, *not* compatibility reasons.

One exception to that statement would be if the application generates files
in excess of 4gb. FAT32 disks just can't do that, but the symptom will not
be slowness.

In the end, if you're looking at a performance issue - it's probably not due
to NTFS. A symptom of a failing hard disk can be performance
degradation - the OS is trying and trying to verify the disk reads and takes
longer and longer.

Hard disks do have limited life spans, yours sounds like it is at least 3 or
4 years old. Drives are cheap now (where I am, 80 gig drives, if you can
find them, are around $40, and 500's are around $70), and if you suspect
this, it's probably worth just replacing the drive. These days this is a
trivial task.

As a quick check, open the system and look at the date of manufacture on
the drive, and the model number. Now look up the model number on Google,
and in the drive specs look for MTBF - Mean Time Before Failure.

You can probably clone the drive to a new one in an hour or so. If the
cloning fails due to disk error, well, you've found the performance problem.

HTH
-pk
 
Kathie said:
It is a no-name computer, 2.00 ghz, 96 MB Ram, 34 GB free. I don't know
the
network card speed.
Click to expand...

Agreed that this PC doesn't have enough memory and that's the performance
problem.

I would hesitate at adding memory as this system would likely use and older
and more expensive form of RAM - more expensive to the point that it could
be better to replace the PC than add memory.

For reference, I regularly see and buy used name-brand 3-gHz Pentium 4
machines with 512 meg RAM and 40 gig drives, with valid and legal XP Pro
licenses, in very good condition, for around $200 or less (no keyboard,
mouse or monitor).

I'd replace that system if its performance is an issue.

HTH
-pk
 
I am hoping
that if I do the conversion and make the computer compatible with the
software, it will run better
Click to expand...

Pure snake oil. Programs do not know anything about file systems per
se, that is what the operating system is for. If a program is
compatible with a given operating system, it will run.

For speed, FAT32 is faster than NTFS for partition sizes <60GB, slower
for >60GB. If the program is running slowly, there is likely to be
more wrong than the file system.

Also, it is possible to convert a FAT32 disk to a 512 cluster NTFS
rather than a 4K (default value) cluster, then you really will find
out what 'slow hard disk' means!
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.
 
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