FAT32 files?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tami
  • Start date Start date
T

Tami

I recently upgraded to XP Pro. I had put all the files
from my old windows ME computer on an external harddrive.
When I plugged it in to new XP computer, I can see the
files on the external drive with explorer, but I cannot
open or move any of them to the new XP. Someone told me
I could convert the old windows ME files, which
are "FAT32" to the XP NT5S format using a convert
command. I have no idea how to do this...if someone can
explain it to me step by step that would be great
 
Any ideas? Do you think the fat32 files on the external
hard drive could be corrupted or something? Is there
anything I can run on it to fix them?
-----Original Message-----
There must be some other problem. XP can readily read FAT32

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


Tami said:
I recently upgraded to XP Pro. I had put all the files
from my old windows ME computer on an external harddrive.
When I plugged it in to new XP computer, I can see the
files on the external drive with explorer, but I cannot
open or move any of them to the new XP. Someone told me
I could convert the old windows ME files, which
are "FAT32" to the XP NT5S format using a convert
command. I have no idea how to do this...if someone can
explain it to me step by step that would be great
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
 
Tami said:
Any ideas? Do you think the fat32 files on the external
hard drive could be corrupted or something? Is there
anything I can run on it to fix them?
Click to expand...

Tami,

The files aren't FAT32. A file format is applied to a disk, not the files
stored thereupon.When you transfer a file from a FAT32 formatted
drive/partition to an NTFS partition, the file does not change. There are
several disk formats recognised by Windows XP: -

FAT12
] both these are floppy disk formats.
FAT16
FAT32
NTFS
CDFS (Compact Disc File System)

They apply to the disk only, /not/ to the files. Files have no formatting. A
Windows 98 system cannot read files stored on an NTFS drive but, if you
transferred those files to a FAT32 drive, it could. Therefore, a file system
is applied to a /drive/ *not* the files.

They may be corrupted, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with the format
of the disk.
 
You say you can see the files but you can't do anything with them. Here are
some ideas but without actually seeing what is happening I can't determine
exactly what the problem might be.

Did your external drive come with drivers? If so try reinstalling them or
look fro XP drivers for the hardware.

Is your external drive USB? Have you upgrade XP to SP2. Some systems have
problems with SP2 that affect USB connections. Try uninstalling SP2 through
Add and Remove Programs and see if that helps.

Are you getting an error message? What does it say?

Can you plug the external drive into another system and read the files from
there?

Are you logged on to your XP system with an Administrator or a Limited
account? If you are logged on with a Limited account switch to one with
Administrator Privileges. You can check by going to Control Panel->User
Accounts and see if your account is Limited or not.
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


| Any ideas? Do you think the fat32 files on the external
| hard drive could be corrupted or something? Is there
| anything I can run on it to fix them?
| >-----Original Message-----
| >There must be some other problem. XP can readily read
| FAT32
| >
| >--
| >
| >Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
| >www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
| >
| >
| >| >>I recently upgraded to XP Pro. I had put all the files
| >> from my old windows ME computer on an external
| harddrive.
| >> When I plugged it in to new XP computer, I can see the
| >> files on the external drive with explorer, but I cannot
| >> open or move any of them to the new XP. Someone told
| me
| >> I could convert the old windows ME files, which
| >> are "FAT32" to the XP NT5S format using a convert
| >> command. I have no idea how to do this...if someone
| can
| >> explain it to me step by step that would be great
| >
| >
| >.
| >
 
Miss Tick,
False information on the FAT16 - which is a hard drive format, limited
to a maximum of 2GB drives/partitions under MS-DOS 6.22 or lower, or 4GB
drives/partitions with 64k clusters under NT 4.0 workstation.

--

Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service

*************************************************

Miss Perspicacia Tick said:
Tami said:
Any ideas? Do you think the fat32 files on the external
hard drive could be corrupted or something? Is there
anything I can run on it to fix them?
Click to expand...

Tami,

The files aren't FAT32. A file format is applied to a disk, not the files
stored thereupon.When you transfer a file from a FAT32 formatted
drive/partition to an NTFS partition, the file does not change. There are
several disk formats recognised by Windows XP: -

FAT12
] both these are floppy disk formats.
FAT16
FAT32
NTFS
CDFS (Compact Disc File System)

They apply to the disk only, /not/ to the files. Files have no formatting.
A Windows 98 system cannot read files stored on an NTFS drive but, if you
transferred those files to a FAT32 drive, it could. Therefore, a file
system is applied to a /drive/ *not* the files.

They may be corrupted, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with the format
of the disk.
Click to expand...
 
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