FAT32 conversion?

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

alright, so I have a 2tb external hard drive, and I recently discovered it’s in FAT32 format, when trying to put sout a couple files in it that were about 6 gigs big. NOw, I know that it’s rather simple to format it, and covert it to some formal called NTFS, or somethng along those lines, but I wanted to see if you guys knew a way to convert it, without formatting it? Thing is, I have about 75% of a tb filled up, and I don’t want to lose all that stuff.

Any ideas? Oh and btw, are there any cons to converting to NTFS?

#2

thats not possible.

That would be like… repaving your driveway without moving your car. You have to park your car in the street first.

#3

This, listen to FireTime.

You should really know this, but like said, if you want to switch, you’d need another means of backup, or lose everything, which I doubt you want to do.

#4

Really? Damn):

Well, thanks anyways guys. I’m pretty sure I know what i’m gonna do now(:

#5

an hero?

#6

I doubt there would have been a smile icon if that’s what he meant. Don’t even joke.

#7

How come it was FAT32 in the first place?

#8

ehh guys you can convert fat to ntfs no bother.

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881

#9

Yeah, that’s actually wrong. Its very possible. See above.

#10

Well I’ll be dammed. Didn’t know there was a FAT-> NTFS conversion. Normally accustomed to formatting using all sorts of formats (HSF[+] EXF FAT ext[#] XFS ZFS)

#11

Yeah, it is a pretty unusual thing. And really it should be avoided. The only time I ever used it was when I found out FAT doesn’t support junctions, and the partition in question was the system drive, so OS reinstall HRNNNGHHHH no, too lazy.

#12

Yah even after knowing this I still prefer a clean format. (Always do slow on brand new and old drives with the exception being 1Tb drives, fuuu take all day.)

#13

What is this nerd stuff? Is there a way of getting my sisters computer faster by changing the format of her hard drive. IDK what type it is but is it possible?

#14

The only time I dealt with this was when I was going from Windows Mistake Edition (ME) to Windows XP and I had an old storage drive that was FAT32. Since then…never more.

Regardless, it can be done, SHOULD be painless/troublefree, but always backup before doing a file system conversion.

#15

Why? Good question considering i bought it during the summer, and it’s totally new.
Guess fry’s just let me down…

But anyways! Yea, im gonna go ahead and try that way. The problem is is that i have win 7, but yea, theirs no harm in trying(; thanks guys.

#16

https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11106-convert-fat-fat32-volume-ntfs.html

#17

whats the likeliness of any file/data corruption from that process? if any at all?

#18

Minimal. But it’s a standard CYA situation - back it up or suck it up

Edit: it’s more likely that you’d lose data during the process because the power went out (which is a true risk - don’t do this during a lightning storm)

#19

Well guys, theres a good side, and bad side.

Good thing is, the conversion was successful, and nothing was lost.

Bad side? “Cyclic redundancy check. Data Error”
FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

#20

You might want to try checkdisk. I had 2 files that were immovable due to CRC error. Checkdisk saved me in both cases.

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