External Drive: NTFS or FAT32?

[Tom AZ]

After reading the thread on DiskKeeper Lite, I did a little checking of my own XP system and found that my C: drive file structure is NTFS, but my external USB hard drive is FAT32. Very honestly, I don't know a whole lot about this kind of stuff, so I was wondering if this the way it's supposed to be -- or, for some reason, I should consider converting my external drive to NTFS?

[Anthony A]

After reading the thread on DiskKeeper Lite, I did a little checking of my own XP system and found that my C: drive file structure is NTFS, but my external USB hard drive is FAT32. Very honestly, I don't know a whole lot about this kind of stuff, so I was wondering if this the way it's supposed to be -- or, for some reason, I should consider converting my external drive to NTFS?

 

I converted my external HD to NTFS from FAT32. I did that because I use it to store images of my HD and they are GIG's in size and too big for FAT32 to handle in one piece which is how I want them stored. The only reason I can think of to keep it FAT32 is if you want to use the external HD on both Windows and Mac machines. FAT 32 can be used on both NTFS can not.

[Tom AZ]

I converted my external HD to NTFS from FAT32. I did that because I use it to store images of my HD and they are GIG's in size and too big for FAT32 to handle in one piece which is how I want them stored. The only reason I can think of to keep it FAT32 is if you want to use the external HD on both Windows and Mac machines. FAT 32 can be used on both NTFS can not.

Actually, in addition to having a lot of audio files on my external, I also store multi-gig drive image files. Right now those image files are split into about seven 4GB+ files. Are you saying that after converting to NTFS I could create a single file image?

 

So, if I wanted to convert to NTFS, what's the procedure -- and how long does it take? Does the conversion affect any of the data already on that drive -- or doesn't it have any impact on that whatsoever?

[TeeJay3800]

Be aware that you cannot change the file format of a drive without formatting it and therefore loosing all data.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table

[Anthony A]

Actually, in addition to having a lot of audio files on my external, I also store multi-gig drive image files. Right now those image files are split into about seven 4GB+ files. Are you saying that after converting to NTFS I could create a single file image?

 

With FAT32 you are limited to 4 gig for files and 32 gig for partitions. NTFS is also faster.

 

So, if I wanted to convert to NTFS, what's the procedure -- and how long does it take? Does the conversion affect any of the data already on that drive -- or doesn't it have any impact on that whatsoever?

 

Your data will be wiped. It took me seconds to format my Western Digital External HD to NTFS and it's 250 gig. Here is the procedure.

 

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/ph...amp;p_topview=1

[Tom AZ]

Just read the following from Andavari in the "Diskeeper Lite" Thread:

 

The disk doesn't need to be reformatted to use NTFS, it can easily be converted inside of Windows itself using Windows itself to do it all without losing one file as detailed in the links provided in YoKenney's post.. Of course I'd make a whole system backup onto other medium first before attempting it just to play on the safe side.

 

Obviously, I'm wondering . . . who's right?

[Corona]

Back when I used Partition Magic 8 to divide my Cdrive, I found out something interesting.....that I completely forget now. So forget that. I forget which 'direction' it is. Something along the lines of "you can change Fat32 to NTFS without reformatting, but to change NTFS to Fat32 you have to reformat". It was that, or the complete opposite. Like I said, I forget. I didn't commit it to memory. I'm using that portion of my brain for eye/hand coordination.

[hazelnut]

Do you mean something like this?

 

http://www.ntfs.com/quest3.htm

[davey]

Back when I used Partition Magic 8 to divide my Cdrive, I found out something interesting.....that I completely forget now. So forget that. I forget which 'direction' it is. Something along the lines of "you can change Fat32 to NTFS without reformatting, but to change NTFS to Fat32 you have to reformat". It was that, or the complete opposite. Like I said, I forget. I didn't commit it to memory. I'm using that portion of my brain for eye/hand coordination.

I was wrong to use the the term "reformat" I should have said "Convert".

The timing of this thread is amazing.

I just Converted several Gigs from Fat32 on my Western Digital 500GB. I had started Karen's Replicator and went off to read my W-D guide when I read that the drive is FAT32.

I stopped Karen's Replicator went to MS and got the Convert command and used it and it took a very little while to convert what was already backed up as FAT32 to NTFS.

I reran the backup and of course it read all the previous backed up files and started where I stopped before.

I did no reformatting whatsoever. The backup ran a lot quicker after the Conversion.

All I did was RUN this command CONVERT F: /fs:ntfs

davey

[YoKenny]

 

All I did was RUN this command CONVERT F: /fs:ntfs

Gee. I love it when I'm right.

[Corona]

Do you mean something like this?

 

http://www.ntfs.com/quest3.htm

 

Yes, so I must've had it backwards. Converting Fat32 to NTFS has no data loss. But I really doubt Cool Edit 2000 will take kindly to NTFS. I dinna fix what ain't broke.

[1984]

Do any of these tricks work in vista ? I have a wd 500 gb and a trekstor 1 tb that I would like to convert, but they are both full with data and would hate to lose it all.......

[hazelnut]

Couple of threads here 1984.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=129952

 

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Convert-a-F...sta-51792.shtml