command to change FAT to NTFS is not recognized

[razz]

In order to change my filinf system from FAT to NTFS I entered the command

"C:\>convert C:/FS:NTFS" and it states that the command "is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batxh file".

 

Anyone have any idea why this command does not work?

 

Thank you again guys..you are the best!

[Andavari]

I think in Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools there's a converter tool installed by Windows that has a GUI - i.e.; no messing with a command prompt. Or it can be installed as an Additional Windows component in Add/Remove.

 

I know the GUI'd version is very easy to use!

[razz]

I think in Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools there's a converter tool installed by Windows that has a GUI - i.e.; no messing with a command prompt. Or it can be installed as an Additional Windows component in Add/Remove.

 

I know the GUI'd version is very easy to use!

 

Andavari, "GUI" means exactly what? Sorry to be computer illeterate in some of these matters. I went to Add/Remove and looked at the optional Windows Components (that have not been installed) and none fit the bill.

 

What do you suggest?

 

Thanks!

[CTskifreak]

GUI = graphical user interface.

 

AJ

[DennisD]

I don't know why this is, but if I open a command prompt via the start\run approach, it doesn't recognize command line input.

 

If I open it via Start\All Programs\Accessories\Command Prompt, then it's up and running.

[Humpty]

Dennis try this.

 

In the run command type "cmd" and cmd.exe comes up.

 

If I type "command" a command.com comes up.

 

They look the same but are actually different.

Ask Leo

What does all that have to do with COMMAND.COM and CMD.EXE? It's quite simple really: CMD.EXE is a command line processor for 32bit Windows. Much like MS-DOS before it, it provides a character-mode only user interface into which you can type commands to run programs. CMD.EXE is a 32 bit program that is fully a part of Windows - in fact it's what gets run when you select Command Prompt on the Windows Accessories menu.

 

COMMAND.COM, on the other hand, exists only for compatibility and 16bit programs. It exists solely for those programs which have not been updated since the days of MS-DOS. It's designed to run 16bit applications, and operates just like the old MS-DOS did.

Here I drag and drop cmd.exe, regedit, msconfig, and a few others to quicklaunch.Saves using run or navigating around to find em.

[DennisD]

Nice one my upside down friend. Can you tell I very rarely dip my toe into "command line".

[Andavari]

Can you tell I very rarely dip my toe into "command line".

You would've hated Windows 9x, especially when having to reinstall it.

[Andavari]

I entered the command

"C:\>convert C:/FS:NTFS"

Look at this Microsoft article:

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

 

Note that you should disable anti-virus first as it may not like the hard disk changes!

 

I think this is the command to use you don't use the > in it:

convert c: /fs:ntfs

[larry39]

Look at this Microsoft article:

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

 

This is a link everyone should read if they are planning to covert FAT to NTFS. You may want to look especially close at the caveats and the /cvtarea switch.

 

If you haven?t already did the conversion, you can improve your system performance by using the convert command with the /Cvtarea switch. The defragmenter cannot move the first fragment of the Master File Table (MFT), the index of all files and folders. So when you do the NTFS conversion, the MFT will most likely be fragmented. With the /Cvtarea switch, the MTF is created in a single contiguous space.

 

You hinted your experience is limited, so YOU have to decide to use this procedure or not and it aplies to Windows XP. I'm not sure about Vista.

 

1. Defragment the drive you plan to convert. In addition to defragmenting your files, it will consolidate your free space, which is what we want at this time.

 

2. Calculate the size of the new MFT file. At this point your drive is still FAT, so you are limited to a maimum size of 4Gb. Default size of MFT is 12.5 % of the partition size. If your partion is larger than 40Gb, use 4 Gb for the MFT size.

 

3.Create the new contiguous file equal in size to the calculated value using the Fsutil command. For example

 

fsutil file createnew c:\newmftfile.txt 4000000000

 

The filename can be any legal file name you prefer. Make it a txt type. Note that the file size is in bytes and I have used 4GB in the example. Substitute your calculated value if appropriate.

 

4. Execute the convert command :

 

convert c: /fs:ntfs /cvtarea:newmftfile.txt

 

substitute the correct drive letter and file name if necessary

 

5. You may need to restart your PC to complete the conversion

[Humpty]

Just a bit of a story following and no help with the command line.

 

If I remember right about three or so years ago I was using a version of Kasperky that used alternative data streams in their scan engine to speed things up.

 

When Kav was uninstalled these thousands of ads remained so KAV brought out a special tool to supposedly get rid of em.

 

The tool deleted most of them except for around 20 or so that just couldn't be got rid of without a format reinstall.

 

I decided to use Partition Magic to change the file system to Fat 32, where ads can't and don't exist, then change it back to ntfs.

 

Luckily this seemed to work without any probs with no ads showing after the conversions.

[YoKenny]

My experience with Kaspersky was on my XP Pro system that it was recommended to me so I decided to give it a try. The first thing it did was declare McAfee SiteAdvisor a virus.

 

I tried to un-install it to go back to Avast! Home that I was using before but I could not get it to install even after using Kaspersky's removal instructions.

 

The only cure was for me to do a clean install from the Restore partition then install the plethora of Windows Updates and applications that I like.

 

Kaspersky is not rated very high in av-comparatives:

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=17840

 

I use Avast! on my XP Home and Pro systems and Avira on my real old PIII.

[Andavari]

I decided to use Partition Magic to change the file system to Fat 32, where ads can't and don't exist, then change it back to ntfs.

Trend Micro HijackThis has ADS Spy an ADS scanner built into it which can delete ADS files. It's located in the Misc Tools section.

[Corona]

I'm with Dennis on this. I don't know squat about DOS commands. You people are dinosaurs.

[davey]

I'm with Dennis on this. I don't know squat about DOS commands. You people are dinosaurs.

Many Dinosaurs don't know squat about DOS commands. Most of these Dinosaurs do or at least used to know them. I think,if I can remember.

Many "commands" are not very old anyway they just look that way.

But if a command line is the only thing available, I recommend using it.

I would rather point and click also but some utilities never get to the GUI stage.

At this point, it is just a cut and paste thing anyway.

 

Larry, that sure is some time saving before-hand information. Thanks.

 

davey

[Corona]

some utilities never get to the GUI stage

 

I couldn't have put it better. Dinosaur.

[YoKenny]

I like DOS for Dummies:

http://www.campusi.com/book_isbn_1878058916.htm

[Andavari]

Sometimes working via command line can be frustratingly long especially if making typos, however in some instances it's much faster - a prime example would be Windows Disk Defragmenter in XP.

 

How I backup my systems important files with a batch file wouldn't work in any GUI'd application simply because they don't have the ability to have everything completely automated, I know because I've tried.