Convert your External Drive to NTFS w/out reformating

**Mels_Smileys45** · November 15th, 2008, 06:46 PM

I found out how to do this after a few hours of reading posts around the net so I thought I would post the info here.

I wanted to change my external file system for two reasons: 1) I can't save full Hi Definition movies because of the FAT32 file size limit and 2) My PC's hard drive uses NTFS as the file system for the hard drive so by changing my external to the same system it greatly improves the performance between the two.

How to Convert Fat32 to NTFS without losing any data!

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.

In the command prompt window, type: convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

You have now changed the file system to NTFS. Word of warning, if you want to change it back to FAT32 its not so simple, you will need to reformat. Only do this if you're sure you want NTFS.

**YWD67** · November 15th, 2008, 06:50 PM

It was my understanding that once you convert a FAT32 to NTFS, you could not change it back. Is that just in the case if you reformat it to NTFS?

**Mels_Smileys45** · November 15th, 2008, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by YWD67

It was my understanding that once you convert a FAT32 to NTFS, you could not change it back. Is that just in the case if you reformat it to NTFS?

yeah, to change back will require a reformat. I wish I knew it was this easy to flip all my external drives over, without having to back them up, a long time ago. I just didn't think I could convert them so easily.

I am totally amazed at how fast my external drives are now

**mountain_rage** · November 15th, 2008, 07:16 PM

There was a time I knew this, think I did it like 4 or 5 years ago. Surprised it never crossed my mind when you were talking about formatting to convert to NTFS. Definitely a nice touch when companies make things work.

**shawners** · November 16th, 2008, 03:54 AM

I think everything i had went to NTFS in 2003-4.. Soon as i needed to burn movies and file sizes was going to be over 4 gigs. It had to go.

**El Comandante** · November 16th, 2008, 12:00 PM

I just used Partition Magic after the Windows XP method failed twice. It said the drive (brand new WD Passport) was dirty. PM worked fast.

**Mels_Smileys45** · November 16th, 2008, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by El Comandante

I just used Partition Magic after the Windows XP method failed twice. It said the drive (brand new WD Passport) was dirty. PM worked fast.

One of my drives came up dirty too. Not sure why but Im gonna run a check on it and try again.

**notbob** · November 16th, 2008, 04:12 PM

what reason do you need to convert them for? you want to use quotas or encryption? NTFS is overrated. there are no real advantages to using it performance-wise. like many other computer issues, evidence is anecdotal. "i've never had a problem". well i've used fat 32 for 10 years and i've never had a problem either. and it plays nice with linux too, NTFS needs all sorts of addons to work

**Mels_Smileys45** · November 16th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by notbob

what reason do you need to convert them for? you want to use quotas or encryption? NTFS is overrated. there are no real advantages to using it performance-wise. like many other computer issues, evidence is anecdotal. "i've never had a problem". well i've used fat 32 for 10 years and i've never had a problem either. and it plays nice with linux too, NTFS needs all sorts of addons to work

I listed both reasons in my post. I need to save some big files and FAT32 has a rather small file size limit. I have a WD HD player that needs to see the files in their whole state, not rar'ed. HD movies need lots of space. Second, I did see a performance boost but only because my PC's harddrive is NTFS too. My external was stalling at times when transferring files and now it doesn't. IT also opens up a lot faster. Maybe just my set up but its working wonders.

If you do not download huge HiDef files there is not much reason to convert.

**shawners** · November 16th, 2008, 04:19 PM

Any file size over 4 gigs wont work on fat32.
The maximum possible size for a file on a FAT32 volume is 4GB minus 1 byte (232−1 bytes). Video applications, large databases, and some other software easily exceed this limit. Larger files require another formatting type such as HFS+ or NTFS. Until mid-2006, those who run dual boot systems or who move external data drives between computers with different operating systems had little choice but to stick with FAT32. Since then, full support for NTFS has become available in Linux and many other operating systems, by installing the FUSE library (on Linux) together with the NTFS-3G driver. Data exchange is also possible between Windows and Linux by using the Linux-native ext2 or ext3 file systems through the use of external drivers for Windows, such as ext2 IFS; however, Windows cannot boot from ext2 or ext3 partitions.

**notbob** · November 16th, 2008, 04:29 PM

that's true. i never needed a 2 GB file, so it never came up.

**mountain_rage** · November 16th, 2008, 04:50 PM

If I'm not mistaken NTFS is a more stable file system than Fat32 and less prone to data corruption. It also organizes files differently so there is less fragmentation.

**Mels_Smileys45** · November 16th, 2008, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by notbob

that's true. i never needed a 2 GB file, so it never came up.

You should check out the HD porno! Actually HD porno is a mixed blessing, some things are better off blurry and pixilated.

But seriously, Im really getting into watching some films in HD. I posted some pics in another thread of Pulp Fiction in Hi Def. Pulp is one of the best
Hi Def transfers Ive seen. You can actually see what people are looking at by the reflection in the eyeballs. Ive never seen a movie, even on film at the theater,
this clear and beautiful. Some HD films look good but I did not find them as incredible as the Pulp transfer.

Look at the BUMPS on Marcellus Wallace's neck!! Gross

**El Comandante** · November 16th, 2008, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Mels_Smileys45

I listed both reasons in my post. I need to save some big files and FAT32 has a rather small file size limit. I have a WD HD player that needs to see the files in their whole state, not rar'ed. HD movies need lots of space. Second, I did see a performance boost but only because my PC's harddrive is NTFS too. My external was stalling at times when transferring files and now it doesn't. IT also opens up a lot faster. Maybe just my set up but its working wonders.

If you do not download huge HiDef files there is not much reason to convert.

I converted both an old external WD drive and a new WD passport for the same reason you did. I had used FAT32 for ages on my old external drive. The old WD drive increased in speed and no longer has a lag when being accessed. Even the winrar is faster when unpacking files on the WD drive. I'm glad I did it.