[RESOLVED] How do I change Hard Drive File System?
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Thread: [RESOLVED] How do I change Hard Drive File System?

  1. #1
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    Resolved [RESOLVED] How do I change Hard Drive File System?

    I have a Freecom HDD 370Gb external hard drive( a Samsung product) which has an FAT 32 file system. I want to change it to an NTFS file system. How do I do it? (Right click of the mouse offers "format..." Will this option format and change it to the NTFS file system by default? (I use XP Home and FireFox as default browser although I do have IE7 on my computer)

    In your replies and suggestions, please do not be worried you might insult me by giving me very basic information. I have never undertaken such a project before . So the more you can hold my hand in this, the more I will be grateful.

    Thanx
    Power Bank
    Last edited by Power Bank; January 18th, 2009 at 03:06 PM.

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  3. #3
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    If nothing is on the drive, that will work.

    right click it, select format, select ntfs from the choices and format it

    If you have data on the drive you wish to keep use
    http://www.ntfs.com/quest3.htm

    Format backup drives with NTFS with step by step graphics.
    http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...nced/ntfs.mspx

  4. #4
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    You can convert from FAT32 to NTFS without losing any data (though you need to be aware that it is a one-way process, you won't be able to convert back again). Go to the Command Prompt (All Programs>Accessories) and type "convert X: /fs:ntfs" without the quotes, where X: is the drive letter of the partition that you want to convert. If the FAT32 partition was created using WinXP then that is all that you have to do. If the partition was created using anything other than WinXP then read this article first, otherwise you can end up with 512 byte clusters, which isn't good for performance:

    Converting FAT32 to NTFS
    Nick.

  5. #5
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    Thumbs up This is a Terrific forum with terrific help.

    This is a Terrific forum with terrific help. Many thanx you all three guys for your advice and tips. You made this task so easy for me - I had really thought it would be a formidable journey. I checked thoroughly the data on my drive and found some to be obsolete and much of it already elsewhere.

    Thus I decided I could afford to lose it. Consequently I formatted the drive.

    The formatting solution converted it to NTFS without any fuss.

    The NTFS web-site is a great experience and I learnt so much from it. Many many thanx indeed to all of you.

    How -U - Say......"Problem Solved"

    Power Bank

  6. #6
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    You're very welcome
    Nick.

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