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My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
improve system performance for Win XP.
Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging programs
and files?
I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
manually.
So, am I safe?

Woof

James D. Andrews wrote:
> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
> improve system performance for Win XP.
> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging programs
> and files?
> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
> manually.
> So, am I safe?
>
> Woof
>
>
NTFS will have better fault tolerance and better cluster size than fat32

no need to use a third party utility, as XP already has the "convert"
command

"James D. Andrews" <> wrote in message
news:nr_Rl.30348$...
> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
> improve system performance for Win XP.
> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging
> programs and files?
> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
> manually.
> So, am I safe?
>
> Woof
>


I could be wrong (it happens alot), but I think to change the file
structure, you will be required to reformat. If this is true, your HDD will
be wiped clean.

Jeff Strickland wrote:
> "James D. Andrews" <> wrote in message
> news:nr_Rl.30348$...
>> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
>> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
>> improve system performance for Win XP.
>> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging
>> programs and files?
>> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
>> manually.
>> So, am I safe?
>>
>> Woof
>>
>
>
> I could be wrong (it happens alot), but I think to change the file
> structure, you will be required to reformat. If this is true, your HDD will
> be wiped clean.
>

In your WinXP "Help and Support", type "convert" as a search term.

convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

At least that handles the case of going from FAT32 to NTFS.

Paul

Jeff Strickland wrote:
> "James D. Andrews" <> wrote in message
> news:nr_Rl.30348$...
>> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
>> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
>> improve system performance for Win XP.
>> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging
>> programs and files?
>> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
>> manually.
>> So, am I safe?
>>
>> Woof
>>
>
>
> I could be wrong (it happens alot), but I think to change the file
> structure, you will be required to reformat. If this is true, your HDD will
> be wiped clean.
>
>
>
>
Not at all true

converting from fat32 to NTFS is a fairly safe operation

however:

It is always advised to have all data backed up

"philo" <> wrote in message
news:gvb3en$n3e$...
> Jeff Strickland wrote:
>> "James D. Andrews" <> wrote in message
>> news:nr_Rl.30348$...
>>> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
>>> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
>>> improve system performance for Win XP.
>>> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging
>>> programs and files?
>>> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
>>> manually.
>>> So, am I safe?
>>>
>>> Woof
>>>
>>
>>
>> I could be wrong (it happens alot), but I think to change the file
>> structure, you will be required to reformat. If this is true, your HDD
>> will be wiped clean.
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Not at all true
>
> converting from fat32 to NTFS is a fairly safe operation
>
> however:
>
> It is always advised to have all data backed up


I've only made that change a couple of times, and I always reformatted.
Well, that's not entirely true. I used a Win XP installation CD and selected
the Full Install option, and selected NTFS for the file structure.

Since I've only done it a couple of times, I can't recall the specifics, but
I'm pretty sure I was having OS issues at the time, and the Full Install
seemed like the right thing to be doing, and for whatever reason, I felt a
need to reformat anyhow. I did not know I could change the file structure
without a reformat. Thanks.



..

Jeff Strickland wrote:
> "philo" <> wrote in message
> news:gvb3en$n3e$...
>> Jeff Strickland wrote:
>>> "James D. Andrews" <> wrote in message
>>> news:nr_Rl.30348$...
>>>> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
>>>> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
>>>> improve system performance for Win XP.
>>>> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging
>>>> programs and files?
>>>> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
>>>> manually.
>>>> So, am I safe?
>>>>
>>>> Woof
>>>>
>>>
>>> I could be wrong (it happens alot), but I think to change the file
>>> structure, you will be required to reformat. If this is true, your HDD
>>> will be wiped clean.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Not at all true
>>
>> converting from fat32 to NTFS is a fairly safe operation
>>
>> however:
>>
>> It is always advised to have all data backed up
>
>
> I've only made that change a couple of times, and I always reformatted.
> Well, that's not entirely true. I used a Win XP installation CD and selected
> the Full Install option, and selected NTFS for the file structure.
>
> Since I've only done it a couple of times, I can't recall the specifics, but
> I'm pretty sure I was having OS issues at the time, and the Full Install
> seemed like the right thing to be doing, and for whatever reason, I felt a
> need to reformat anyhow. I did not know I could change the file structure
> without a reformat. Thanks.
>
>
>
> .
>
>
>


Yes MS has the built-in tools to go from fat32 to NTFS

I've never heard of a problem, but a backup of data is always a good idea

"James D. Andrews" <> wrote in message
news:nr_Rl.30348$...
> My 120 Gb hard drive is partitioned for FAT32.
> I just read that NTFS is better at handling larger hard drives and would
> improve system performance for Win XP.
> Is this true? Is it safe to re-partition to NTFS without damaging
> programs and files?
> I downloaded a program designed to accomplish this rather than doing it
> manually.
> So, am I safe?
>
> Woof


Thanks to all for the information.
As it turns out, I didn't get around to this.

Upon installation of .NET 3.5, I had a Fatal System crash that locked me out
of everything. Couldn't Restore from Windows because I couldn't get into
Windows, and it wouldn't allow retrieval from DOS. I tried re-installing
XP, but it wouldn't allow it because my Install disk is SP2, and I had
already installed SP3.

Eventually, after trying everything I could think of to no success, I
re-loaded Windows ME, which allowed me to back up my programs and files.
But even from Win ME, I couldn't get XP to reload.

It came down to Format C:. ---- ugh! --- and then reloading XP from scratch.
Well, at least I got my files. You more advanced techies out there could
probably have figured it out --- but I couldn't get to my newsgroups, and I
couldn't wait much longer.

Oddly, it didn't ask me about repartitioning and just loaded onto the FAT32.
I'm done fighting with the **** for awhile.
It's taken me more than 3-4 days to reload all my software and files and I'm
exhausted. Think I'll play Diablo 2 for awhile to take out my frustrations.

Woof