Re: "Convert" NTFS to FAT32 after Saving HDD Contents

Anna wrote:
On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:43:44 GMT, bpetria@xxxxxxxxxxx (Brad) wrote:

Hi,

Is it possible to save WinXP HDD (NTFS) contents such as "WINDOWS",
"Program Files", "Documents and Settings", (etc.) folder "trees", format
the
HDD as FAT32, then transfer saved contents back to HDD without causing
problems?


"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:aa0ou3lbct7migdj4vitq8hgdqf2bddcu5@xxxxxxxxxx
Sure. The easiest way would be to clone the entire drive to a second
drive using a program like Acronis True Image, then clone it back
after reformatting the original drive.

However, it's probably simpler to just convert the drive from NTFS to
FAT32, using one the several third-party programs with this
capability.

Why do you want to do this? Except for those dual booting to an
operating system that isn't NTFS-aware, NTFS is the better choice.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup


Ken & bpetria:
Actually that wouldn't work. Even if the user reformatted his/her HDD
FAT32
after cloning the contents to another disk, the re:cloning process would
just carry over the file system on the cloned contents - in this case
NTFS.
So the user would be right back where he/she started from.

Right. If it's just a partition copy, it partition copies the source
drive as it is.

As you & others have indicated if, for some reason, the user *must* have a
FAT32 file system, the conversion process should be undertaken using a
third-party program such as Partition Magic. (Nearly) needless to say, a
clone of the original contents of the HDD should most definitely be
created
*prior* to the conversion process. (The relatively few times we've
undertaken this kind of conversion using PM we experienced no problems.
But
unquestionably the potential for loss or corrupted data is surely
present).
Anna

Yup, PM would be the way to go. But I'm curious here. What reason did
you do this, Anna? Because the user wanted to be able to see and access
his drive from Win9x in a dual boot situation, or??


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: "Convert" NTFS to FAT32 after Saving HDD Contents
    ... HDD as FAT32, then transfer saved contents back to HDD without causing ... it's probably simpler to just convert the drive from NTFS to ... just carry over the file system on the cloned contents - in this case ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: "Convert" NTFS to FAT32 after Saving HDD Contents
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    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: "Convert" NTFS to FAT32 after Saving HDD Contents
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    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: "Convert" NTFS to FAT32 after Saving HDD Contents
    ... HDD as FAT32, then transfer saved contents back to HDD without causing ... it's probably simpler to just convert the drive from NTFS to ... Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience ...
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