Converting FAT32 Partitions and Programs to NTFS

[Stanford Overbay]

I recently replaced my Sony PCG F580 laptop's [bad] 12gb Hard Drive with a
fast 100gb Seagate Momentus drive. I was running Win98se with very many
programs (some legacy) so I necessarily partitioned the HD into three 31gb
(FAT32) partitions. I put Win98se on 'partition-2' along with all the many
installed programs. Then I installed WINDOWS XPpro on 'partition-1' (FAT32)
installing a large number of new applications. I can multiboot to either
OS. ...So far so good, I've been happily running this for about 6 months,
but now I keep running into the 32gb partition, and 4gb file size
limitations. I want at least one larger partition set up as NTFS.



I'd like to clone copy all the WINDOWS XPpro directories and files from the
(FAT32) 'partition-1' to an external USB/Firewire drive clone copy of the
100gb drive. Then I want to delete 'partition -3' and change (reformat)
'partition-1' from (FAT32) to NTFS expanding it in size to 62gb.



*1 Can I then recopy the directories and files copied from the (FAT32)
partition onto the new NTFS partition and have full functionality? I
understand the Win98se will not be able to access the NTFS
partition --



*2 --but will the NTFS partition and the existing WINDOWS XPpro OS and
programs and files still function under the new NTFS ?



*3 And can the NTFS WINDOWS XPpro access data files on the (FAT32)
partition? I'd rather not just "convert" the partition, as I understand
there are some limits asnd drawbacks to that method.



Thanks in advance for any help or ideas.

StanfordLynx

Please cc. your posts to: (e-mail address removed) so I won't miss your replies.

 

[Sleepless in Seattle]

What software are you going to use for "cloning"?

What software are you going to use to delete partition 3, move partition 2
and merge partition 1 with the free space (created by deletion of partition
3)?

First potential flaw. If you reformat partition 1 as NTFS unless you install
XP you have no way to boot into XP to copy the "cloned" files from the
external HDD.

Why do the cloning at all? Given you need to have third party software to
delete and merge partitions why not use that software to also convert to
NTFS eliminating the need to copy (backups are still a good idea incase of
disaster) or clone any files??

P.S. Keep thinking as you are completely illogical so far.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

NTFS has no bearing on programs or files. They will work.

XP will always be able to read any file from either NTFS or FAT32.

As far as I know, there does not seem to be any limit in converting to NTFS,
from FAT32. The only requirement is that there needs to be enough free
space for the conversion to occur.

I would suggest that you look at a partition utility (like Partition Magic)
which would help you with most of your "plans".

 

[Anna]

Jonah

I recently replaced my Sony PCG F580 laptop's [bad] 12gb Hard Drive with a
fast 100gb Seagate Momentus drive. I was running Win98se with very many
programs (some legacy) so I necessarily partitioned the HD into three 31gb
(FAT32) partitions. I put Win98se on 'partition-2' along with all the
many installed programs. Then I installed WINDOWS XPpro on 'partition-1'
(FAT32) installing a large number of new applications. I can multiboot to
either OS. ...So far so good, I've been happily running this for about 6
months, but now I keep running into the 32gb partition, and 4gb file size
limitations. I want at least one larger partition set up as NTFS.



I'd like to clone copy all the WINDOWS XPpro directories and files from
the (FAT32) 'partition-1' to an external USB/Firewire drive clone copy
of the 100gb drive. Then I want to delete 'partition -3' and change
(reformat) 'partition-1' from (FAT32) to NTFS expanding it in size to
62gb.



*1 Can I then recopy the directories and files copied from the (FAT32)
partition onto the new NTFS partition and have full functionality? I
understand the Win98se will not be able to access the
NTFS partition --



*2 --but will the NTFS partition and the existing WINDOWS XPpro OS and
programs and files still function under the new NTFS ?



*3 And can the NTFS WINDOWS XPpro access data files on the (FAT32)
partition? I'd rather not just "convert" the partition, as I understand
there are some limits asnd drawbacks to that method.



Thanks in advance for any help or ideas.

StanfordLynx

Please cc. your posts to: (e-mail address removed) so I won't miss your
replies.

What software are you going to use for "cloning"?

What software are you going to use to delete partition 3, move partition 2
and merge partition 1 with the free space (created by deletion of
partition 3)?

First potential flaw. If you reformat partition 1 as NTFS unless you
install XP you have no way to boot into XP to copy the "cloned" files from
the external HDD.

Why do the cloning at all? Given you need to have third party software to
delete and merge partitions why not use that software to also convert to
NTFS eliminating the need to copy (backups are still a good idea incase of
disaster) or clone any files??

P.S. Keep thinking as you are completely illogical so far.

Jonah:
If I correctly understand your present situation and desired objectives...
1. You have three equal 31 GB FAT32 partitions. One of the partitions
contains XP, one of them contains Win98, and the third one is empty (at
least you don't indicate whether this partition contains any data).

2. Now you want to reorganize your 100 GB HD so that you'll have one large
partition (say 70 GB, again, you don't indicate any particular size)
formatted NTFS for your XP OS and a remaining FAT32 partition containing
your Win98 OS. I take it you can live with two partitions rather than the
current three you have.

3. Assuming I have all this right, would it not be the most practicable
approach as recommended by Sleepless to use a program, e.g., Partition
Magic, to manipulate your partitions and at the same time convert the FAT32
partition containing XP to NTFS? Sleepless's recommendation, while put a
trifle inelegantly, seems to me the most practical solution to your problem,
again, assuming that I correctly understand what you're trying to achieve.
Anna

P.S.
I think you understand that when you boot to XP(NTFS), that OS has no
problem accessing data on your Win98 drive; however, the reverse is not
true. Should you boot to the Win98 OS, that OS will not be able to access
data residing on XP's NTFS partition.