Converting FAT32 to NTFS

[Frank Natoli]

WinXPe build on compact flash is initially FAT32 (courtesy of
DOS/Win98). Want to convert compact flash to NTFS. WinXPe documentation
says use convert.exe. Upon running convert.exe, however, get message
"cannot convert FAT32 partition". What's the trick? Thanks.

 

[Brad Combs]

Hi Frank,

Can you tell us...

1) What is the size of the CF.
2) What is the make of the CF and how is it attached to your system (CF to
IDE, CF Slot, PCMCIA, etc..)
3) Can you convert or format the CF as NTFS in your development machine.

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Frank Natoli]

Compact flash is 4Gb. Make is SimpleTech, model SLCF4GM1U-F. Connection
is IDE.

Have special purpose compact flash burner for SBC from TME (Toronto
Microelectronics). System has hard drive with Win2000 and Win98 dual
boot, used to fiddle with compact flash. Final stage of setup involves
moving WinXPe image to compact flash using Win2000 system (that also
hosts Target Designer), plus a BOOTPREP.EXE that does some magic just
prior to first starting WinXPe on the compact flash. I suppose I could
convert the FAT32 to NTFS while still running Win2000 on the burner
system, but then obviously DOS will no longer dual boot and thus
BOOTPREP.EXE won't run.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Mark Kraft]

Frank,

When do you run convert? From where is this exe running? It must be run from
the Win2k or XP system.
I encountered something similar. I was attempting to use an XPe image
running on a hard drive on my target to
allow me to convert the CF to NTFS on the target. I found I was missing a
component in my image - FAT to NTFS conversion.

My steps for CF setup:

Under DOS:

fdisk
format
bootprep

next, Under XP:

convert to NTFS
copy image to the CF


--
Mark Kraft
Design Engineer
Lehigh Electric Products Co.
Tel: 610-395-3386
Fax: 610-395-7735
email: (e-mail address removed)
website: www.lehighdim.com

 

[Brad Combs]

Hi Frank,

If the partition is marked as active and the file system is NTFS already,
there is no need to run bootprep. Bootprep allows you to add an XP boot
sector to drives that are formatted under DOS. So in your case it may not be
neccessary. Give it a try, from Win2K partition the CF, mark it as active,
and format NTFS. Copy your image to the CF and boot it.

HTH,
Brad

 

[Frank Natoli]

Mea maxima culpa. I had not built the "FAT to NTFS component" into
WinXPe, and instead had cheated and copied CONVERT.EXE from a running
WinXP system. Apparently CONVERT.EXE needs other DLLs but won't tell
you that. When I generated a new WinXPe with the appropriate component,
CONVERT.EXE was quite willing to convert FAT32 to NTFS, offering to do
so immediately, but because it was the running partition I declined,
then offering to convert on reboot, which I accepted. Reboot
reformatted very well.