converting to NTFS

[Guest]

Not just yet, but very soon.

You're welcome, I presume you made the conversion OK?


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


message
| Thanks for allthe replies. Most helpful
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote:
|
| > No loss of data IF all goes well. A problem can happen
so a
| > backup of data is important. It is making a major
change in
| > the hard drive format after all.
| >
| > If the drive is healthy, it should work safely.
| >
| >
| > --
| > The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
| > But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
| >
| >
| > message
| >
| > |I am keen to do this to my laptop, switch to NTFS. If I
do
| > this, will I lose
| > | any information?
| > |
| > | SteveMS
| > |
| > | "Jim Macklin" wrote:
| > |
| > | > You must open a command line window first.
START/Run
| > type
| > | > cmd
| > | >
| > | > Then you follow the procedures listed...
| > | > Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
| > | > (C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
| > | >
| > | > C:\Documents and Settings\>convert /?
| > | > Converts FAT volumes to NTFS.
| > | >
| > | > CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename]
| > | > [/NoSecurity] [/X]
| > | >
| > | > volume Specifies the drive letter (followed
by a
| > | > colon),
| > | > mount point, or volume name.
| > | > /FS:NTFS Specifies that the volume is to be
| > converted
| > | > to NTFS.
| > | > /V Specifies that Convert should be run
in
| > | > verbose mode.
| > | > /CvtArea:filename
| > | > Specifies a contiguous file in the
root
| > | > directory to be
| > | > the place holder for NTFS system
files.
| > | > /NoSecurity Specifies the converted files and
| > directories
| > | > security
| > | > settings to be accessible by everyone.
| > | > /X Forces the volume to dismount first if
| > | > necessary.
| > | > All opened handles to the volume would
| > then be
| > | > invalid.
| > | >
| > | > C:\Documents and Settings\>
| > | >
| > | > You should perform some maintenance procedures
before
| > doing
| > | > the conversion; do a disk clean up, run check disk
to
| > check
| > | > the file system and the disk surface. Although the
| > convert
| > | > procedure usually completes without any data loss,
some
| > | > settings may change and if there is a serious
problem,
| > | > having done a backup of data and settings will save
your
| > | > files. Make sure your power supply is from the wall
is
| > | > stable, don't do the conversion when the power is
| > flickering
| > | > or there are storms nearby. Using a high capacity
UPS
| > is a
| > | > good idea.
| > | >
| > | > Help and Support on the START menu has more, just
search
| > for
| > | > convert...
| > | > here is one page of 32 available.
| > | > Convert
| > | > Converts FAT and FAT32 volumes to NTFS.
| > | >
| > | > Syntax
| > | > convert [volume] /fs:ntfs [/v] [/cvtarea:FileName]
| > | > [/nosecurity] [/x]
| > | >
| > | > Parameters
| > | > volume
| > | > Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
| > mount
| > | > point, or volume name to convert to NTFS.
| > | > /fs:ntfs
| > | > Required. Converts the volume to NTFS.
| > | > /v
| > | > Specifies verbose mode, that is, all messages will
be
| > | > displayed during conversion.
| > | > /cvtarea:FileName
| > | > For advanced users only. Specifies that the Master
| > File
| > | > Table (MFT) and other NTFS metadata files are
written to
| > an
| > | > existing, contiguous placeholder file. This file
must be
| > in
| > | > the root directory of the file system to be
converted.
| > Use
| > | > of the /CVTAREA parameter can result in a less
| > fragmented
| > | > file system after conversion. For best results, the
size
| > of
| > | > this file should be 1 KB multiplied by the number of
| > files
| > | > and directories in the file system, however, the
convert
| > | > utility accepts files of any size.
| > | > For more information about using the /cvtarea
| > parameter,
| > | > see "File Systems" at the Microsoft Windows XP
Resource
| > Kits
| > | > Web site.(http://www.microsoft.com/)
| > | >
| > | > Important
| > | >
| > | > a.. You must create the placeholder file using
the
| > | > fsutil file createnew command prior to running
convert.
| > | > Convert does not create this file for you. Convert
| > | > overwrites this file with NTFS metadata. After
| > conversion,
| > | > any unused space in this file is freed. For more
| > information
| > | > about the fsutil file command, see Related Topics.
| > | > /nosecurity
| > | > Specifies that the converted files and directory
| > security
| > | > settings are accessible by everyone.
| > | > /x
| > | > Dismounts the volume, if necessary, before it is
| > | > converted. Any open handles to the volume will no
longer
| > be
| > | > valid.
| > | > Remarks
| > | > a.. You must specify that the drive should be
| > converted
| > | > when the computer is restarted. Otherwise, you
cannot
| > | > convert the current drive.
| > | > b.. If convert cannot lock the drive (for example,
the
| > | > system volume or the current drive), it offers to
| > convert
| > | > the drive the next time the computer restarts.
| > | > c.. The location of the MFT is different on
volumes
| > that
| > | > have been converted from previous version of NTFS,
so
| > volume
| > | > performance might not be as good on volumes
converted
| > from
| > | > Windows NT.
| > | > d.. Volumes converted from FAT to NTFS lack some
| > | > performance benefits compared to volumes initially
| > formatted
| > | > with NTFS. On converted volumes, the MFT might
become
| > | > fragmented. In addition, on converted boot volumes,
NTFS
| > | > permissions are not applied after the volume is
| > converted.
| > | > Examples
| > | > To convert the volume on drive E to NTFS and display
all
| > | > messages, type:
| > | >
| > | > convert e: /fs:ntfs /v
| > | >
| > | > Related Topics
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > --
| > | > The people think the Constitution protects their
rights;
| > | > But government sees it as an obstacle to be
overcome.
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > "simplefella"
<[email protected]>
| > wrote
| > | > in message
| > | >
| >
| > | > | My XP file system is FAT32. To convert
everything
| > tells
| > | > me to type either
| > | > | help convert or just convert on command line. I
get
| > the
| > | > response that
| > | > | neither command is recognised. Where do I go from
| > here?
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| >
| >
| >