L
Lawrence D
Converting a FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS
NOTE: Although the possibility of corruption or data loss
during the conversion is minimal, it is recommended that
you perform a backup of the data on the volume that you
want to convert before you start the conversion.
To convert an existing FAT or FAT32 volume to NTFS,
follow these steps:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories,
and then click Command Prompt.
At the command prompt, type the following, where drive
letter is the drive that you want to convert:
convert drive letter: /fs:ntfs
For example, type the following command to convert drive
E to NTFS:
convert e: /fs:ntfs
When the following message is displayed in the command
prompt window, type the volume label of the drive that
you are converting, and then press ENTER:
The type of the file system is FAT.
Enter the current volume label for drive drive letter:
When the conversion to NTFS is complete, the following
line is displayed in the command prompt window:
Conversion complete
Quit the command prompt.
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Troubleshooting
When you attempt to convert a volume to NTFS, you receive
the following error message in the command prompt window:
Convert cannot gain exclusive access to the drive letter
drive, so it cannot convert it now. Would you like to
schedule it to be converted the next time the system
restarts? <Y/N>
This issue occurs when the volume that you are attempting
to convert is in use, for example, if the drive that you
want to convert is the same drive on which Windows XP is
running.
To resolve this behavior, type Y at the command prompt.
The volume or drive is converted to NTFS the next time
you start your computer.
When you attempt to convert a volume to NTFS, you receive
the following message in the command prompt window:
Convert cannot run because the volume is in use by
another process. Convert may run if this volume is
dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD
THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on
this volume? <Y/N>
This issue occurs when there are files that are being
used on the volume that you are attempting to convert.
This includes files that are accessed by users over the
network.
To resolve this behavior, use one of the following
methods:
Quit all programs that are using the files on the drive,
and then type y at the command prompt to convert the
drive to NTFS.
-or-
At the command prompt, type Y.
You receive the following message:
Convert cannot gain exclusive access to the drive letter
drive, so it cannot convert it now. Would you like to
schedule it to be converted the next time the system
restarts? <Y/N>
Type Y at the command prompt. The volume or drive is
converted to NTFS the next time you start your computer.
back to the top
REFERENCES
For more information about NTFS and Windows XP, please go
to the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/storage/ntfs-
preinstall.htm
For more information about Convert.exe, use the following
method to view a list of command line parameters:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories,
and then click Command Prompt.
In the command prompt window, type help convert, and then
press ENTER. A list of command line parameters for
Convert.exe is displayed.
For additional information about the amount of free space
required to convert FAT to NTFS, click the article number
below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
156560 Free Space Required to Convert FAT to NTFS
NOTE: Although the possibility of corruption or data loss
during the conversion is minimal, it is recommended that
you perform a backup of the data on the volume that you
want to convert before you start the conversion.
To convert an existing FAT or FAT32 volume to NTFS,
follow these steps:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories,
and then click Command Prompt.
At the command prompt, type the following, where drive
letter is the drive that you want to convert:
convert drive letter: /fs:ntfs
For example, type the following command to convert drive
E to NTFS:
convert e: /fs:ntfs
When the following message is displayed in the command
prompt window, type the volume label of the drive that
you are converting, and then press ENTER:
The type of the file system is FAT.
Enter the current volume label for drive drive letter:
When the conversion to NTFS is complete, the following
line is displayed in the command prompt window:
Conversion complete
Quit the command prompt.
back to the top
Troubleshooting
When you attempt to convert a volume to NTFS, you receive
the following error message in the command prompt window:
Convert cannot gain exclusive access to the drive letter
drive, so it cannot convert it now. Would you like to
schedule it to be converted the next time the system
restarts? <Y/N>
This issue occurs when the volume that you are attempting
to convert is in use, for example, if the drive that you
want to convert is the same drive on which Windows XP is
running.
To resolve this behavior, type Y at the command prompt.
The volume or drive is converted to NTFS the next time
you start your computer.
When you attempt to convert a volume to NTFS, you receive
the following message in the command prompt window:
Convert cannot run because the volume is in use by
another process. Convert may run if this volume is
dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD
THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on
this volume? <Y/N>
This issue occurs when there are files that are being
used on the volume that you are attempting to convert.
This includes files that are accessed by users over the
network.
To resolve this behavior, use one of the following
methods:
Quit all programs that are using the files on the drive,
and then type y at the command prompt to convert the
drive to NTFS.
-or-
At the command prompt, type Y.
You receive the following message:
Convert cannot gain exclusive access to the drive letter
drive, so it cannot convert it now. Would you like to
schedule it to be converted the next time the system
restarts? <Y/N>
Type Y at the command prompt. The volume or drive is
converted to NTFS the next time you start your computer.
back to the top
REFERENCES
For more information about NTFS and Windows XP, please go
to the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/storage/ntfs-
preinstall.htm
For more information about Convert.exe, use the following
method to view a list of command line parameters:
Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories,
and then click Command Prompt.
In the command prompt window, type help convert, and then
press ENTER. A list of command line parameters for
Convert.exe is displayed.
For additional information about the amount of free space
required to convert FAT to NTFS, click the article number
below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
156560 Free Space Required to Convert FAT to NTFS