[titansfan]

How can you convert NTFS to Fat32? When I try and format C: it formats it but when I boot up the XP disc it says I still have a copy of XP on my comp. I was thinking about converting it to Fat32 then formating it and then converting it back to NTFS and put back on XP. How can I do this? I am running XP, I wanted to post this in a busy fourm so I could get a quick answer.

[bobbinbrisco]

boot ur computer using a win98 or winme boot disk (you can download it at http://bootdisk.com).

choose to boot without cd-drivers and at the dos prompt type:

fdisk

Say "yes" to enable large paritions (this is FAT32).Choose to delete "non-dos partitions". Now create a new dos partition.

Restart and using ur boot disk goto the dos prompt and type:

format

Now ur harddrive is fat32.

[ThC 129]

yeah the only way to convert NTFS to FAT 32 is by fdisking or formatting.

[dortega]

Confirmed. PM 6 and later can convert to/from NTFS.

[ThC 129]

hmm really, i heard that it was buggy at best to try and convert from NTFS. But hell saving a format is always good.

[marwa]

hi can you help me to find out how can i change ntfs to fat32 without formating

[ross_aveling]

Partition Magic 8.0 can do it, and I quote "Converts partitions among FAT, FAT32, and NTFS without losing data."

Why would you want to go from NTFS to FAT32 though?

[blaaaarggg]

To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt
Open Command Prompt.
In the command prompt window, type
convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the ntfs format.

Notes

To open command prompt, click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command.

it is really simple.. Good Luck..
Bllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggg

[blaaaarggg]

loFL>> i guess that makes me dyslexic.. i read the problem backwards.. HAHA
ya just use partition magic.. works great for that

[bukahuka]

OK, I have the same need. I need to make an NTFS disk a FAT 32 disk. Here's the trouble, it's a Firewire disk. I need to do this because I also use this drive with a Mac and Macs can only read NTFS, not write to it. Any ideas besides buying PM 8?

[Wilhelmus]

Well, you can always reformat the disk...

(Just copy all files from it e.g. to other drive, if you do so.)

In WinXP, you can execute following command for your disk you want to format (replace the "z:" to your drive):
"format z: /FS:FAT32"

[bukahuka]

That was the command entry I was looking for, regular format commands were just reformatting it in NTFS again. Thanks very much for the help!

[Wilhelmus]

No problem

[bukahuka]

I should have waited until the format was complete... the format command actually spit out: "The volume is too big for FAT32" which leaves me with a new problem. Is there some way to enable large disk support? Any ideas what I can do now?

[Wilhelmus]

Only way to create a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB within XP is to use 3rd party formatting tool. But XP can read FAT32 partitions larger than 32GB, created by other OSes (win9x/me). Sorry, forgot that.
You could use Partition Magic or Acronis Partition Expert to format your disk.

Alternatively, you can take your external drive to a Win98/ME computer, install the drivers for it, and then format it there.

[Mikeinc]

I have XP on my computer but now I can't access XP even if it's still on my harddrive. I have tried to make a new partition beside my NTFS-partition in FAT32 to re-install XP but ti doesn't work. XP installation says: XP non-compatible partition on every partition. I won't delete my ntfs-partiton with XP because I'll loose all my documents, e-mail, pictures etc. How can I rescue all my information and then delete the partion, re-install XP?
I have PM 4.0 and 7.0 working in the MS DOS-shell.

When I'll boot my computer after BIOS and so on, the computer can't find any OS and asks for boot-floppy or boot-cd... Strange...
Repair XP doesn't help

[Wilhelmus]

Can you not even access recovery console?

If you can, from there try running fixmbr and fixboot commands.

You can also try to get knoppix from:http://www.knoppix.org/. If you manage to create FAT32 partition, copy your files from Windows NTFS partition to FAT32 partition. Knoppix can not write to NTFS.

The first guide to Knoppix for the complete beginner:
http://www.pjls16812.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/knowing-knoppix/index.html

<edit>
"Windows fails: Knoppix Linux on a bootable CD to the rescue":
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/SoftwareProblems.htm#knoppix
</edit>