[Xetenor]

Dear reader,

my question is: Is there a way to convert from a NTFS file system to FAT32 in Windows 2000 without formating? I have a western digital HD, 5 Gig on C: (Windows 2000), 3 Gig on D: (Backup files).

Thanks for your help,

Regards,

Xetenor

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Windows 2000 Pro owns!

[J_Pro]

I have used Partition magic 5.0 to successfully manipulate NTFS partitions on Win2k. It is, however, not possible to install the program in Win2k. You can, however, make boot floppies when you install the program that can be used to boot from and perform your operation. Of course you will need a win9x/nt4/dos partition to install this on so you can make the boot floppies. Once you work around that, Partition Magic will allow you to convert FROM an NTFS partition when you boot from the floppies.

[euankirkhope]

I'll second that!
I use PQ5 dos on a LS120, although it should fit on a mimimal config dos bootdisk. It's one of the best utils ever.

[jmiller]

euankirkhope: can you tell me where I can get this util.... If free please email
jmiller@cnw.com

Regards

Jim

[Palos]

I think the only way for you to get back to FAT32 is to wipe out and reformat in FAT32.(the official M$ way). This is why:

- If you don't have a FAT partition already, then you're busted, because a normal DOS/Win9x boot disk will boot allright, but it won't recongnize your NTFS partition(uou won't be able to run the DOS .exe's of PMagic like this or in W2K safemode w/command prompt).

- Win2K doesn't allow you to make a SIMPLE boot disk, you have to make the whole gang of 3 startup floppies...

I'm telling you because I wanted to get rid of W2K and reinstall Win98 (because of TNT2 driver troubles), and I found myself with a single NTFS partition to wipe. I saved my docs and stuff on CDR and I went ahead and savagely dismembered the NTFS beast.

[Ge0ph]

You can use Partition Magic 5 for all of your partition needs. It will convert NTFS to FAT32. You just need to make boot floppys for PM5. I have done it from W2k and it works great.

[Xetenor]

Dear Readers,

Thanks to all people who replied. I decided to reformat my HD. That was the only solution...and I guess that we gamers are not ready for Windows 2000 Professional, yet.

I recommend that people stay with Windows 98.

[DUDE]

I was unaware that you could convert ntfs to fat32. Partition magic 4 doesnt. Curious. I thought it wasnt possible. Has anyone actually done this with pm5?

[Ge0ph]

I have conveted NTFS to Fat32 on two differnt machines using Partition Magic 5. It works great, however I always use boot disks. It can save you a lot of headaches.

[DUDE]

Sweet man thats good news. I think I will get that program.

[TLDTMS]

I some gamers are ready. I dont mean to flame you but you should have thought about installing win2k, and did some research in your system before you installed it. I'm the biggest gamer of them all. I'm 20 years old, I have a 450xeon 256megs of ram, SB live, Voodoo 3000, and all games like quake 3 and UT run great, and even better then 98.

Your right, its not for the gamers who download win2k off the internet and decided to upgrade overnight. Windows 2k is a brand new OS, and not everyone can use it.

[MousePad]

There's a format command, at least there was with NT, that allowed you to reallocate the drive from FAT to NTFS without destroying the data. Unfortunately, I have forgotten what the command was. You'll need to look it up on ze net somewhere. I imagine it's still present.

[YuppieScum]

MousePad - the command is "convert", and is used from the CLI. "convert /?" will get you help.

However, it will ONLY convert from FAT12/16/32 to NTFS - not from NTFS to FAT.



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SuperMicro P6DBS (dual UW-SCSI) BIOS 2.2, 2*Celery 300a @ 450Mhz, 384MB PC100 RAM
SCSI-A=4.3Gb+9Gb, SCSI-B=Tosh32x CD-ROM, Yamaha4416 CD-RW, Iomega ZIP100, IDE1=4.3Gb
IBM EtherJet 10/100 NIC PCI + Nortel ADSL "modem"
Matrox G400 DH 32Mb AGP + Quantum3D Voodoo2 SLI PCI (CL TNT1 AGP on a shelf)
SoundBlaster Live PCI (not Value)
Win2K build 2195 Retail (not 120-day eval)

[godo]

Hey, does that Xeon make a lot of difference for games?
I was once toying with an idea of getting one.

[EddiE314]

D@mnit Yuppie, didn't i ask you about that in the chatroom (#NTCompatible on Undernet )? No one told me it wouldn't convert back to FAT32, haha, i had to format and reinstall Win2k and WinME. As for partition Magic, don't use it, its sh|tty and would probably mess up win2k.

c:\> convert c: /fs:ntfs <---thats the only way (Fat32 to Ntfs)"Convert" only works on FAT drives.

Have a Nice Day.

[This message has been edited by EddiE314 (edited 07 March 2000).]

[J_Pro]

Geoph and I must be alone. I, like him, use the PM5 boot disks on win2k all the time. I have done 100's (accurate count) of manipulations with Partition Magic and have not even once encountered a problem. Now that I spoke up I am knockin' on all the wood I can find while I await catastrophe.

[Ge0ph]

I agree with J_Pro.

The only time I ever lost data with Partition Magic was with version .72 (I think)back before version 1 was even released. And that was on OS/2.

Like I said, it works with W2k.

[A-guy]

Partition magic will not always convert nicely as it should. I say only convert ntfs to fat32 if its absolutely necessary. Dont go around using it like your favorite program for fun. BTW... Last time I tried to convert ntfs to fat32 It go some wierd errors. I lost some data. It didnt convert it. And it no longer booted to win2k. I had to goto my other machine and install ntfs for win9x to recover some of the data.

[Xetenor]

Dear Readers,

Thank you all for replying to the topic. Partition Magic 5.0 is a very interesting and useful program for us gamers who just love tweaking and changing OS.

At least I learned from a mistake. I will make a boot disk for future use. To anyone who wants to know more about NTFS vs. FAT32:

1.Fat32 is noticeably faster than NTFS for gamers.
2.NTFS makes your hard drive load more.
3.I recommend at least 128 SDRAM to be installed if you are going to install NTFS with Windows 2000.
4.One of my games didn't run in OpenGL. It was Rogue Spear. I had a FAT32 file system. The solution was NTFS. I converted, and Rogue Spear ran great on my Pentium 2 350 MHz, 64 SDRAM, 8 Gig Hard drive (C:5 gig; D:3 gig).

Gamers, Windows 2000 is not for us. Please stay tuned. Also, I have not heard much good from the upcoming Windows Millenium Edition, which I believe is the third Windows 98 edition.

[Dragon-Lord]

YuppieS,

You have the same mobo as I do, yet I cannot get the Dual UWSCSI chip to recognize under the OS. IS there a driver, or procedure I need to know about it?

:}