XP: Convert Fat32 to NTFS

Contributor Icon Contributed by AlexTheBeast Date Icon June 20, 2004  
Tag Icon Tagged: Windows

NTFS has several advantages over the old Fat32 format. Here’s how to make the conversion.


Microsoft has decided to switch from fat32 to the NTFS format. The debate on which is better or worse is still raging. However, NTFS is now microsoft’s format of choice and is here to stay.

The conversion should not cause you to lose any data; however, I certainly would backup before large scale conversions like this.

1. Click Start
2. Select Run from the Start menu
3. Type cmd in the textbox and click OK
4. In the command window that opens type the following:

    convert c: /fs:ntfs

(If you want to convert any other drive, change the c: to the drive of choice.)

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  • vicky123456789
    thnx
  • ertugrul uysal
    i ve just done it on my external harddrive. It doesn't format the disk, everything is like it were. Not any loss of data. If the conversion fails try to fix the file system errors on the disk and then convert. It happened to me. The file system errors are gone and conversion was successful then. it works just fine. thx
  • Amol
    i'm not able to convert my usb drive
  • theo
    i tried to do it in an externat drive (conected via usb) and it says:
    CONVERT is not available for RAW units

    what should i do?
  • Stefanie
    Does convert format the drive?
  • genie
    Stefanie.... convert only changes the format of the drive... it does not format your drive (as in wiping it clean). Convert will leave all your files and data intact. However, it is still a great idea to have your hdd backed up just in case something does go wrong. But since we ALL keep recent backups anyway, that shouldn't be a problem. ;-)
  • Anonymous
    try defragmenting the particular drive under the Admin account
  • Anonymous
    I recieve an error when I go to convert one of my drives. My C drive converted easily, but my E drive always has the same error message: "cannot determine file system of drive". Help?
  • MickeyMouse
    <ul id="quote">
    Nat wrote:
    I've done the c: /fs:ntfs command. But the system refuses to convert stating that there was an error converting one of the Directories. It just stopped and refuses to convert. I can see the files ex; image.jpg BUT it can't read it.

    Any ideas? :?</ul>

    From the command line run:
    <ul>chkdsk c: /f

    where c: is your drive of interest</ul> Reboot, let windows try to repair the errors, and see if that helps.
  • Nat
    I've done the c: /fs:ntfs command. But the system refuses to convert stating that there was an error converting one of the Directories. It just stopped and refuses to convert. I can see the files ex; image.jpg BUT it can't read it.

    Any ideas? :?
  • AlexTheBeast
    Thanks!

    Recipe is corrected!
  • Anonymous
    FYI,
    It should be like this
    1. Click Start
    2. Select Run from the Start menu
    3. Type cmd in the textbox and click OK
    4. In the command window that opens type the following:

    convert c: /fs:ntfs (Forward slash rather backward slash)

    Cheers
    Chan
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