FAT32 Drive Image to NTFS
- Thread starter Achill
- Start date
The image will restore FAT 32 partition, eventhough you have it formatted to NTFS. After you restore the image, you can then convert to NTFS. Use something like Partition Magic. I like Partition Magic because it is fast and you don't lose any data. Then you can make a new backup having NTFS.
Looks like I cannot avoid the FAT 32 volume. Using the selective features would be a sensible approach for restoring files. Restoring entire programs, however, which have registry entries and files all over the place would be impossible.
Converting the FAT 32 disk to NTFS before backing up and then restoring that backup to the newly formatted NTFS disk looks like a practical alternative.
Does converting a FAT 32 Volume to NTFS produce as complete an NTFS format as an original NTFS format ie, do some residual FAT 32 features remain in the converted volume? If so, what practical differences might they have to an original NTFS format?
Converting the FAT 32 disk to NTFS before backing up and then restoring that backup to the newly formatted NTFS disk looks like a practical alternative.
Does converting a FAT 32 Volume to NTFS produce as complete an NTFS format as an original NTFS format ie, do some residual FAT 32 features remain in the converted volume? If so, what practical differences might they have to an original NTFS format?
command is this:
CONVERT drive x: /FS:NTFS
where drive "x" is drive to be converted or:
CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS
it will ask you for the volume label and confirmation.
if "C" is the drive where windows is installed, conversion will take place at next boot.
however this command will not work for NTFS to FAT32.
CONVERT drive x: /FS:NTFS
where drive "x" is drive to be converted or:
CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS
it will ask you for the volume label and confirmation.
if "C" is the drive where windows is installed, conversion will take place at next boot.
however this command will not work for NTFS to FAT32.
Many thanks - everything worked perfectly.
The conversion appears impossible to do without first creating a contiguous file at 12.5% the size of the drive to be converted.
The command is: fsutil file createnew x:\MFTFile.txt 3750000000
where x is the drive to be converted and the last figure representing 12.5% of the drive - in my case this is a 30GB drive.
The created textfile may be of any valid name. Once the file is created, it is vital to run a defragmenter to ensure the file is wholly contiguous.
Then use the command: convert x: /fs:ntfs /cvtarea:MFTFile.txt to convert the volume. In the case of a non-system volume, conversion takes place immediately. A system volume will offer a choice to unmount the drive - select NO. Then will follow an offer to convert on the next bootup - select Yes
.
An interesting feature is the use of the command cvtarea. Apparently this command forces the MFT file to be contiguous as would be the case if the NTFS system had been formatted when the drive was first installed. Otherwise the conversion may not be as perfect as one created during setup.
The conversion appears impossible to do without first creating a contiguous file at 12.5% the size of the drive to be converted.
The command is: fsutil file createnew x:\MFTFile.txt 3750000000
where x is the drive to be converted and the last figure representing 12.5% of the drive - in my case this is a 30GB drive.
The created textfile may be of any valid name. Once the file is created, it is vital to run a defragmenter to ensure the file is wholly contiguous.
Then use the command: convert x: /fs:ntfs /cvtarea:MFTFile.txt to convert the volume. In the case of a non-system volume, conversion takes place immediately. A system volume will offer a choice to unmount the drive - select NO. Then will follow an offer to convert on the next bootup - select Yes
.An interesting feature is the use of the command cvtarea. Apparently this command forces the MFT file to be contiguous as would be the case if the NTFS system had been formatted when the drive was first installed. Otherwise the conversion may not be as perfect as one created during setup.