[RESOLVED] converting to NTFS

[Sun Zi]

Is it recomended to convert my hard disk to NTFS when i have only win2k install?

[StevePorter]

NTFS is superior to FAT32 for several reasons: 1) increased security (it's more difficult for someone to boot and access your system with a floppy), 2) increased speed (access to a NTFS formatted drive is faster), and 3) increased capacity (due to cluster size limitations, FAT32 formatted drives have a lot of wasted space).

The best time to convert to NTFS is during W2K installation, although the conversion can be done afterwards.

[QSECOFR]

Definitly NTFS.

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I wish they had Doom for OS/400...that would be some treat!

[Sun Zi]

Then how do i boot with emergency disk?

[StevePorter]

Change your computer's BIOS to boot from the CD drive, insert your W2K CD, and start your computer. When prompted during setup, select Repair with the Emergency Repair Disk.

[standsølid]

yes! you must go to NTFS! if you have any plans on having Win98/95/ME or any other OS don't upgrade your discs to dynamic. It will allow for more NT features, but it's hell to get 98 on there

[Chimera~]

The drive that I have w2k installed on is NTSF but I have another drive in my P.C That is still running under Fat 32 how do I convert it to NTFS , I think it would be a wise thing to do since i will never put that kernal back on any of my computers.

[StevePorter]

Your answer about how to convert an existing drive to NTFS is given in W2K's help system under "NTFS conversion from command prompt". This is what it says:

To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt

[list=1][*]Open a command prompt window.[*]In the command prompt window, type[/list=a]

convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

Notes:

• To open a Command Prompt window, 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.

W2K help also gives a second way to do the conversion:

Convert

Converts FAT and FAT32 volumes to NTFS. You cannot convert the current drive. If convert cannot lock the drive it will offer to convert it the next time the computer restarts.

convert drive: /fs:ntfs /v

Parameters

drive:

Specifies the drive to convert to NTFS.

/fs:ntfs

Specifies that the volume be converted to NTFS.

/v

Specifies verbose mode. All messages will be displayed during conversion.

I hope this helps...

[This message has been edited by StevePorter (edited January 14, 2001).]

[Sun Zi]

Can I partition my hard drive into 2 and convert one of them to NTFS and other one FAT32?

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Hi

[condor]

Yup. but repartitioning will delete all the data on that drive so you should backup all the things you want from it to another disk ...

How it's done:

1. Right Click "my Computer" and select "Manage"

2. go to "Disk Management"

3. Right Click the partition on the 2nd disk and delete it.

4. Right Click and create a new Primary Partition on the 2nd disk using the size you want -Format it to NTFS (or FAT32)

5. Right Click the rest of the unused space and create an Extended Partition.

6. Create a logical drive in the extanded Partition and format it with FAT32 (or NTFS)

Good Luck.


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Computers do exactly as you tell them - not what you want them to do ...

[Alaeth]

How safe is the convert command?

I have a 60Gig drive that I have no-where to backup (easily)...

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Some ppl complain, others upgrade! (Add me to the second catagory plz)

[techleet]

StevePorter is right about NTFS being better than FAT32...mostly. One thing on security: It's not about booting. In fact, the inability to boot with a dos disk and read stuff, etc, is bullshi+. You can get a DOS NTFS reader easily on the net.

The security features come in the form of NTFS Permissions, baby! You can give individual file permissions as well as share permissions with NTFS. Basically, if you wanted your brother PETE to be locked out of your porn collection, you could do it! It's quite handy! Just my $0.02!

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00111111.11001000.10001110.10011010
11111111.11111111.11111111.11111000
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Subnetting is key.

[This message has been edited by techleet (edited January 28, 2001).]

[condor]

the Convert command is quite safe HOWEVER
without being too It's Always A GOOD Idea to have a backup of your important data just in case somethig goes wrong.



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Computers do exactly as you tell them - not what you want them to do ...

[scutterboy]

There are a lot of smart new features with NTFS 5. One of them is by converting to dynamic disks you can stripe or span your drives, creating one large drive.
Stripeing over two drives allows you to create a fast volume. It spreads the data evenly over two disks, so when you access the drives (in theory) you have double the data rate.

Cool huh...
Scutter --- Yay 200 posts... sorry guys I know I sound like a cheerleader.

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And Control Enter STILL wont let me post a reply.

[PBase001]

Our company is migrating to an all Win2K Pro Workstation enviornment from NT4.0 installs. For added security I converted all drives from FAT16 to NTFS and I haven't lost a drive yet. Plus, some users installed all their stuff only on the C Drive while they had 15GB of freespace on their D Drive. I couldn't upgrade to Win2k with some of these drives as an upgraded required up to 600+MB of freespace. Partition Magic wasn't able to increase the size of the 2GB limit of Fat16, so a convert to NTFS was also required for this purpose. Of course I had the users make a backup of their personal data first for the first 3 people. With no glitches for these people I did the rest of the machines, numbering some 10+ machines without a problem and without backups. Its was more of a timesaver thing, but if you do have the time, do backups.

One other comment, the easiet way to repartition a drive for us is to use Partition Magic (up to version 6.0/6.0 Pro) and you won't lose your data either. But as always, do make backups if possible.