Drive Converter32

[socalgal]

Hi everyone ~

I would like to convert my WD 2.1G hd (single partition) to FAT32. I am thinking about using Driver Converter32, the system tool provided with Win98.

What, if anything, besides scandisk/defrag before (and after) do I need to know BEFORE I attempt this procedure?

I would like to know any and all problems that any of you may have had, so that I can make a more informed decision and hopefully avoid any potential problems.

If you need more info, let me know.

Thank you guys/gals!

[MadMax]

I've used this util on 26 hdd's without any probs so far. My method has included microscopic system scrutiny, killing any background apps, check, check and recheck the drive integrity, and BACKUP-BACKUP-BACKUP (tape, floppy, zip, cd... whatever you've got) and verify your backup set before you might need it. Good luck. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[socalgal]

Thanks MadMax! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Nathan]

Well Madmax, that's one of the things that's not mentioned enough. And still people don't do it. They'll spend over $1,000.00 on their computer and never give it a thought to making sure there data is protected if the drive crashed. Now where is the logic in that? People may find it offensive, but think about it. Yes it's a pain to do, but so is losing and trying to recreate the documents, drivers, downloads, etc. that is on there.

There are quite a few options out there that are within nearly everyone's reach price wise.

[kwai]

make sure any other 3rd party utils are also fat32 savvy: antivirus, norton utils, nuts & bolts, caching utils, etc.

[MadMax]

You can trust the prog scan in the F32 converter to tell you whether or not you have progs that manipulate the file system directly and ARE ACTIVE that are not compatible with F32. Older versions of Norton Speed Disk are perfect examples of this. These old progs actually changed the way the native FAT was structured and this makes it incompatible with a F32 conversion and will result in data loss. If you ran the prog scan and it came up negative, it means that your FAT functions the way the command.com excpected it to and you won't have any probs from that avenue. BTW, this applet also looks for different types of partions on your hdd such as NTFS, Netware, etc. A good rule of thumb is if you put the original F16 partition(s) on your hdd and have run Win9x exclusively on that hdd with utility progs that are "Windows" compatible exclusively, you won't have any progs that will cause data loss. Hope that helps. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[socalgal]

Hey MadMax - Thanks!

I originally had Win3.1 on this puter when I got it. Will this make a difference?

You also referred to an "older" version of Norton Speed Disk - I am using NU3 Speed Disk but nothing came up incompatible so I assume from what you said that it's not that "older" version you referred to.

BTW Nathan - been cruising your www.helponthe.net/nathan/ (http://www.helponthe.net/nathan/) and your site makes my life so much easier for finding those MS KB articles!

From Nathan's:

FAT32, How to Create a Windows 98 Startup Disk that Supports FAT32

and

FAT32, Description of Default Cluster Sizes for FAT32 File System

Everything else sounds great tho. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Again, many thanks!

[This message has been edited by socalgal (edited 05-01-99).]

[socalgal]

Hmmm... for some reason my previous post was chopped off and all of it wouldn't display. Am trying again here...

Hey MadMax - Thanks!

I originally had Win3.1 on this puter when I got it. Will this make a difference?

You also referred to an "older" version of Norton Speed Disk - I am using NU3 Speed Disk but nothing came up incompatible so I assume from what you said that it's not that "older" version you referred to.

BTW Nathan - been cruising your www.helponthe.net/nathan/ (http://www.helponthe.net/nathan/) and your site makes my life so much easier for finding those MS KB articles!

From Nathan's:

FAT32, How to Create a Windows 98 Startup Disk that Supports FAT32

and

FAT32, Description of Default Cluster Sizes for FAT32 File System

Everything else sounds great tho. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Again, many thanks!

[socalgal]

well, hmmm ??? that was odd.

I guess those URL's dont work like that either. Go To Nathan's LOL



[This message has been edited by socalgal (edited 05-01-99).]

[socalgal]

Nathan ~

So true.

Kwai ~

When I started the Drive Converter32, it did a system check to see if any applications came up as non FAT32 compatible. Nothing came up - but can I trust this?

[This message has been edited by socalgal (edited 05-01-99).]

[cobain1crt]

I have done it on 200 hard drives (although 73 of these were repeates after a huge virus swept the network). Yet to have one problem, at least no problems due to software, power went out on one of them...had to start over from a formated HD.

[socalgal]

As soon as I get myself a large capacity backup I will convert.

Thanks for your feedback everyone! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif