FAT to NTFS on NT4

[mourikise]

Hi,

The system partition on my workstation at work is a 2GB FAT (I didn't do it, it came pre-installed). I have ended up with 90MB free space! I 'm thiking about converting the partition to NTFS and then expanding it with PartitionMagic.

As far as I know there are problems with the permissions applied to the converted NTFS. Does anyone know what to be aware of during the convertion? Maybe I shoudn't make the conversion and proceed to a fresh clean install of NT4 WS?

Thanks inadvance.

[NDC]

Why don't you just run the convert.exe from the DOS prompt to convert from FAT to NTFS? Just be sure to make a backup just incase something gos wrong.

To convert from FAT to NTFS without destroying files, select Start, Run and type command. Then, at the prompt, type convert c: /fs:ntfsd: /fs:ntfs, where c: is the drive letter of the partition you want to convert. When converting your C: drive, the conversion will take place the next time you boot.

[giant69]

The only question that I have about converting from FAT to NTFS relates to security. Doesnt it require administrator privileges to convert file systems? Correct me if Im wrong..steve

[Sixpac]

Yes you have to be part of the local admin group to run this command.

[PatitoDeHule]

BTW, remember that NTFS partitions can read FAT and FAT32, but FAT and FAT32 cannot read NTFS partitions.

To accesss that NTFS partition, you need another NTFS disk.

[NDC]

NT4's NTFS cannot read FAT32, just NTFS and FAT. Win2k's NTFS5 can access all of the above.

[mourikise]

Thank you guys and you NDC! Do you know if there will be any problems after the conversion with the priviledges? Is there any possibility that some services or/and programs won't run?

BTW I have administrator priviledges since I am the network administrator of the company I work for! (What a good admin I am! )

[This message has been edited by mourikise (edited 07-06-2001).]

[NDC]

All applications and services will run just fine after the conversion from FAT to NTFS. Service & Applications have no limitations whatever file system you run on NT4, NTFS or FAT...

Converting the file system from FAT to NTFS will give you more privilages since you'll have the features such as compression, security, and better usage of diskspace. Only thing that I could think of NTFS being worst than FAT is that you cannot access a NTFS partition using a standard Win98 boot disk. As you may already know, Win98 boot disk cannot access NTFS or NTFS5 partitions incase of an emergency such as an unbootable boot partition... Because of this reason, I have all my partitions on NTFS file system and the OS partition on FAT32 on my WIn2k setup.

[This message has been edited by NDC (edited 07-06-2001).]

[mourikise]

OK, I now think I have enough info. I'll try that tomorow.

Thanks!

[giant69]

Please remember to backup any important data PRIOR to doing any H.D. configuration/OS changes!!!! As small as the possibility of something going wrong is, you need to be prepared. It always seems to me that nothing goes bad if you are prepared before hand...Good Luck...steve

[mourikise]

The conversion has been successfully applied! Thank you all for your replies!

[NDC]