How to convert FAT into NTFS for portable drives ?

jumbo5 · Oct 6, 2009

I want to encrypt / create a VOLUME CONTAINER of 35gb through 'TRUECRPYT' in my 350gb transcend portable drive.
The software while creating says that a vloume container of more than 4gb cannot be made as the drive is FAT.

pls help

andrew327 · Oct 6, 2009

To convert a partition to NTFS from FAT, go to Command prompt and type the following command..
Convert X: /FS:NTFS
X: Being the drive letter your USB drive has, and you will not loose any data, when you convert the same from FAT to NTFS.....

jumbo5 · Oct 7, 2009

andrew327 said:
To convert a partition to NTFS from FAT, go to Command prompt and type the following command..
Convert X: /FS:NTFS
X: Being the drive letter your USB drive has, and you will not loose any data, when you convert the same from FAT to NTFS.....

Thanx! it worked
I tried for a 512mb pendrive, now i'll do it for my 350gb port hd,...still feeling tense to do it.I know it doesnt erase any data,but 1 in a billion chance if it did then i'll lose my years of collection!!!

6pack · Oct 7, 2009

^ then first take a backup of your years of collection before converting.

Uniquemods · Oct 7, 2009

take a backup, proceed with the mentioned methord and let me know if it worked. just curious.

UM

jumbo5 · Oct 7, 2009

6pack said:
^ then first take a backup of your years of collection before converting.

dont have alternate 350gb space 2 take backup. :ashamed:

But i guess if it worked with 512mb pendrive then it'll work on any portable drive.:hap2:

scarecrow95 · Oct 10, 2009

Good luck.....post your reply with how it went

Uniquemods · Oct 14, 2009

any updates ????

dgeneration911 · Oct 19, 2009

Right click on drive name >format>file system=ntfs..done
in case u r changing a thumbdrive to ntfs do remember it shortens its life + wont be able to use it in dvd players ets.

jumbo5 · Oct 21, 2009

dgeneration911 said:
Right click on drive name >format>file system=ntfs..done
in case u r changing a thumbdrive to ntfs do remember it shortens its life + wont be able to use it in dvd players ets.

wow!..that was common sense. didnt think about that.

how does it shorten life of an external drive?

mihirX · Oct 21, 2009

^^ ofcourse tht will format (erase data) your drive.

teche · Oct 21, 2009

dgeneration911 said:
Right click on drive name >format>file system=ntfs..done

Wow! That was simple & straight! I have a Transcend 320GB PORTABLE. The file type is FAT, would be converting the whole space to NTFS using your method.

After Format, should Check Disk or Defragmentation be run before proceeding further?

babhishek · Oct 22, 2009

i guess its not that easy sometimes the ntfs option under format doesnt come up..

use HP USB DISK STORAGE FORMAT TOOL - the best way to format...

Jatt.inc · Oct 22, 2009

Alright

Listen up....a similar issue happened with me yesterday. Had to transfer a 9 GB file to a 500GB external WD HDD with FAT32 and 250 GB of data already on it.

I didnt have 250GB of available space to backup the data on.

Had Paragon partition manager 10.0 lying around, so checked out the additional features.
It can convert your HDD file system to NTFS (which is what you need to do) without compromising the data or without you needing to back it up...

BUTT..with a double 'T'

It took 22 Hrs to do it on my 500Gb WD External HDD...rofl

So, if you have the time, give it a go

izzner · Oct 22, 2009

Jatt.inc said:
Alright

Listen up....a similar issue happened with me yesterday. Had to transfer a 9 GB file to a 500GB external WD HDD with FAT32 and 250 GB of data already on it.

I didnt have 250GB of available space to backup the data on.

Had Paragon partition manager 10.0 lying around, so checked out the additional features.
It can convert your HDD file system to NTFS (which is what you need to do) without compromising the data or without you needing to back it up...

BUTT..with a double 'T'

It took 22 Hrs to do it on my 500Gb WD External HDD...rofl

So, if you have the time, give it a go

oh my god.....thats too much...:rofl:

teche · Oct 22, 2009

I formatted my discs but somehow their names got changed, I did not change though!

Later on when I launched bittorrent, all the files were showing - files missing.
Then I again changed back the names of the discs & put the files in bittorrent on re-check mode. Thankfully things are working fine now.

But how did the names got changed without my intervention?

mihirX · Oct 22, 2009

^^ it gives default names to the drives if u dont input specific names manually.

bodmas · Oct 23, 2009

andrew327 said:
To convert a partition to NTFS from FAT, go to Command prompt and type the following command..
Convert X: /FS:NTFS
X: Being the drive letter your USB drive has, and you will not loose any data, when you convert the same from FAT to NTFS.....

Wah! It works, It converts my lappy FAT HDD into NTFS. Yuppy!
Thanks Andrew.