FAT32

[viperjay9]

ok I have WINXP and its currently in FAT32 and im doing alot of stuff like capturing, authoring etc. and i need to be able to create files over 4 gb. Does anyone have a guide on how to change to the other format, i think its called like NFTS or something? any help would be appreciated

[Yorel]

A search for "NTFS" found this from computergalp. Reboot into Safe Mode, open the DOS window, then enter the command line. Only takes a few minutes, and does not affect any programs or files on the drive.

"Try this.....it may only work with XP though.

open a command prompt (dos shell), and type CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS"

[zedolfblack]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/itpro/managing/convertfat.asp

If you use the CONVERT command to convert a FAT32 drive to NTFS then the 'new' NTFS drive will be created with a 512 bytes cluster size.
The default value for NTFS cluster size is 4KB.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314878 refers.

Fragmentation and performance 'may' be worse with the smaller 512 byte cluster size - more so with video capture/editing perhaps.

If you want to avoid the small cluster size of a converted drive then a clean install is necesary - although i believe that some 3rd party software can convert a drive to NTFS with the default cluster size.

HTH.

Zedolf.

[Raen]

Converting can be troublesome, the best thing to do would be to jsut reformat it and re-install windows/everything. You can use the WinXP CD-rom and make it boot o the CD(usually a boot option likeF-11 when the computer first starts up or in Bios.) The wnxp cd will ask if you want to try to repair, continue without repairing, at some point it asks what partition you want to put it on an you can select your harddrive and select "Format NTFS."

Save all your irreplacable files to another harddrive, a few blank CD's or a 4 gig blank dvd before doing this and then you're good to go

[ChrisX]

You would be much better to re-format the drive into NTFS and then re-install everything.

I know the problem is time and the extra work, however you get better results doing it this way rather than converting.

I've done this a month ago from FAT32 to NTFS and this took me only 20 minutes to do a complete re-format of a drive.

The computer seemed to be much better since.