Hack #45. Convert FAT to NTFS
Use NT/2000/XP/2003's CONVERT program to change a FAT partition to NTFS.
CONVERT is a command-line program with one simple function: to change a FAT partition to
NTFS. Normally CONVERT applies user and system security settings to all
of the files in the partition, but the command-line option /NoSecurity
leaves the access rights to all
files open to everyone, as if the partition were an unsecured FAT
partition.
To use CONVERT to make your C: drive NTFS:
Click Start, then Run. Type in
CMD
or open a Command Prompt window.At the command prompt type:
convert c:\ /fs:ntfs
If the partition has a volume label, you will be prompted to type it in.
Press Y to proceed. If this partition is also the system root, you will see a message telling you the partition will be converted at the next reboot.
Close all open programs and restart your PC. Convert will run CHKDSK to verify the contents of the partition and then begin the conversion. After conversion the system will restart with the new partition.
Hacking the Hack
Converting an NTFS partition to FAT-16 or FAT-32 is not something Microsoft ever intended and does not support with FDISK, FORMAT, or Disk Management tools. Rarely do you need to gain access to files in an NTFS partition from a FAT-16 or FAT-32 OS, but it happens. To convert to FAT from NTFS, you need to use a third-party utility like Symantec's PartitionMagic or V-Com's Partition Commander. Since NTFS partitions are normally secured by the operating ...
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