need help getting ntfs back to fat32(file system)

[zerocopy]

do u guys know any kind of utility that'll bring back my ntfs file system back to fat32?

[Phoenix]

partition magic does that without loosing /destroing your data.

[Kane]

Are you sure? IIRC for can only go FAT32 -> NTFS not the other way.

[Badaro]

Originally posted by Lord Kane
Are you sure? IIRC for can only go FAT32 -> NTFS not the other way.

I guess PartitionMagic can:

Q: Can PartitionMagic convert file systems?
A: PartitionMagic 8 can convert FAT, FAT32, and NTFS file systems interchangeably. In order to perform these file system conversions, you must install the operating systems that use those file systems. (For example, to convert to or from NTFS, you must install a Windows NT-based operating system, such as Windows NT, 2000, or XP.) You must also adhere to each files system's rules when performing conversions. (For example, to convert a partition to FAT, the partition must be no larger than 2 GB.)

[]s Badaro

Source: http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/pmfaq.cfm

[Phoenix]

Originally posted by Lord Kane
Are you sure? IIRC for can only go FAT32 -> NTFS not the other way.

As Badaro pointed out it can but can be risky, here's the info provided by partition magic:


Converting NTFS Partitions to FAT or FAT32
Converting an NTFS partition to FAT lets you view the contents of the partition from
DOS, or Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP.
Converting an NTFS partition to FAT32 lets you view the contents of the partition from
Windows 95b/98/Me/2000/XP. However, a FAT32 partition will not be accessible to
Windows 95a and Windows NT.
IMPORTANT! You will lose file system-specific information when converting from
NTFS to FAT. Refer to “NTFS Information Lost When Converting to FAT
or FAT32” on page 74 for additional information.
If the conversion fails when you apply changes, refer to the bulleted list on page 73 for a
list of possible reasons.
Restrictions on Converting NTFS Partitions to FAT or FAT32
NTFS is a more advanced file system than FAT and FAT32. Therefore, depending on the
NTFS features used on the partition, the type of data, and partition size, you may or may
not be allowed to complete the conversion.

If you receive an error message and the conversion stops, it is usually caused by one or
more of the following:
• The file system for conversion is not allowed for the current partition size. A FAT32
partition should be greater than 256 MB, and a FAT partition must be less than 2 GB.
• The NTFS partition has data in memory that has not yet been written to the hard disk.
• ·The Windows 2000/XP NTFS partition has compressed files, sparse files, reparse
points, or encrypted files. In such case, you can uncompress and/or move (or delete)
the sparse files, then repeat the conversion.
• The file system has errors, such as lost clusters and cross-linked files. You can fix
these problems, then try the conversion again.
• There is not enough temporary space in the partition to do the conversion. The
conversion will require the NTFS system and the FAT32 system files until the last
step of the conversion. Also, there is data in NTFS File Replication Services that must
be moved to external clusters and saved.
NTFS Information Lost When Converting to FAT or FAT32
If you can complete the conversion from NTFS to FAT or FAT32, you may receive a
warning about the quality of data and feature loss, depending on the features used on the
partition, the type of data, and the partition size.
Warning Description
Error The conversion is not allowed. Because the partition being converted
is using advanced features in NTFS, you may experience unintended
data and feature loss. You will receive an error in one or more of the
following cases:
• There is more than one data stream for any file.
• Any links.
• Any extended attributes.
• Any user-defined attributes in any file.
• Device entries.
• There are sparse files on the volume. Any sparse files, except for
the bad sector file, will stop the conversion.

Warning The conversion is allowed. Although a conversion warning is not as
serious as an error, you may still experience the loss of NTFS-specific
features that are not supported in FAT or FAT32. You will receive a
conversion warning in one or more of the following cases:
• Disk usage quotas - NTFS supports limiting the amount of disk
space for a user. After conversion, all users will have full access
to all free hard disk space.
• Access control lists - This is a file attribute that lists all the users
that can access a file. After conversion, all users will have full
access to all files.
• Index of access control lists - A list of all files that have specific
access rights assigned to them. After conversion, all users will
have full access to all files.
• FAST index file - This file is sometimes created on Windows
2000 computers. After conversion, all indexing of keywords will
be lost.
• Old versions of files - NTFS has the ability to keep versions of
files, however, only the current version of the file is converted
and saved.
No Warning The conversion is allowed. The most basic NTFS partition still gives
files more features than are found in FAT or FAT32. When Windows
NT 4.0 is used to copy files from an NTFS partition to a FAT
partition, no warning is given about the features you are losing. Also,
the conversion will not give you a warning about specific features that
cannot be converted. These features include:
• Standard journal file (only used internally by NTFS) - This file is
a transaction log of changes to the NTFS file system. After
conversion, the journal file will be lost.
• NTFS-specific file attributes - NTFS and FAT both have
standard file attributes, such as Read-only, Archive, Hidden, and
System. NTFS has additional file attributes that can be set. After
conversion, however, these additional file attributes will be lost.
Warning Description
• NTFS-specific file dates - The last edit date is converted to the
FAT date. After conversion, the creation date, last access date,
and last edit date (date change only) will be lost.
• Reliable change journal - This journal file is new to Windows
2000. After conversion, this file will be lost.

[metal_ash]

its better to reformat it than converting itif your not worying to lose files.it gives u less problems.

[Hanamichi]

IIRC I backup'ed all my files on a second FAT32 hard disk(or they were already there, dont remember) and used a boot disk to remove the entire NTFS partition from my primary hard disk, before reinstalling FAT32 sometime ago and everything worked. Gave me alot of problems trying to reverse the proccess...
What are the advantages of NTFS anyway? (yes, I didnt read much about it before deciding to switch to it)

[metal_ash]

ntfs gives you more harddisk space because you can compress your hd.fastfile searching becuase of the indexing method and qoutas for every partition.and i think it has file protection too.and also, STABILITY.

[zerocopy]

Originally posted by Lord Kane
Are you sure? IIRC for can only go FAT32 -> NTFS not the other way.

So does that mean, im never gonna get my h.d back to fat32?

[Phoenix]

You can. We don't know if you have important data stored in your HD so, if that's the case, backup, then format your HD with FAT32 file system.