In this tutorial i will be explaining how to convert fat32 file system to NTFS.

Why convert from fat32 to NTFS ?

Ntfs provides extra features that fat32 file system does not provide. For example features like security,disk quotas or quota management,better reliability. Each of the mentioned features is explained below.

1. Security: Fat32 provides no security or to be specific no access management features but modern partition system's like ntfs provide access management features whereby you can control what right's a particular user has and to what file's. You can also set up user groups and file access rights in ntfs. The actual implementation of the aforementioned features is done by using access control lists or ACL's . The file rights are like ability to execute, read, delete or write.
   


2. Quota Management: Ntfs provides quota management whereby different users can be assigned hard disk quota. A user can only use the space provided in his quota beyond which he will be denied access to store data.


3. Better Reliability: Have you noticed that when there is improper shutdown of a Fat32 based file system it always has to run chkdsk at startup this is not the case with NTFS. Well Ntfs is more reliable because it uses transaction logging just like in major database systems which use checkpoints to recover from a failed transaction. Similarly NTFS uses these logs to recover from failures or errors.

Note: The NTFS system is not compatible with older file systems like windows 98 but if compatibility is not a issue then you should definitely switch to Ntfs platform. Also conversion back to Fat32 is not at all easy so it is recommended not to convert from fat32 in case you would want to go back to fat32 file system.

How To Convert ?

Now that you know the important features that distinguish Fat32 from Ntfs, you would definitely want to switch to Ntfs.

Windows xp provides an application known as Convert that can be used to convert fat32 to Ntfs file system.

Usage:

CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/NoSecurity] [/X]

volume :- This specifies the drive letter and it must be followed by a colon .


/FS:NTFS :- Specifies that the volume is to be converted to NTFS.

/V :- The conversion must run in verbose mode i.e the command must display the ongoing operations.

/NoSecurity :- Specifies the converted files and directories security settings to be accessible by everyone.

/X :- In case the volume is mounted this option forces the volume to dismount first.

For example :- In case you want to convert partition C to ntfs partitition you can do so by using the following command.

Convert C: /FS:NTFS /V /X

That's it and i do hope you would convert from fat32 to NTFS filesystem.