Does Windows XP Pro convert to NTFS *automatically*?

[ygr7@yahoo.com]

I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
*NEVER DID*!!!

Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
boot-up! What's going on here?

My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
checked for pending commands, which then get run.
If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
"clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?

Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
effects?

Thanks for your help.

[Nicholas]

Contact IBM Support for assistance. They are the ones who
created the Windows XP image. Anyhow, Windows XP runs
best, and is much more secure, running on NTFS.

--=20
Nicholas

-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
--------------------------

> wrote in message:
om...

| I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
| Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
| shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
| boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
| from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
| According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
| issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
| *NEVER DID*!!!
|=20
| Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
| Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
| restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
| Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
| turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
| boot-up! What's going on here?
|=20
| My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
| requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
| drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
| somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
| checked for pending commands, which then get run.
| If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
| "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
| there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
|=20
| Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
| FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
| FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
| Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
| effects?
|=20
| Thanks for your help.

[Joe Davis]

Partition Magic can change it back. But I wouldn't bother unless you are
planning to install another operating system (dual boot) that needs FAT.
Otherwise, you're probably better off with NTFS.


"Nicholas" > wrote in message
...
Contact IBM Support for assistance. They are the ones who
created the Windows XP image. Anyhow, Windows XP runs
best, and is much more secure, running on NTFS.

--
Nicholas

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------

> wrote in message:
om...

| I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
| Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
| shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
| boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
| from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
| According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
| issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
| *NEVER DID*!!!
|
| Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
| Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
| restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
| Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
| turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
| boot-up! What's going on here?
|
| My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
| requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
| drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
| somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
| checked for pending commands, which then get run.
| If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
| "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
| there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
|
| Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
| FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
| FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
| Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
| effects?
|
| Thanks for your help.

[ray w.]

I always thought NTFS is the way your system comes from factory,
and Fat32 is up to you do do to compress to get more space.
Looks like I backwards or you are..
> wrote in message
om...
> I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
> Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
> shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
> boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
> from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
> According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
> issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
> *NEVER DID*!!!
>
> Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
> Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
> restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
> Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
> turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
> boot-up! What's going on here?
>
> My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
> requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
> drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
> somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
> checked for pending commands, which then get run.
> If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
> "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
> there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
>
> Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
> FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
> FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
> Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
> effects?
>
> Thanks for your help.

[Donald Link]

What is the problem?? You should just let it use NTFS unless you can
justify not.





> wrote in message
om...
> I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
> Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
> shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
> boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
> from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
> According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
> issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
> *NEVER DID*!!!
>
> Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
> Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
> restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
> Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
> turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
> boot-up! What's going on here?
>
> My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
> requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
> drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
> somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
> checked for pending commands, which then get run.
> If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
> "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
> there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
>
> Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
> FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
> FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
> Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
> effects?
>
> Thanks for your help.

[D.Currie]

My laptop, different brand, did the same thing. It's probably easier for
them to build them that way, for whatever reason. Partition Magic allegedly
can convert back to fat32, but as with any such major change, be sure to
back up what you can't afford to lose.

Is there some reason why you don't want NTFS, or is this just a curiosity
thing.

> wrote in message
om...
> I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
> Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
> shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
> boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
> from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
> According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
> issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
> *NEVER DID*!!!
>
> Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
> Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
> restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
> Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
> turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
> boot-up! What's going on here?
>
> My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
> requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
> drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
> somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
> checked for pending commands, which then get run.
> If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
> "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
> there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
>
> Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
> FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
> FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
> Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
> effects?
>
> Thanks for your help.

[D.Currie]

Neither has anything to do with compression.

"ray w." > wrote in message
...
> I always thought NTFS is the way your system comes from factory,
> and Fat32 is up to you do do to compress to get more space.
> Looks like I backwards or you are..
> > wrote in message
> om...
> > I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
> > Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
> > shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
> > boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
> > from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
> > According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
> > issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
> > *NEVER DID*!!!
> >
> > Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
> > Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
> > restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
> > Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
> > turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
> > boot-up! What's going on here?
> >
> > My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
> > requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
> > drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
> > somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
> > checked for pending commands, which then get run.
> > If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
> > "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
> > there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
> >
> > Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
> > FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
> > FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
> > Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
> > effects?
> >
> > Thanks for your help.
>
>

[Jim Macklin]

FAT means "file allocation table" and it is the method used
by DOS and Windows until recently, it put a small database
on the disk in two places with mapping points (this is
formatting) and then lists the name of a file and where it
is on the disk. Each file goes in clusters on tracks. Each
files in FAT has a beginning and ending, the clusters have
pointers to the next part of the file if it is bigger than
one cluster.

NTFS uses a different structure to keep track of where the
file is on a disk and it is more stable and secure, has
fewer problems with cross linked files and lost clusters.

Compression is a method of reducing wasted space in files by
various methods. For instance, if the word "black" is used
100 times in a file or the color black is a large part of a
graphics file, it can be simplified to a formula that tells
how often and where it is repeated, rather than having to
save every instance separately. (That is not a perfect
explanation)


"D.Currie" > wrote in message
...
| Neither has anything to do with compression.
|
| "ray w." > wrote in message
| ...
| > I always thought NTFS is the way your system
comes from factory,
| > and Fat32 is up to you do do to compress to
get more space.
| > Looks like I backwards or you are..
| > > wrote in message
| > om...
| > > I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed
with Windows XP
| > > Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed
OK. But when I
| > > shut the system down and later turned it back on for a
second use, at
| > > boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the
file system
| > > from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
| > > According to what I've read, you can request a
conversion only by
| > > issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt
window, which I
| > > *NEVER DID*!!!
| > >
| > > Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then
ran the Product
| > > Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to
complete, which
| > > restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
| > > Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I
shut it down and
| > > turned it on for a second use, it again started
converting to NTFS at
| > > boot-up! What's going on here?
| > >
| > > My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of
its agenda, had
| > > requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is
issued for an active
| > > drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process
gets "stacked"
| > > somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is
presumably
| > > checked for pending commands, which then get run.
| > > If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this
"stack" and
| > > "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the
system boots up,
| > > there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how
to do this?
| > >
| > > Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from
NTFS back to
| > > FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert
back to FAT16 or
| > > FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some
utility such as
| > > Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there
any side
| > > effects?
| > >
| > > Thanks for your help.
| >
| >
|
|

[Donkey Agony]

Joe Davis wrote:

> Partition Magic can change it back. But I wouldn't bother unless you
> are planning to install another operating system (dual boot) that
> needs FAT. Otherwise, you're probably better off with NTFS.

I know Linux can read and write to FAT (both 16 and 32). But can recent
distros (like Mandrake 9.1) read *and* write to NTFS yet? If so, I may
switch over everything to NTFS. Right now, only my OS partition (C:) is
NTFS; my data partitions (D: - E:) are FAT32.

--
da
~~
"OE Quotefix" http://flash.to/oe-quotefix
to fix Outlook Express' broken quoting.

[Michael Geary]

This is all normal behavior.

As the other posters pointed out, NTFS is *much* better than FAT32, unless
you have a specific need to use FAT32.

-Mike

> wrote in message
om...
> I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
> Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
> shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
> boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
> from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
> According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
> issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
> *NEVER DID*!!!
>
> Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
> Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
> restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
> Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
> turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
> boot-up! What's going on here?
>
> My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
> requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
> drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
> somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
> checked for pending commands, which then get run.
> If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
> "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
> there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
>
> Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
> FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
> FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
> Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
> effects?
>
> Thanks for your help.

[David Fumento]

You can install a program for Linux that allows *read-only* access to NTFS.
Google NTFS on Linux.


"D.Currie" > wrote in message
...
> My laptop, different brand, did the same thing. It's probably easier for
> them to build them that way, for whatever reason. Partition Magic
allegedly
> can convert back to fat32, but as with any such major change, be sure to
> back up what you can't afford to lose.
>
> Is there some reason why you don't want NTFS, or is this just a curiosity
> thing.
>
> > wrote in message
> om...
> > I recently bought an IBM Thinkpad T23 pre-installed with Windows XP
> > Pro. When I used it the first time, everything seemed OK. But when I
> > shut the system down and later turned it back on for a second use, at
> > boot-up there's a screen that says it's converting the file system
> > from FAT32 to NTFS!!!
> > According to what I've read, you can request a conversion only by
> > issuing a CONVERT command in the MS-DOS command prompt window, which I
> > *NEVER DID*!!!
> >
> > Just to make sure it wasn't some random glitch, I then ran the Product
> > Restore (F11 at boot-up), which took about an hour to complete, which
> > restored the computer supposedly to a factory state.
> > Well, once again, the first use was OK, but when I shut it down and
> > turned it on for a second use, it again started converting to NTFS at
> > boot-up! What's going on here?
> >
> > My guess is the setup/installation script, as part of its agenda, had
> > requested a CONVERT. Presumably, if a CONVERT is issued for an active
> > drive (and the C-drive is always in use), the process gets "stacked"
> > somewhere. Then, on the next boot-up, the "stack" is presumably
> > checked for pending commands, which then get run.
> > If this theory is true, then how can we intercept this "stack" and
> > "clear" it before shutdown so that next time the system boots up,
> > there won't be any CONVERT done? Does anyone know how to do this?
> >
> > Alternatively, we could try to convert the drive from NTFS back to
> > FAT. According to the helpfiles, you can't convert back to FAT16 or
> > FAT32 from NTFS. Is this really true? Or is there some utility such as
> > Partition Magic that has been known to work? Are there any side
> > effects?
> >
> > Thanks for your help.
>
>

[theSunbird]

I have suse 8.1 professional, no probs with ntfs!

On Sun, 20 Jul 2003 10:15:05 -0400, Donkey Agony ]> wrote:

> Joe Davis wrote:
>
>> Partition Magic can change it back. But I wouldn't bother unless you
>> are planning to install another operating system (dual boot) that
>> needs FAT. Otherwise, you're probably better off with NTFS.
>
> I know Linux can read and write to FAT (both 16 and 32). But can recent
> distros (like Mandrake 9.1) read *and* write to NTFS yet? If so, I may
> switch over everything to NTFS. Right now, only my OS partition (C:) is
> NTFS; my data partitions (D: - E:) are FAT32.
>



--
Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/

[Marc Auslander]

NTFS is a Journalled file system. It uses techiques similar to those
used by data base systems to ensure that every update to what is
called file meta data is "atomic". Either the whole update appears to
occur, or none of it appears to occur. Thus, baring hardware failures
and software bugs, NTFS will never mess up its meta data because of a
crash, power failure, etc. After a crash, NTFS doesn't need to run
chkdsk in an attempt to find and repair damage, so reboot after a
crash/power fail is vastly quicker, particularly with large disks.

NTFS uses a log to get this effect. Whenever file meta data is to be
changed, information about all the changes needed to make a consistant
update are first written to the log file. Then, a "transaction
complete" record is written to the log file. Only after that are the
actual meta data changes allowed to be written to the disk.

An example would be creating a file. Both the directory update that
points to the disk block containing the file and the free space update
that removes that block from free space are logged as a single
transaction. Either both happen, or neither happens. So no cross
linked files.

After a crash, "chkdsk" for NTFS notices that the file system was not
closed cleanly. It reads the log and re-does all changes contained in
transactions which have a commit record. (All changes are done in an
idempotent way - that is doing them more than once is ok. So if a
crash occurs during log redo, it just happens again next time).

The length of the log is bounded by forcing old "dirty" meta data
blocks to be written.

This is all about meta data. It does not guarantee that the file
contents have been written, just that all the space and directory
record keeping is correct.
--