Backing out NTFS?

[Tom Orle]

Hi,
I have changed all 4 partitions of my 200gig HD to NTFS and have no
problems with it. But I'd like to revert one of them back to FAT32.
Loosing the data on that partition is not an issue but can it be done
by just running a FORMAT on it or do I need to FDISK the whole HD
including all other partitons? This I prefer not to do. I don't need
to resize the partition.

An obvious solution in that case would be to get Partition Magic 8, I
guess :-) But before spending the $$ for it I was hoping that a plain
FORMAT might work.

[John A. Wolf]

Tom, save your money. Assuming the partition you wish to revert to FAT32 is
not the system partition you just need to:
1) Right click on "My Computer" and select "Manage"
2) Under Computer Management - Storage click on "Disk Management"
3) Right click on the partition in question (make sure you get the right one
or you will lose stuff you may need to keep)
4) Select Format and make sure the file system says FAT32

You should be good to go. Obviously this will wipe out any data on that
partition so make sure you have it copied if you need it.
--
John A. Wolf


"Tom Orle" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
> I have changed all 4 partitions of my 200gig HD to NTFS and have no
> problems with it. But I'd like to revert one of them back to FAT32.
> Loosing the data on that partition is not an issue but can it be done
> by just running a FORMAT on it or do I need to FDISK the whole HD
> including all other partitons? This I prefer not to do. I don't need
> to resize the partition.
>
> An obvious solution in that case would be to get Partition Magic 8, I
> guess :-) But before spending the $$ for it I was hoping that a plain
> FORMAT might work.

[Nicholas]

Right-click on MY COMPUTER and select MANAGE.
Click on DISK MANAGEMENT and in the upper right-hand
window, right-click on your partition and select FORMAT.

--=20
Nicholas

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

"Tom Orle" > wrote in message:
...

| Hi,
| I have changed all 4 partitions of my 200gig HD to NTFS and have no
| problems with it. But I'd like to revert one of them back to FAT32.
| Loosing the data on that partition is not an issue but can it be done
| by just running a FORMAT on it or do I need to FDISK the whole HD
| including all other partitons? This I prefer not to do. I don't need
| to resize the partition.
|=20
| An obvious solution in that case would be to get Partition Magic 8, I
| guess :-) But before spending the $$ for it I was hoping that a plain
| FORMAT might work.

[Tom Orle]

"Nicholas" > wrote:

>Right-click on MY COMPUTER and select MANAGE.
>Click on DISK MANAGEMENT and in the upper right-hand
>window, right-click on your partition and select FORMAT.

Thanks John and Nicholas.
That was the answer I was hoping for and I'll go for it after the
backup of the soon to be converted partition finishes :-)
-=tom=-

[Walter Clayton]

Won't work. XP will not format a volume as fat32 unless it's smaller than
32G. To properly format the volume you need either an Me version of format
(98/SE has a hard limit of 128G and the 95 version of format has a hard
limit of 32G. As well, in order to go over ~64G with 98/SE, you need a
patched version of format) or 3rd party tool.

One issue you will not like as well is being stuck with 32K clusters.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/default.asp


"Tom Orle" > wrote in message
...
> "Nicholas" > wrote:
>
> >Right-click on MY COMPUTER and select MANAGE.
> >Click on DISK MANAGEMENT and in the upper right-hand
> >window, right-click on your partition and select FORMAT.
>
> Thanks John and Nicholas.
> That was the answer I was hoping for and I'll go for it after the
> backup of the soon to be converted partition finishes :-)
> -=tom=-

[Tom Orle]

"John A. Wolf" > wrote:

>Tom, save your money. Assuming the partition you wish to revert to FAT32 is
>not the system partition you just need to:
>1) Right click on "My Computer" and select "Manage"
>2) Under Computer Management - Storage click on "Disk Management"
>3) Right click on the partition in question (make sure you get the right one
>or you will lose stuff you may need to keep)
>4) Select Format and make sure the file system says FAT32

John,
Well, I'm having a problem with those instructions now - there is no
"Manage" button after the right-click on My Computer! None of the
subcategories available have a "Manage" either. And the 'Format'
buttons within the partition letters won't even show any other
filesystem than NTFS.
I do have XP-Pro and a full install.

But- I have other tricks up my sleeve: I'll use a bootable backup
floppy from Win 98SE that has a copy of its Format on it and use that.
I just hope XP recognizes that - if not I'll just have to go back to
NTFS.

-=tom=-

[Tom Orle]

"Walter Clayton" > wrote:

>Won't work. XP will not format a volume as fat32 unless it's smaller than
>32G. To properly format the volume you need either an Me version of format
>(98/SE has a hard limit of 128G and the 95 version of format has a hard
>limit of 32G. As well, in order to go over ~64G with 98/SE, you need a
>patched version of format) or 3rd party tool.
>
>One issue you will not like as well is being stuck with 32K clusters.
Walter,
That may explain why I can't get a FAT32 option in the format window
selection box.
So my solution is, as explained to John in another post, to use my Win
98SE format. No problem with the 128G limit as the partition in
question is 40G and, yes, I'm aware of the cluster issues. That's why
I went NTFS in the first place. But I need a partition that I can read
with WIN98SE on that HD.

Thanks for the info - that clears up a lot.
My only concern left now is - will XP recognize the FAT formated by an
outside source. Internally it may still think it has NTFS - but I'll
find out soon I guess :-)

-=tom=-

[Walter Clayton]

Yes, XP will mount a 2T fat32 partition if you can find a drive that large.
:-)

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/default.asp


"Tom Orle" > wrote in message
...
> "Walter Clayton" > wrote:
>
> >Won't work. XP will not format a volume as fat32 unless it's smaller than
> >32G. To properly format the volume you need either an Me version of
format
> >(98/SE has a hard limit of 128G and the 95 version of format has a hard
> >limit of 32G. As well, in order to go over ~64G with 98/SE, you need a
> >patched version of format) or 3rd party tool.
> >
> >One issue you will not like as well is being stuck with 32K clusters.
> Walter,
> That may explain why I can't get a FAT32 option in the format window
> selection box.
> So my solution is, as explained to John in another post, to use my Win
> 98SE format. No problem with the 128G limit as the partition in
> question is 40G and, yes, I'm aware of the cluster issues. That's why
> I went NTFS in the first place. But I need a partition that I can read
> with WIN98SE on that HD.
>
> Thanks for the info - that clears up a lot.
> My only concern left now is - will XP recognize the FAT formated by an
> outside source. Internally it may still think it has NTFS - but I'll
> find out soon I guess :-)
>
> -=tom=-

[Michael Stevens]

Tom Orle wrote:
> "John A. Wolf" > wrote:
>
>> Tom, save your money. Assuming the partition you wish to revert to
>> FAT32 is not the system partition you just need to:
>> 1) Right click on "My Computer" and select "Manage"
>> 2) Under Computer Management - Storage click on "Disk Management"
>> 3) Right click on the partition in question (make sure you get the
>> right one or you will lose stuff you may need to keep)
>> 4) Select Format and make sure the file system says FAT32
>
> John,
> Well, I'm having a problem with those instructions now - there is no
> "Manage" button after the right-click on My Computer! None of the
> subcategories available have a "Manage" either. And the 'Format'
> buttons within the partition letters won't even show any other
> filesystem than NTFS.
> I do have XP-Pro and a full install.
>
> But- I have other tricks up my sleeve: I'll use a bootable backup
> floppy from Win 98SE that has a copy of its Format on it and use that.
> I just hope XP recognizes that - if not I'll just have to go back to
> NTFS.
>
> -=tom=-

You have to be logged in as administrator.

--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP

http://michaelstevenstech.com
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