converting to NTFS

[D. Kruse]

I upgraded from WindowsMe and kept the fat32 format. After
more research, I've decided to convert to NTFS. I have two
hard drives[one operating system], the main one[30 GB] and
the second one[60 GB] for storage. I tried to convert the
second one to NTFS and I received an error statement:
"Convert cannot be run because the volume is in used by
another process".

Does it mean I have to convert both drives to NTFS?

D.

[R. C. White]

Hi, D.

No, you should not have to convert both drives. WinXP will happily
mix-and-match FAT32 and NTFS volumes, just as easily as it reads from a
floppy (FAT12) or a CD-ROM (CDFS or UDF).

What other process might be using the drive? What else is running in the
background? Is that drive open in Windows Explorer? Is this the "current
volume"? That is, are you at the D: prompt and telling it to convert D:?
If so, it should warn you that it can't convert until you reboot.

Click Start | Help and Support, then type "convert" into the Search box and
press Enter. You should see two topics; they both are too short, but they
will at least tell you the basics of using Convert.exe. It should "just
work". If not, you may need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure nothing is
running in the background while Convert is running.

For more details than the Help file supplies, look at the free, online
Windows XP Resource Kit. The page you need is:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prkb_cnc_ytpt.asp

Look especially at the section "Converting Volumes In Use".

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP

"D. Kruse" > wrote in message
...
> I upgraded from WindowsMe and kept the fat32 format. After
> more research, I've decided to convert to NTFS. I have two
> hard drives[one operating system], the main one[30 GB] and
> the second one[60 GB] for storage. I tried to convert the
> second one to NTFS and I received an error statement:
> "Convert cannot be run because the volume is in used by
> another process".
>
> Does it mean I have to convert both drives to NTFS?
>
> D.

[Dennis Kruse]

First thing, I installed Windowsxp Home edition. Second,
I've looked at the suggested article and could not find
any reference to converting volume in use. I then searched
and was referred to that same article. Augh.

Anyway, I shut down everything, including Nortin
SymtemWorks, but still got the same error message. It also
warned I would lose my previous os backup. If I converted
on next bootup, would there be a problem?



>-----Original Message-----
>Hi, D.
>
>No, you should not have to convert both drives. WinXP
will happily
>mix-and-match FAT32 and NTFS volumes, just as easily as
it reads from a
>floppy (FAT12) or a CD-ROM (CDFS or UDF).
>
>What other process might be using the drive? What else
is running in the
>background? Is that drive open in Windows Explorer? Is
this the "current
>volume"? That is, are you at the D: prompt and telling
it to convert D:?
>If so, it should warn you that it can't convert until you
reboot.
>
>Click Start | Help and Support, then type "convert" into
the Search box and
>press Enter. You should see two topics; they both are
too short, but they
>will at least tell you the basics of using Convert.exe.
It should "just
>work". If not, you may need to reboot into Safe Mode to
be sure nothing is
>running in the background while Convert is running.
>
>For more details than the Help file supplies, look at the
free, online
>Windows XP Resource Kit. The page you need is:
>http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?
url=/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prkb_cnc_ytpt.asp
>
>Look especially at the section "Converting Volumes In
Use".
>
>RC
>--
>R. C. White, CPA
>San Marcos, TX

>Microsoft Windows MVP
>
>"D. Kruse" > wrote in message
...
>> I upgraded from WindowsMe and kept the fat32 format.
After
>> more research, I've decided to convert to NTFS. I have
two
>> hard drives[one operating system], the main one[30 GB]
and
>> the second one[60 GB] for storage. I tried to convert
the
>> second one to NTFS and I received an error statement:
>> "Convert cannot be run because the volume is in used by
>> another process".
>>
>> Does it mean I have to convert both drives to NTFS?
>>
>> D.
>
>
>.
>

[R. C. White]

Sorry, Dennis.

I thought that URL would take you directly to the right page. But, when I
tried clicking the link I gave you in my earlier post, I went to the wrong
place - just like you probably did. :>(

Clicking the link takes me into the Resource Kit, but to the page titled
"Basic and Dynamic Disks and Volumes". Interesting, but not exactly what I
intended for you to read. In the contents box at the left of the screen, I
see that this page is in the middle of Chapter 12, Disk Management. The
intended page is a little further down, in Chapter 13, File Systems. Click
the + in front of Ch. 13 and it expands that chapter; click the box in front
of NTFS File System and it expands further. The second subheading under
NTFS is "Converting Volumes to NTFS". THAT's where I meant to send you.
About 2/3 of the way through this page is where you'll find "Converting
Volumes in Use".

That page says, basically, just what you are seeing: To convert the volume
currently in use, you should answer Yes and then reboot.

Sorry for the misdirection. The information is not EXACTLY where I pointed
you, but it is there.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP

"Dennis Kruse" > wrote in message
...
> First thing, I installed Windowsxp Home edition. Second,
> I've looked at the suggested article and could not find
> any reference to converting volume in use. I then searched
> and was referred to that same article. Augh.
>
> Anyway, I shut down everything, including Nortin
> SymtemWorks, but still got the same error message. It also
> warned I would lose my previous os backup. If I converted
> on next bootup, would there be a problem?
>
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Hi, D.
> >
> >No, you should not have to convert both drives. WinXP
> will happily
> >mix-and-match FAT32 and NTFS volumes, just as easily as
> it reads from a
> >floppy (FAT12) or a CD-ROM (CDFS or UDF).
> >
> >What other process might be using the drive? What else
> is running in the
> >background? Is that drive open in Windows Explorer? Is
> this the "current
> >volume"? That is, are you at the D: prompt and telling
> it to convert D:?
> >If so, it should warn you that it can't convert until you
> reboot.
> >
> >Click Start | Help and Support, then type "convert" into
> the Search box and
> >press Enter. You should see two topics; they both are
> too short, but they
> >will at least tell you the basics of using Convert.exe.
> It should "just
> >work". If not, you may need to reboot into Safe Mode to
> be sure nothing is
> >running in the background while Convert is running.
> >
> >For more details than the Help file supplies, look at the
> free, online
> >Windows XP Resource Kit. The page you need is:
> >http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?
> url=/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prkb_cnc_ytpt.asp
> >
> >Look especially at the section "Converting Volumes In
> Use".
> >
> >RC
> >
> >"D. Kruse" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> I upgraded from WindowsMe and kept the fat32 format.
> After
> >> more research, I've decided to convert to NTFS. I have
> two
> >> hard drives[one operating system], the main one[30 GB]
> and
> >> the second one[60 GB] for storage. I tried to convert
> the
> >> second one to NTFS and I received an error statement:
> >> "Convert cannot be run because the volume is in used by
> >> another process".
> >>
> >> Does it mean I have to convert both drives to NTFS?
> >>
> >> D.