FAT32 to NTFS for WIN XP

[Warrior]

I just noticed the guy that put together my PC partitioned the main drive in two partitions... on is FAT32 with Windows XP operating system. The other is NTFS - where I have installed most of my software. Should I change the other to NTFS as well? I seem to be reading that NTFS is better supported by XP... will changing it now cause any potential risk to this start up drive?

Thanks... I am trying to do some upgrades and have accepted the fact that I will be using Windows for awhile and should get better acquainted with it - put my Mac endeavors on hold for a bit...

Also interested in upgrading to a newer/faster motherboard/CPU to better support graphics/video and some playing around with 3D Studio Max...

[Big Rush]

honestly bro, i think you will probably have to reformat to convert the partitioned drive with xp if you want to convert to NTFS. I would personally just do that. There maybe another way, but I doubted...in face I'm almost positive. Wht a dumbass for not doing it right the first time...lol...sounds like you need a new computer friend bro....hehe...you are right about NTFS being better supported by XP. FAT32 is old school and won't support alot of HDD's larger than 137 GIGs to name just one issue...just reformat the FAT32 partitioned part of your HDD with XP and you can do the conversion that way...you couls also right click on that drive and reformat that way, but I'm not sure how that would work...it would obviously wipe your current OS...better to just do it with the XP disk...

[Warrior]

honestly bro, i think you will probably have to reformat to convert the partitioned drive with xp if you want to convert to NTFS. I would personally just do that. There maybe another way, but I doubted...in face I'm almost positive. Wht a dumbass for not doing it right the first time...lol...sounds like you need a new computer friend bro....hehe...you are right about NTFS being better supported by XP. FAT32 is old school and won't support alot of HDD's larger than 137 GIGs to name just one issue...just reformat the FAT32 partitioned part of your HDD with XP and you can do the conversion that way...you couls also right click on that drive and reformat that way, but I'm not sure how that would work...it would obviously wipe your current OS...better to just do it with the XP disk...

The Windows XP's help files say you can "Convert to NTFS from FAT32"... but doesn't specifically say it won't fuk up the hard drive. I have Norton Partition Magic to do the open-heart operation... but Norton doesn't mention any dangers in this either. I got everything backed up on an external HD, just don't want to do it and then be surprised by f'ed up system performance...

[newbrew]

You can convert to NTFS, just not the other way around.

You honestly wont notice any difference between NTFS or FAT32 other than some added security options. Even though I dont really use any of the options, I still choose to run NTFS. Technically, NTFS is supposed to be just a tad slower.

Not entirely sure how much it applies today, but I know just a few years ago that many games wouldnt run, or wouldnt run as well on NTFS. I'm not really a game player, but thats what I was always told.

[Psychotron]

Very few people take advantage of NTFS, I know I don't. I only have it formatted to NTFS because FAT32 doesn't support file sizes larger then 4gb, and I download DVD-r
s. FAT32 can be quicker, but it is system dependent.

[TheMudMan]

He may have left the partition Fat32 for trouble shooting purposes. Without a utility like NTF4DOS you would not be able to get to the system partition if you had a problem that preventing the OS to boot. If the total drive size is big enoughthen this is no problem at all. Just make sure when you install applications, and save files that you save/install to the NTFS partition so that you do not use up all the space on the FAT32 partition.

[Warrior]

Thanks for all the helpful replies! I plan on tinkering with 3D Studio Max with this set up - but I have an 80GB external NTFS to store for this system. I guess I'll keep the partion with the system software as FAT32, the partion with the bulk of the programs NTFS, and the external NTFS...

Any suggestions on picking a fast Motherboard/CPU combo? I have been looking at PriceWatch.com for some boards. I want the dual channel DDR (capable of supporting at least 2GB of RAM), at least 5.1 sound, 1MB cache and obviously a fast processor. Any suggestions on a good CPU/Motherboard? So many options/manufacturers...

[l6873]

How much do you want to spend and what do you want to do with it?