Convert FAT32 to NTFS

Every storage device uses a File System, the way files and data are named, organized and placed in computer. An USB Pen drive, Flash Disk, Hard Disk, Floppy Disk and even Optical Disk or Memory Cards are File storage Devices. These devices uses aFile System which organizes, places, names and stores data and files on computer such that it is easily accessible by you.

All these Files Storage Devices uses a File System which can be either FAT32 or NTFS, there are few more but these two are quite popular.

So before going further, let’s find out some more details about FAT32 and NTFS file system, later we will discuss how to covert a FAT32 device into an NTFS device.

FAT32: FAT32 stands for File Allocation Table. FAT32 is being used from old days of DOS and Windows 98. FAT32 creates sectors in counting of 16, this means a File of Size 20, will be created in 2 sectors 16 and 4, which directly means the loss of 12 sectors.

As time passed Microsoft Corporation Introduced Microsoft Windows XP, along withWindows XP a new file system was introduced and it was called NTFS.

NTFS: NTFS stands for New Technology File System. NTFS has many benefit in the term of security and storage. Unlike FAT32, NTFS creates sectors in count of 4, which means a File of Size 20 , will be created in 5 sectors which will be 4,4,4,4 and 4 and as you can see here we have zero loss of any sectors as compared to FAT32 where we had direct loss 12sectors.

Enough of information, now let’s move ahead and learn step by step procedure of converting a FAT32 storage device into NTFS.

How to Convert FAT32 Storage Device into NTFS without losing any data ?

Step 1: Connect the device and note down the Drive letter of device from , My Computer.

Step 2: Now launchCommand Prompt by navigation to run dialog box from 

Start>>Run or press WinKey+R and then type CMD and press enter.

[Remember to run Command Prompt as Administrator, Windows 7 and Vista users Right Click on CMD icon and Click on Run as Administrator, Windows XP user should have Administrator Privileges]

Step 3: Now In Command Prompt, suppose if your drive letter is H:

Run a disk error check by typing chkdsk H: /f and hit Enter

and wait few minutes while your Disk is been checked and repaired for errors.

Step 4: Now in Command Prompt, type convert H: /FS:NTFS and press Enter key.

Step 5: Now wait for few minutes and let the Conversion from FAT32 to NTFS finish.

That’s it, if all went right, your device must have now got converted into NTFS, you can ensure whether it is converted or not by checking it’s Properties from My Computer.

Please remember that drive letter H: is here an example the actual driver letter might be different in your case, check your device’s drive letter in My Computer. Please do not disconnect your Device while process is taking place else your device may get damaged. And also remember, since the file system will get converted into NTFS, all data on your device will lost.