Re: Windows XP file system convert utility

From: Andrew van der Stock (ajv@greebo.net)
Date: 05/11/02 

From: "Andrew van der Stock" <ajv@greebo.net>
Date: Sat, 11 May 2002 12:26:23 +1000

I've never seen this fail, but then again, I never leave the original file
system long enough for it to get corrupted!

The disk is not reformatted, but it does change significantly. Did you know
that most files don't move at all? The way the NTFS conversion works is that
it checks the file system to make sure it's okay before it gets going, moves
a few files around to make room for NTFS specific directory structures and
meta data, such as $MFT and friends. $MFT can be anywhere, but
traditionally, it's in the middle of the disk. It then constructs a workable
NTFS directory structure and then the MFT in the free space it created in an
earlier step. Finally it marks all the FAT areas as free space in the NTFS
structures. If everything went fine, it replaces the boot sector to change
the partition type from FAT to NTFS and reboots. I do not know if it zeros
those sectors out (I doubt it), but they are marked as free in the NTFS
bitmap.

How the conversion process works:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;JA;q156560

Good NTFS backgrounder:
http://www.arstechnica.com/paedia/n/ntfs/ntfs4-1.html

I agree with the reply - make a backup before you start.

thanks,
Andrew van der Stock, MCSE,
NTFS *only* user since 1994.
ajv@greebo.net

"Debra Earle" <theboss@intranet-works.com> wrote in message
news:3CDB516C.1F6B31C@intranet-works.com...
> Ray Martinez wrote:
> >
> > I was wondering when converting Fat32 to NTFS, does it
> > preserve the files on that partition? Meaning, does it
> > format the drive when it does it?
>
> It preserves the files ... but always keep in mind, when making any
> formatting changes or similar, it's still a good idea to have VERY good
> backups of any important/irreplaceable data.
>
> -- DE

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