Windows 7: Convert FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS

Hello Darian, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That error just means that the F: drive is in use and cannot be converted while in use. This could be caused if you had something running from or being saved to the F: drive for example.

You should be able to use step 2 to convert the drive using a command prompt at boot instead since it will not be in use at boot since Windows is not running at boot.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

No problem using the elevated command prompt shortcut. This is what I got in the command prompt: "C:\windows\system32\>convert d:/fs:ntfs"
The type of the file system is FAT32
Enter the correct volume label for drive D: 319992332288
An incorrect volume label was entered for this drive
(The same message with commas)

My problem is the volume label. I right click on the drive letter and then on properties. It says capacity 319,992,332,288 bytes and 298GB. I entered the number with and without commas and I get an error message both times that I entered the wrong Volume label for this drive. I even tripled checked that I entered the correct drive letter. This is a 300GB backup SATA hard drive. My main drive is NTFS file system. I am the administrator. What happened is that I needed to do a fresh/clean Windows install due to a bad virus. I formatted the main drive but I left my backup drive alone but still connected to the motherboard. When I was done with the fresh install I noticed that I now have 2 hard drives with 2 different file systems in Windows 7 (32bit). The main drive is NTFS and the backup FAT32, What am I doing wrong?

Hello Timewarpone,

You just missed having a space between d: and /fs:ntfs in the command

@Timewarpone: you entered the drive capacity instead of the label

When you open the command prompt give it the command
Dir
first, scroll all the way up to the top and look, what it says under VOLUME that's your label


In your method, the label would be here:


It's just to make sure that you have picked the drive you wanted to change

-DG

Thanks For Your Help. Dummy me thought Volume Label meant how many bytes there were on the drive. After I entered the name of the drive it converted with no problems. The total conversion took about a minute and I never lost any files.

Why the back up drive went from NTFS to FAT32 after the fresh install of Windows will probably remain a deep dark secret for centuries to come.

That's got to be one of windows hidden secrets/unsolved mysterys LOL
Glad you got it sorted out
Thanks for the feedback

-DG

Hay guys im new to the forums. I wanted to convert my external HDD its a Morespace 1TB i have it almost filled up i'm scared that if i convert it that my files might get lost some how. Also it asked me to Enter current volume label for drive e:. What does that mean also would that mess my hardrive up and make me loose everything. What are my chance of loosing everything if i change fat32 to ntfs on my hardrive thanks for your help in advance.

Hi goku46 and welcome to SF.
Usually a convert from FAT to NTFS goes painless without any loss of data but you know...stuff can happen (like a power outage right while you're converting...or a dog rips out the USB or power cable of the external drive...or grams trips over it...so it is never wrong to have a backup somewhere.
As for the volume label just look 3 posts above yours (#93) I explained it there.
If you still have questions don't hesitate to ask

-DG

Hay guys i was able to convert my 1tb morespace hdd with no problem at all it took 5 min and it was finshed thanks for aall the help.

Like I said it's usually a painless process as long as you don't interrupt it...but I'm a strong believer in Murphy's law (from experience

Glad it worked out for you
Thanks for the feedback
-DG