Convert FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS

How to Convert a FAT or FAT32 Volume to NTFS in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to convert a drive or partition volume with a FAT (FAT16) or FAT32 file system to a NTFS file system in Windows 7 without having to format the volume and lose your data on it.

   Note

Before you start to convert a FAT or FAT32 volume to NTFS, please consider the following limitations and requirements:

• UDF and CDfs file systems are only used with optical media and cannot be converted to NTFS.
• FAT12 is the only format used on floppy diskettes (as if these are used anymore ). This does not apply to a USB flash key though.
• The conversion to NTFS is a one-way process. After you convert a drive or a partition to NTFS, you cannot convert it back to FAT or to FAT32 unless you format it again as FAT or FAT32.
• The convert command requires that you have enough free space on the drive or on the partition that you want to convert to be able to convert it. If Convert.exe determines that there is not sufficient free space on the volume, it will not convert the volume.
• If the files are being used on the volume that you are trying to convert, then you will be prompted with:
  "Convert cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Convert may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? <Y/N>"
  
  • Quit all the programs that are using the files on the drive, and then type Y at the command prompt to convert the drive to NTFS.
• If the drive or partition volume that you are trying to convert is in use, then you will be prompted with:
  "Convert cannot gain exclusive access to the drive letter drive, so it cannot convert it now. Would you like to schedule it to be converted the next time the system restarts? <Y/N>"
  
  • To resolve this issue, type Y at the command prompt. The volume or drive will be converted to NTFS the next time that you restart the computer.

   Warning

Although the chance of corruption or data loss during the conversion is minimal, it is recommended that you backup any data that you do not want to lose on the volume that you want to convert before you start the conversion to be extra safe.

The only way to convert a NTFS disk back to a FAT or FAT32 disk is to format the disk.

Before you begin, note that the FAT32 file system has size limitations. In this version of Windows, you cannot create a FAT32 partition greater than 32 GB (32728 MB). In addition, you cannot store a file larger than 4 GB on a FAT32 partition. For more information, see Comparing NTFS and FAT file systems.

Here's How:
1. To Use a Elevated Command Prompt in Windows
A) Open an elevated command prompt.

B) Go to step 3.
2. To Use a Command Prompt at Boot
A) Open a command prompt at boot.

B) In the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

C) In the command prompt, type list volume and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This will let you see what the drive letter is for the drive that you want to connvert since it may not always be the same drive letter that it is in Windows.

D) After making note of the drive letter, type exit and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

E) Continue on to step 3 to convert the drive.
3. In the command prompt, type convert drive letter: /fs:ntfs and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute drive letter for the drive letter of the FAT or FAT32 drive or partition that you want to convert to NTFS. For example, I want to convert my USB flash key with the drive letter G: , so I would type convert g: /fs:ntfs and press enter.

4. If prompted to Enter current volume label for drive (drive letter) (ex: G: ), then enter the name (ex: NEW VOLUME) of this drive letter as it is displayed in the Computer window and press Enter. (see screenshots below)



5. When the conversion to NTFS is complete, you receive the Conversion complete message. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: This may take a while to convert depending on full and large the drive is. It may also seem like it has hung at points, but be patient and let it finish.

6. Close the command prompt.
NOTE: If you used a command prompt at boot, then also close the System Recovery Options window and restart the computer.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Extend a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Create a New Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Delete a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Shrink a Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Convert a MBR Disk to a GPT Disk
• How to Convert a GPT Disk to a MBR Disk
• How to Convert a Basic Disk to a Dynamic Disk
• How to Clean or Clean All a Disk with the Diskpart Command
• How to Quick Format a HDD or USB Drive
• How to Set Disk Quota Limits for Users in Windows 7 and Vista

 

[Brink]

can anyone help me?
i tried to convert my fat32 verbatim hdd 700gb to a ntfs, but it wont convert, it says that it isnt clean.
so im performing a scan and trying to fix any problem in the unity

here's a screenshot:

Hello Tutti, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm sorry, but your screenshot link does not work for me. Could you upload and post the screenshot here as a jpg file instead?

You might also run chkdsk on the HDD to check for errors.

 

[tutti]

can anyone help me?
i tried to convert my fat32 verbatim hdd 700gb to a ntfs, but it wont convert, it says that it isnt clean.
so im performing a scan and trying to fix any problem in the unity

here's a screenshot:

Hello Tutti, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm sorry, but your screenshot link does not work for me. Could you upload and post the screenshot here as a jpg file instead?

You might also run chkdsk on the HDD to check for errors.

ok here's a screenshot:

yesterday night i've run the scan and fixed some errors. then i tried to convert it but it wont allow me. but right now i've tried again and it is converting right now =)

i will give news soon

 

[tutti]

well its done =)
thanks for your help

 

[Brink]

That's great news Tutti. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[peire]

hi i have a 2tb seagate goflex hard drive and it has stuff on it and im trying to convert it to ntfs but when i do i get this message

DATA ERROR (CYCLIC REDUNDANCY CHECK)

any idea what it is ?? its a pretty ne hard drive as well

 

[Brink]

Hello Peire,

A CRC error usually indicates that you have a bad sector on the HDD. I would recommend to backup anything on the HDD that you do not want to lose to another location first just to be safe. Afterwards, you could run a chkdsk /F /R command to try and fix, recover, or mark the bad sector.

When finished running chkdsk, see if you may be able to now convert the HDD to NTFS. If not, then you may need to format it as NTFS instead, and copy the backup of the HDD back to the HDD afterwards.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[peire]

thanks, it converted to ntfs now but will do a chk dsk

thanks

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Peire. Please let us know how chkdsk went.

 

[COLJim]

Following the instructions here, I got all the way through the conversion of an external "My Book" 465 GB drive, but instead of getting a "Conversion complete" message, I got "Data error (cyclic redundancy check)". A spot check of the data showed no problem and the free and used space figures were identical to the before condition. Was the conversion a success?

Sorry, I just read the earlier response to Peire about the CRC. I'll follow that guidance.

 

[Brink]

Hello Jim, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Please let us know how went.

 

[COLJim]

Conversion FAT32 to NFS Success?

Hello Jim, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Please let us know how went.

Thanks for the reply, but by now I am a bit confused. Since the properties screen for the drive I converted now proclaims it is in NTFS, I went ahead and tried to copy a file to it that was larger than the 4GB FAT limit. It worked! I then tried two more large files. Again, no problem. So, if it now says it's using NTFS and I can copy files to it greater than 4GB, why bother running chkdsk in spite of having gotten the CRC message?

 

[Brink]

Jim,

It's just that the CRC error usually indicates that you may have a bad sector on the HDD. Running chkdsk on the drive will check the drive to see if it does or not. If it does, chkdsk will attempt to fix or mark the bad sector. That's all.

 

[asuka]

Hi,
I did everything stated in the instruction, after I type Y and enter from the:
Convert cannot gain exclusive access to the drive letter drive, so it cannot convert it now. Would you like to schedule it to be converted the next time the system restarts? <Y/N>
and restart my computer, it still wont convert. I have repeated the steps several times and it still wont work. Can you please tell me how to fix this?

 

[Brink]

Hello Asuka, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Could you post a screenshot showing all of your HDD's layout in Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) to help see what may be wrong? In addition, what drive letter are you trying to convert? We'll take a look, and see what we may be able to do to help.

 

[asuka]

Hi Brink and thank you for you prompt reply,
I want to convert my G: drive.
Here is the screenshot:

 

[Brink]

Asuka,

I don't see a reason from your screenshot for why you couldn't convert it to NTFS, so you must have something (ex: program) running from that drive letter that is preventing the conversion from starting.

If you like, you should be able to use step 2 in the tutorial to do this in a command prompt at boot. When you get to step 2C, be sure that you note the correct drive letter for this drive. It's size can help determine the correct one.

 

[asuka]

I'm just wondering, when I tried previously, I used step 1 to run elevated command promt. Do you think that is the reason why I can't convert it?
But thanks for the reply, I will try again with the step 2 this time. Hope everything goes well!

 

[Brink]

Asuka,

Nar, step 1 would normally work unless something is running from it and preventing it from being converted. At boot nothing should be running from it, so you should be able to convert it.

 

[warrof]

hello,

While I was using this method to convert my Fat32 External HD (It's a western digital) to NTFS, it went through the process perfectly but I never saw a Completed message of any kind.

It did say "cyclic data redundancy error" or somthing along that line.

The drive properties say that it is now NTFS but I still can't put a file over 4gb on it.

And the command prompt also registers it as a NTFS.

Currently running a disk check on it. The one that you can find in the properties tag not through the command line.

Edit: I just read back though the thread, i guess this is a fairly common problem. Sorry for adding another posting about it.

 

[Brink]

Hello Warrof, and welcomer to Seven Forums.

It's no problem at all. If you are still getting the "cyclic data redundancy error" or not able to copy a file over 4GB, then you might consider formating the HDD as NTFS instead.

Hope this helps,
Shawn