Convert NTFS drive to FAT32 in DOS?

**ablang** · April 13th, 2004, 09:27 PM

Stupid Windows 2000 Pro. I came to the option (from the 4 boot disks) to install it on FAT32 or NTFS, but it refused to install on FAT32, so I went w/ NTFS and it wouldn't install on that either. So now I can't get my drive back. Can I Convert NTFS drive to FAT32 in DOS?

**mike_sanfil** · April 13th, 2004, 09:40 PM

i don't think you can, you would have to move the data off the drive and then reformat.

**bailey** · April 13th, 2004, 09:55 PM

correct
you can't go from ntfs to fat32
save what you want and remove the partition and create a new one.

**OuTpaTienT** · April 13th, 2004, 10:15 PM

Partition Magic will do it. But other than using that or a similar utility, no, it can't be done without a reformat.

**John Prophet** · April 13th, 2004, 10:46 PM

well u said it wouldnt install..so I guess you dont have any data to save.

you can just boot to a Win98se or WinME type floppy and run fdisk and do "remove non-dos partition" and then you can start from scratch

**rex028** · November 19th, 2004, 07:35 AM

how can i format Fat32 from NTFS ??

what should i do ..
i couldn't get it back to Fat32 in WinXP ...

now i have two hards ... one in Fat32 with XP Pro ... and one new formatted as a NTFS .. now i wanna get the new one back to Fat32... what can i do ?

**Distribution** · November 20th, 2004, 11:46 AM

Dude it has already been mention from the previous post you can't once you converted FAT32 to NTFS there no turning back the only way to do is to format your hard drive.

**rex028** · November 20th, 2004, 11:34 PM

yes yes ~ i knew i have to format my hard drive ...

but how to format my hard drive ???

using the winXP CD to format it ???

**fixitman** · November 21st, 2004, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by rex028

yes yes ~ i knew i have to format my hard drive ...

but how to format my hard drive ???

using the winXP CD to format it ???

You have a Windows installed system,right ?
Now you see why i don't.
So 1.Are you booting to Windows now ?
2.Why have you got to this point ?
3.Put in floppy disk 1 and learn Dos commands like
fdisk then type enter.Then format.But it will probably be NTF.
Who can add to this ?