How to Reclaim NTFS Partition to Fat

[ciscoman1]

How do I go about deleting a NTFS partition so I can use the partition for Fat32 data? Right now I have 3 partitions, First partition is 98SE, then 2K Server, and third a Fat32 partition for data storage. Will FDisk show me all three partitions and list the drive letter which pertains to each partition? As it is now if I go into My computer and look at my drives, I only see the Fat32 partitions and I have my C:\ and then the Fat32 data partition listed as my D:\ drive, but how do I know when I want to delete the NTFS partition that I will be DELETING the correct partition?? I noticed when I am in 2K server and in my computer and right click the NTFS partition that I have an option to delete the partition, should I do it this way?

Thanks
ciscoman

[Number]

FDISK will see it and identify it as a Non-DOS partition. You should be able to delete it and create a new one from there. Any data on it will, of course, be lost.

N#N

[ciscoman1]

To Number
Would it be better to use DELPART or will FDisk do a good enough job?? Also will the NTFS file system be completely deleted with FDisk?

Thanks
ciscoman

Thanks ciscoman

[jdharm]

Do you need to delete the partition? Unless you have a partition manager whereby you can add the freed up space to one of the other partitions you will just end up creating a new partition in the same place, true? You are really just wanting to wipe the partition clean and format it with a FAT32 file system. Couldn't you just do a format x: /s /v in DOS? NTFS isn't part of the nature of the partition, it is the nature of the data on the partition. So replacing the file system doesn't require that you delete and recreate the partition, just overwrite the file system with the new one.

From the DOS prompt list the contents of each partition. When you hit the drive letter that reports as 'invalid media type' or something like that when you try to list the directory you know you have your NTFS partition. Then just format that drive from DOS to change it to FAT. All info will be lost.

'Course I have been wrong on my fundamental understanding of things, so someone correct me if I'm wrong here.


Josh

"What we call 'Progress' is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance."

[Andy-S]

Josh,

DOS won't recognize the NTFS partition therefore he will be unable to format it from DOS.

Cheers
Andy

[jdharm]

Ah. See, that twidles my brain. DOS can see the partiton if it has no file system, but can't see it if it has a NTFS file system? Or do I just not understand the whole concept of a file system?

Josh

"What we call 'Progress' is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance."

[Andy-S]

Josh,

As far as I am aware, DOS can see the partition if it has been set up as a physical partition using FDISK or something similar (even if it has no data on it). The physical layout of an NTFS partition is completely different from FAT and is not recognized by DOS.

This article provides an overview of the NTFS file system and data structure on the drive. I must warn you it is heavy reading.

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.digit-life.com/articles/ntfs/index.html>http://www.digit-life.com/articles/ntfs/index.html</a>

Cheers
Andy

[Number]

FDISK will do it. Delete the partition, create a new one, then format it with FAT.

N#N

[ciscoman1]

To Number

Thanks for the info. I want to get back some disk space to use for data backup. The NTFS partition is from an evaluation copy of 2K Server anyway so I will have to uninstall it soon anyway and then if I want I will install 2K Server again, but with a smaller partition size. ciscoman

[ciscoman1]

To juharm
I have Partition Magic 7.0 so I could probably just repartition it, as I just want to get a couple Gig back as Fat32. I was reading somewhere that once it was NTFS that you couldn't put it back to Fat, but I am not sure on that. Is this correct or not? Ciscoman

[ciscoman1]

To Andy

I was reading this article from Microsoft which says
NOTE : If the disk is using the NTFS file system, your options for returning to Windows 95 or Windows 98 are limited. Windows 95 and Windows 98 do not read or recognize NTFS, and you cannot convert the disk to use the FAT or FAT32 file system. The bootable disk you use and the drive on which you want to install Windows 95 or Windows 98 cannot use NTFS. That is why I was wondering if there will be any problems converting the existing NTFS partition back to Fat32. Here is the link that I took the phrase from
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q250456
The article has to do with restoring 98 from a NTFS system and maybe I am seeing something there that I don't need to be concerned with. Any suggestions appreciated Thanks ciscoman

[report_2]

How to Manually Remove Windows NT or Windows 2000 (Q103049)
<a target="_blank" href=http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q103049>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q103049</a> which contains a link for the use of Delpart from MS.

[jdharm]

Now PM7 I do know about. With that it is a snap to delete the partition and create a FAT32 in its place. Or even just delete the NTFS and then expand the FAT partition in front of it to take up the space, although that gets time consuming with the data moving around and all. But the simple delete and recreate I have done with PM and it is no problem.

Thanks for the reading Andy. That is just the type of thing I like to see. It'll have to wait till tomorrow though. At 1AM my brain isn't quite up to it.

Josh

"What we call 'Progress' is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance."

[ciscoman1]

To report_2
I believe that link will help alot, but I was wondering if I couldn't delete the NTFS partition from within 2K itself as I believe I saw in my computer an option to reformat that partition but I may be wrong. Also couldn't I bootup with the CD-Rom and repartition the NTFS partition like that? I have DELPART but I do not know what DRIVE will be assigned to the NTFS as I have 3 partitions, C:\ being 98Se, then the NTFS and then another Fat32 partition for data. So when I look in My Computer from my C: drive, I have C:\(my bootup 98se partition) and D: being my Fat32 data partition.
ciscoman
ciscoman

[ciscoman1]

To jdharm
I will probably use PM7 as I am not very sure on any other method. The NTFS partition is 4 Gig and if I add this partition after reformatting to Fat32 to either of my other Fat32 partitions the new gigs will put me around 10 gigs each for my 2 FAT 32 partitions which will then put me in the 8KB's per section(the smallest units you can divide up your disk) can't think of the word for it right now, which I kinda want to avoid so I might just leave the reclaimed Fat32 partition as just another 4 gig Fat32 partition so I keep the 4K per section. I would like to divide up the 4 gig but I think I will have to leave it as just another fat partition. Any suggestions on this strategy? ciscoman

[jdharm]

Well, when it comes to cluster size (I think that is the work you were looking for) and partitioning stratagies there are an endless number of ways to go, and from what I have seen it is a matter of personal opinion what works best for you.

Personally, I like the security of having a partition separate from any OS partition. If something happens and I completely fark my OS (as I am wont to do) then I can do a reinstall and not loose my valuable data on the non-OS drive. Having PM, I would move the data partition to the end of the drive to improve the performance of the OS partitions, since it is so easy move them around.

Josh

"What we call 'Progress' is the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance."

[ciscoman1]

To Josh
I think I will try adding 2 gig to my data partition and leave 2 gig for 2K Server and see if my cluster size gets bumped up to 8K which is what I kinda what to get around but I will see what happens. Thanks for your post
ciscoman