Converting to NTFS.. or not?

[Cosmin]

On my second computer I have this scheme on my hdd.. should I convert them to NTFS (easiest method?) or leave them as FAT32? Cand be converted to NTFS without losing my files stored there?

Thanks for suggestions.

[Max Norris]

  On 01/06/2013 at 13:13, Cosmin said:

On my second computer I have this scheme on my hdd.. should I convert them to NTFS (easiest method?) or leave them as FAT32? Cand be converted to NTFS without losing my files stored there?

Yes (assuming you don't actually have a real need to be using FAT32, probably don't), and yes. FAT32 has some significant limitations and lacks a good number of features that NTFS provides. Note that the conversion is a one-way process however, you'll need to reformat to go back. This article below is from XP but still applies. Backup first couldn't hurt, just in case.. power loss during a conversion will probably be a tad messy.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881

[MFH]

I'd also recommend converting to NTFS. BTW.: the free space on your OS-drive is rather low, have you thought about repartitioning?

[Cosmin]

I'd merge D & E but.. I quess it requires specific software :|

[+BudMan MVC]

Since there seems to be a HUGE amount of free space on those - I am curious to why you have 2 partitions, and limit your C to such small space?

I have not converted a fat to ntfs in years - why would anyone be using fat these days ;)

Conversion works, but you end up with 512 byte clusters verse the normal 4k -- since you have so much free space I would just move your stuff off one partion to other - delete and change to ntfs.. Move your stuff back and do the other one vs a convert.

edit: Merge? You have NOTHING on them... A few gig.. Move the files on partition next to C.. Delete it Resize C... Move files to C.. Then delete the other fat one.. Then create a ntfs size you want for second partition.

This should take you all of 2 minutes.. And no 3rd party software required. post up screenshot of disk manager and will walk you through the whole process. Juts need to see where the partitions are exactly at on your disk.

[Max Norris]

  On 01/06/2013 at 13:35, Cosmin said:

I'd merge D & E but.. I quess it requires specific software :|

It's built into Windows, take a peek at extending a volume under computer management. You'll lose what's on the second partition though, and it does not work with FAT32. Backup first.

Budman also makes a good point about the cluster sizes, forgot about that, haven't touched FAT32 in forever. Probably better off just copying/formatting/copy back.

[MFH]

You can "merge" them with the standard tools in Windows.

It's not really merge though but instead you're extending one partition. Which will require you to remove one partition. Aka you'd have to backup the content of that partition somewhere else.

e.g. if the partitions are organized like that:

C - D - E

on the HDD you would have to delete E and can than expand D.

[Cosmin]

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and change to ntfs

seems easier but how the "change" method works?

[+BudMan MVC]

Dude post up screenshot of disk manager and I will walk you through how to get a bigger C because you clearly need it with only 21% free.. 20GB is a very small OS drive.

You have enough space free to manipulate where your few gigs of files are on your current d and e partitions to end up with just a C and D with whatever sizes you want and both ntfs

You really should be done with it already ;) Its about 10 minutes.. longest part will be moving your files between partitions.

[Cosmin]

On C I've installed all my software..there's no need for more but waiting for your ideeas related to D & E..

[Riggers]

Let Budman walk you through how to repartition and arrange the drive so you don`t have just 4.24GB free on C:\

From a 150GB drive maybe go for a 40 or 50 GB system partition and the rest storage in NTFS. You may feel a tad apprehensive but honestly it`s a doddle, especially with BM`s guidance...

[+BudMan MVC]

Gawd Dammit -- I was afraid of that.. You have an extended partition with logical vs just standard partitions... Pretty sure built in windows is going to shrink that from the right.. Deleting D is not going to get you anything because of the extended partition.

Can you move the few gb you have on d and e off to external or something? If not your going to have to use 3rd party to shrink and then move the extended.. Let me fire it up in a vm to see what can be done with extended partitions... I rarely use them, they are pointless ;) Why would you need more than say 4 partitions on your disk? What OS is this - where is your system reserved 100MB partition?

[Cosmin]

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Can you move the few gb you have on d and e off to external or something?

yes.. without any worries. :) - I wish to become as normal as possible.. non-logical ;)

  Quote

Why would you need more than say 4 partitions on your disk? What OS is this - where is your system reserved 100MB partition?

There're 3 :) out there.. the reserved 100mb I quess it's hidden..

[+BudMan MVC]

So move your files - and then delete the logical and then the extended. Then I would resize your C to give you some more space.. With 120GB+ of non used space there is no reason for C to be so cramped.. What if you find a couple more programs to install?

Then once C is correct size, then create a new D drive usng the now unallocated space or make it whatever size you want, etc.

It shouldn't be hidden from disk manager - it wouldn't have a drive letter on it -- but you should see it on a normal windows install.. This is What flavor of windows?

Im in the process of moving to SSD, so forget your seeing a second 100MB system reserved partition there on that 1TB drive - that use to be my old system disk.. And have not cleaned it up since fired up the new SSD.. Once I have the new system how I want it.. I will clean up that disk and git rid of the 100MB partition on it, etc.

[Cosmin]

Resizing C affects O.S. and installed softwared on it? That would hurt.

The entire procedure can be done from that disk manager?

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What if you find a couple more programs to install?

I know what you mean.. this is a secondary rig.. just for CAD and Office stuff..

[Farchord]

  On 01/06/2013 at 15:59, Cosmin said:

Resizing C affects O.S. and installed softwared on it? That would hurt.

The entire procedure can be done from that disk manager?

I know what you mean.. this is a secondary rig.. just for CAD and Office stuff..

No. Resizing C is seamless from Windows. Heck, don't even need to reboot. It's doable in-OS since Windows 7.

[ShadowMajestic]

  On 01/06/2013 at 15:59, Cosmin said:

Resizing C affects O.S. and installed softwared on it? That would hurt.

The entire procedure can be done from that disk manager?

I know what you mean.. this is a secondary rig.. just for CAD and Office stuff..

You cant resize the OS disk. Not with just Windows, you will need 3rd party tools for that.

I personally stopped partitioning and using the libraries as my old-partitions basically. Saves this kinda effort when 1 partition runs short on space :)

Not sure how much RAM you have, but you can save up some space by moving the pagefile to another partition (usually its 1.5times the size of RAM). 20% free space is recommened, less then 5% will end in a problem. 10% free should be fine if you keep an eye out. In the worst case, it isn't XP, so Windows wont crash/BSOD anymore if you run out of space.

Can run CCleaner every once in a while to clear out useless space.

[sc302 Veteran]

You can resize partitions, os or not, with win vista and above. The issue is there needs to be free space directly next to the c partition it can't be 2 partitions over. You need 3rd party tools for free space not next to the partition you want to resize or to reallocate space from one partition to the other.

Here is a video explaining how to shrink and expand the system volume with the built in windows disk manager.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=utUvkgKAtKU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DutUvkgKAtKU

[spaceelf]

  On 01/06/2013 at 16:08, Shadowzz said:

You cant resize the OS disk. Not with just Windows, you will need 3rd party tools for that.

Huh? I used to do it all the time.

[Cosmin]

so here's my setup which seems ok.. except that it's logical (which is your claim..)

"One is a regular DOS primary partition (which becomes the "C:" drive). The other is the extended DOS partition. Within the extended DOS partition, all the other logical drives are created. So a drive with four logical drive letters would have the first (C:) be the active primary partition, and the other three (D:, E: and F:) would be logicals within the extended DOS partition."

[articuno1au]

Budman, as per the norm, is dead on with his assessment.

I'd be inclined to resize C: to about 40GB and leave your other partition for the remaining space. It's a very simple procedure, so I'd do it >.<

The issue with leaving it at 20GB is if the system needs more space or you install something new that takes up too much space, your OS isn't going to do very well.. Worth doing.

[Cosmin]

I see your point but except resizing C i want actual D to become Primary .. which is the easied way to do this?

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retty sure built in windows is going to shrink that from the right.. Deleting D is not going to get you anything because of the extended partition.

haven't understood the entire procedure..

[+BudMan MVC]

"You cant resize the OS disk. Not with just Windows,:

BS --- do it all the time..

"i want actual D to become Primary"

What?? That makes NO sense -- its the same freaking disk, just partitions.. You already have your OS installed, why would you want D to be primary??

Do you have your files moved off D and E yet? Give me a few minutes and will post up some screens of exactly what you need to do -- since your Files you want are copied somewhere safe and not only copy on d and e??

give me a few minutes - brb fire up a vm so can show you exactly what to do.

edit1: Ok here is your drive.. Forgot the sizes... You have your C is primary partition, then an extended with 2 logical inside

So delete the logical

Then you look like this - again forget my sizes in my example here.. Just that you will have a C drive and then unallocated space

It will then look like this

So delete the other logical - you then, you have just freespace in the extended part. Delete the part

You will then have this

[+BudMan MVC]

So now you can resize your C if you want to say 40GB, I will change mine to 200GB in my example

Run a wizard - set your total size you want for your new larger primary partition with OS on it

you then end up with this

You can then create your new D drive

And you end up with this

There is a complete walk through -- if you don't get what you need to do, I don't know how simpler I could show it??

Now just put your files back that you put in a safe place (extenal, file share, DVD, etc) from your old d and e onto your shiny new whatever size you want D drive. No 3rd party software required.

[soldier1st]

  On 01/06/2013 at 16:08, Shadowzz said:

You cant resize the OS disk. Not with just Windows, you will need 3rd party tools for that.

I personally stopped partitioning and using the libraries as my old-partitions basically. Saves this kinda effort when 1 partition runs short on space :)

Not sure how much RAM you have, but you can save up some space by moving the pagefile to another partition (usually its 1.5times the size of RAM). 20% free space is recommened, less then 5% will end in a problem. 10% free should be fine if you keep an eye out. In the worst case, it isn't XP, so Windows wont crash/BSOD anymore if you run out of space.

Can run CCleaner every once in a while to clear out useless space.

I prefer to have 2 partitions if i have 1 hdd, one for the os/apps. the other for data storage, if something happens to the os, my data is safe, but if the hdd dies it won't matter about either partition(Unless data is backed up on another storage medium). I agree with budmen about constraining his C drive. Moving your pagefile to another partition on same hdd is silly. the main drive needs a small amount of space for crash/hibernation/etc... . if you have 2 hdds then, maybe moving the pagefile might yield a performance increase, but i find it simpler to leave it alone unless a problem arises.