Butty

iTrader: (2)

I've used my external back up HD in anger for the first time, by backing up My Docs from my C drive using XP Backup.
I then tried directly copying and pasting other files from the C drive to the external drive but it wouldn't allow it.
I've realised that the C drive is FAT32 and the external HD is NTFS.
Does this explain why I cannot directly copy from one HD to another?

Is the .bkf file now saved on the external drive garbage, or is it in NTFS structure and will restore only onto another NTFS HD?

nick

mike1210

what were you trying to copy, the files may have been in use by Windows etc, NTFS is a much better file system than FAT also, so I'd recommend switching when the time is right

jpor

iTrader: (1)

The FAT32 filesystem will not read NTFS filesystems. Thus the reason why you cannot read the backup HD. I take it the C: drive is running Windows XP? If so you can run a command called: convert c: /FS:NTFS which will convert the entire C: drive to NTFS. With this you should be able to read the drive again. But it will mean that the C: drive cannot be put back to FAT32, and if you have anything on the C: drive, it maybe worth backing that up before you start.

To run the command:

click START
Click RUN
In the run box type: cmd
type in new black DOS window: convert c: /FS:NTFS press return key.

Windows will instruct you to press any key to reboot. When it comes back up the convert process starts and I think it reboots again. This time when comes back up the Windows should start normally and your C: drive is now NTFS enabled.

Sonic'

It shouldn't be anything to do with Fat32 not being able to read NTFS, FAT32 is a file system, not an operating system

You can quite happily copy between file systems, just you lose the security settings going from NTFS to FAT32

One thing is this XP Home edition? if so I dont think that is able to use/convert to NTFS

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

I agree with sonic, you should be able to read lots of different file systems within XP and just move files between them (I do it all the time).

Most external drives will be in some sort of FAT format anyway, while HDD will tend to be NTFS by default.