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Safe to convert external hard drive to NTFS?

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  • 09-11-2011 1:45pm
    #1
    gnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭


    Hi. I've got a 500GB hard drive formatted as FAT32. It's got 42GB free on it. I want to convert the drive to NTFS - so i don't want to lose any data on the drive. Is converting usually a low-risk procedure? Can i be fairly confident that i won't encounter any errors that will result in me losing my data?


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    #2
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    If the data is important enough that you are worried about losing it (hence this thread), then it should be backed up in the first place.

    To answer your question, yes it is reasonably risk free.


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    #3
    gnolan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭gnolan


    Voodu Child wrote: »
    If the data is important enough that you are worried about losing it (hence this thread), then it should be backed up in the first place.

    To answer your question, yes it is reasonably risk free.

    I know what you mean. The problem is my laptop (my only other storage device) has a free capacity of about 50GB, and the data i have stored on the hard drive takes up around 400GB. This would mean purchasing another drive + enclosure if i wanted to backup.

    But i take your point - if it's that important I should either backup or not attempt the conversion perhaps.


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    #4
    SickBoy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,527 ✭✭✭SickBoy


    As already said it should be a simple process but backup the mission critical stufff first.
    50gb on the laptop should be enough to backup the really important stuff in case the worst comes to the worst.


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