The FAT32 file system, with which most flash drives are sold, has a number of limitations that can create inconvenience for users. For example, maximum size The file that this file system supports is only 4 GB.
In order to solve this problem, the flash drive must be reformatted from the outdated FAT32 file system to the more modern NTFS, which has no serious limitations. And in this article we will look at three ways how this can be done.
Reformatting a flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS via the context menu
If you just want to reformat from FAT32 and NTFS, then this can be done in two ways. The first method is formatting through the context menu of the flash drive. This method is the simplest and will suit most users.
To reformat a flash drive to NTFS using this method you need to open the “My Computer” window and click right click mouse on the flash drive, then in the menu that opens, select “Format”.
As a result, a window will appear in front of you to reformat the flash drive. In this window you need to change file system from FAT32 to NTFS. The rest of the formatting settings can be left as standard.
In order to start the process of reformatting the flash drive, you need to click on the “Start” button.
After which a window will appear warning you that reformatting the flash drive to NTFS will delete all data. To continue, close this window using the “OK” button. Next you will need to wait until the formatting is completed. This usually takes no more than 1 minute. When it is finished, the operating system will notify you about it.
Reformatting a flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS via CMD
You can also reformat from FAT32 and NTFS using the Command Line. To do this, first press the Win+R key combination and execute the “CMD” command. This will open Command Prompt.
After opening the Command Prompt, you need to run the command in it to reformat the flash drive. This command looks something like this:
- format N: /FS:NTFS /Q /V:MyFlash
- /FS:NTFS - file system;
- /Q – quick formatting;
- /V:MyFlash – volume label (name of your flash drive);
After executing this command, the system will ask you to press the ENTER key on your keyboard to confirm the formatting.
After pressing ENTER, the system will begin the process of reformatting the flash drive from FAT32 and NTFS.
Reformatting a flash drive from FAT32 to NTFS without data loss
It is also possible to reformat from FAT32 and NTFS without losing data. This can also be done in the Command Line, but using a different command. To do this, use the following command:
- convert N: /FS:NTFS
- N: - the letter that is assigned to your flash drive;
- /FS:NTFS - file system;
The screenshot below shows what this command looks like in the Command Prompt.
After executing the convert command, the process starts. In this case, all data on the flash drive is saved. The conversion process takes longer than regular formatting so be prepared to wait a while.
Did you know that the file system type affects the capabilities of your flash drive? So under FAT32 the maximum file size can be 4 GB; only the NTFS system works with larger files. And if the flash drive is in EXT-2 format, then it will not work in Windows. Therefore, some users have a question about changing the file system on a flash drive.
This can be done with just a few in simple ways. Some of them involve using standard tools operating system, and to use others you need to download additional software. But first things first.
Method 1: HP USB Disk Storage Format
This utility is easy to use and helps in cases where normal formatting using Windows It doesn’t work because the flash drive is worn out.
Before using the utility, be sure to save necessary information from a flash drive to another device. And then do this:
Method 2: Standard formatting
Before performing any operations, perform a simple action: if the drive contains the necessary information, then copy it to another medium. Then do the following:
That's all, the formatting process, and accordingly changing the file system, is finished!
Method 3: Convert Utility
This utility allows you to correct the file system type on a USB drive without destroying the information. It is included with Windows OS and can be accessed via command line.
As a result, you will receive a flash drive with a new file system.
If you need the reverse process: change the file system from NTFS to FAT32, then you need to type this on the command line:
convert g: /fs:ntfs /nosecurity /x
There are some peculiarities when working with this method. It's about here's what it's about:
- It is recommended that you check the drive for errors before converting. This is required to avoid errors "SRC" when running the utility.
- To convert you must have free space on the flash drive, otherwise the process will stop and a message will appear "...Insufficient disk space for conversion Conversion failed F: was not converted to NTFS".
- If there were applications on the flash drive that require registration, then most likely the registration will be lost.
When converting from NTFS to FAT32, defragmentation will be labor intensive.
Once you understand file systems, you can easily change them on a flash drive. And problems when the user cannot download a movie in HD quality or the old device does not support the format of a modern USB drive will be solved. Good luck in your work!
Very often there are situations when you need to hard drive move or copy a large file to an external drive.
With a standard file system for external devices FAT32 transfer of files from 2GB is often impossible. There are two ways to solve this problem:
- Format the flash drive changing the final file system.
- Change file system via command line.
In the first case, you should transfer all data from the flash drive to hard drive to preserve them. This method is suitable for small devices. To change the file system you need to do several operations:
After the procedure, you will receive a completely cleaned disk with a new file system. You can record a file of any size onto such a device.
Video instructions for changing the file system by formatting
Conversion via command line
In order to start the conversion you need to launch the command line. To do this, open the Start menu and enter cmd in the search bar. There is one file that should be run.
Now you have the command line running. It is advisable to carry out the process as an administrator. The next operation will be to call the convert function indicating the desired file system.
You need to type convert g / fs:ntfs and press Enter to start the conversion process.
G – drive whose file system needs to be changed.
The entry in the command prompt window looks like this.
In some operating systems, a message about changing the device name may pop up. If there is no storage device name, there may be fewer problems with conversion.
The conversion process takes no more than a minute for a 16 GB device.
After the conversion is complete, you can make sure that all files are saved in their places.
Video instructions for changing the file system via the command line
How to convert system from NTFS to FAT32
In the case of formatting a flash drive, the process is absolutely identical, you just need to select the appropriate file system.
When converting back through the command line, the user needs to enter at the command line
convert g: /fs:ntfs /nosecurity /x
To successfully complete the conversion process, it is better to check the disk for errors. To do this, in the “Properties” of the disk you need to find the “Error checking” item.
With this method, file fragmentation will affect the speed of the device. It will go down a little. If your device has apps that require registration, your registration information will most likely disappear.
Conversion using HP USB Disk Format Tool
A small program will help you format a flash drive and also help restore it. With its help you can create and bootable flash drives. You can download it here: http://www.besplatnoprogrammy.ru/hp-usb-disk-storage-format-tool. After downloading, you need to unpack the archive and run the program as an administrator.
Then you need to insert the USB flash drive and select the appropriate file system. The conversion process is almost identical to the first method using Windows. Just click start and the program will begin changing the file system format.
Despite the convenience of the command line conversion method, it is increasingly better to carry out normal formatting and transfer files. This way you can avoid errors and accidental data loss.
A small retreat
Despite the fact that the name of the site speaks for itself, we discussed and decided to add another section to Neoshibka.Ru - “How to do...”, a kind of “How to..” in Russian. The reason is simple - not all users are good at solving problems because they lack some basic skills. This section will be specifically for those who are “you” with a computer.
Why change the file system on a flash drive?
Let's imagine this situation:
You bought a 16GB or 32GB flash drive. We inserted it into the computer, threw in some music, documents, and a couple of video clips. Everything is fine until you download the movie good quality, weighing several gigabytes.
But when you try to transfer it to a flash drive, you get an error: "The destination file system cannot accept an object of this size". You look at how much the film weighs. Look how much free space on a flash drive and don’t understand why a 10GB movie won’t fit on a flash drive that still has 13GB of free space.
But the fact is that most likely your flash drive is formatted in the file system FAT32 which has a file size limit of something like 4 gigabytes. You can read more precisely about the limitations of this file system on Wikipedia.
How to convert FAT32 to NTFS
Press the key combination
cmd
and press
And now in the black command line window that opens, you need to enter the following command:
convert d: /FS:NTFS /NoSecurity /X
and press again
Now, if you entered everything correctly and without errors, you will eventually see a system response indicating successful completion.
That's it. Now the file system is on your flash drive NTFS, and we can safely put files larger than 4GB onto a flash drive.
FAT32 or NTFS?
When using NTFS on memory cards, there are compatibility problems with some outdated device models, such as radios, DVD players, and the like.
Moreover, at the moment, FAT32 it is still considered a more convenient FS for flash cards. Despite its limitations, it is more productive on them than NTFS.
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If you have something to add to this material, go through this.
IN modern world Flash drives are very popular among users. You can buy a flash drive of large or small volume, strict or in the shape of a cartoon character. It can also be used for various purposes: to transfer information, store files or photos, you can write files to it for Windows installations or some movie.
An important parameter is also the file system type: FAT32 or NTFS. In this article we will talk about this. More precisely, let’s figure out how you can change the file system type of a USB drive.
Why might this be needed? For example, you want to record a 6 GB movie on a 16 GB device, but when copying a message appears that this operation cannot be completed. This means that you have a flash drive with FAT32, but it cannot write files larger than 4 GB. Or you connect it to a TV or home theater, but it is not readable. This is due to the fact that your device cannot recognize the type of file system that is installed on the media, so it needs to be changed.
How to change to NTFS
Now let's look at how everything is done in operating rooms Windows systems 7 and 10. This can be done using standard formatting, which is found in Windows, or using formatting various programs, for example, HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. We will use the capabilities of the operating system itself, that is, the first method.
On Windows 7
To change the built-in file system type Windows capabilities you need to format the flash drive. Considering that after formatting all files from the device will be deleted, you must first save them to your computer.
To do this, go to the “Computer” folder and open the flash drive.
Highlight on it necessary files, if you want to select everything, press Ctrl+A. Then right-click on any selected file and select from context menu"Copy".
Now open the drive where all the files on your computer are stored, usually D:. Create a folder on it, go into it and press Ctrl+V. After this, all files will be transferred to this folder.
You can return to the flash drive and delete everything from it. Select the files - press Ctrl+A, right-click on them and select “Delete”.
When all the necessary files are safe, you can start formatting. Open the “Computer” folder, select the flash drive, right-click on it and select “Format” from the context menu.
In the next window, in the “File system” field, select NTFS from the drop-down list. In the “Volume Label” field, you can give a different name, check the “Quick (clear table of contents)” field and click “Start”.
In the next window, click “OK”, because we have already saved all the important files to the computer.
When formatting is complete, click “OK” in the appropriate window.
You can go to the “Computer” folder again. Select the flash drive and the line below will say NTFS in the corresponding field.
On Windows 10
In Windows 10, formatting is done in a similar way. Before doing this, save all your important files and documents to your computer.
Open the “This PC” folder, select the flash drive, right-click on it and select “Format”.
Confirm deleting all files from the flash drive by clicking “OK.”
After formatting is completed, click “OK” in the window that appears.
To now see the parameter we need, in the “This PC” folder, right-click on the flash drive and select “Properties”.
On the General tab, you can verify that everything was done successfully.
How to change to FAT 32
On Windows 7
Everything can also be done in the standard way in Windows. Do everything as described above, only in the “Format” window, select FAT32 in the required field.
On Windows 10
In Windows 10 everything is similar. In the "Format" window, you just need to select a different type of file system.
How to change without losing data
In order to change the file system on the device and save all the files that are written to it, you need to use the command line.
Please note that you can change the file system type using this method from FAT32 to NTFS. It won't work the other way around.
On Windows 7
First of all, go to the “Computer” folder and see which drive letter corresponds to the drive. In the example, this is M:
Next, open the command line. Click on the “Start” button and type cmd in the search bar. The corresponding line will appear in the results, click on it. To run Command Prompt as an administrator, click on cmd line right-click and select "Run as administrator" from the menu.
When the process is finished, the line “Conversion Complete” will appear at the end.
On Windows 10
In Windows 10, go to the This PC folder and look at the drive letter that corresponds to the USB device. I have G:.
Enter the command: convert G: /fs:ntfs, where instead of G: enter your drive letter, and press Enter.
