FAT & NTFS are basicaly two data file systems generally used in the windows computers for disk management. FAT ” File Allocation Table is a very old file system technology which was used in the earlier days when the low process using slow computers used on run on FAT file system. FAT supported Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME & Dos operating system. FAT system also came along with the Fat16, FAT32 file system which is not being used in the current modern computers.
With the launch of Windows XP : Windows Experiance microsoft recommended all their users to upgrade their hard disk’s file system from FAT to NTFS in order to increase performance, security, reliabilty & other features. The problem with this conversion is that many programs which worked in the earlier FAT file system would not work in NTFS and for sorting this out the user needs to install a clean partition rather than converting.
One of the easiest option to convert is to use the application Convert.exe which can upgrade your file system and also retain all your files and this saves your time and resources by saving all the stored files. Another point you need to note is that you can just upgrade from FAT file system to NTFS but you cannot convert back and the only option to do this is to reformat completely to get back to FAT file system.
Steps to convert FAT to NTFS :
Click on Start > Programs > Cmd [Command Prompt]
convert d: /fs:ntfs
The above code is used to convert your hard-disk’s D Drive to NTFS file system. If you want to convert the drive from which you have currently booted into the operating system, the command offers you to convert the hard drive in the next restart. Once the task is completed you get a message : Conversion Complete
If you are looking for converting file format for a external hard drive the above process works for sure, but in most cases all the latest external hard drives come with a NTFS File system only.