File transfer from FAT32 to NTFS possible ?

[trekerjohn]

HD 1 is WinXP Pro NTFS; HD 2 is Win98 FAT32. HD1 is the boot drive. When I start up, HD2 does not show up in Windows Explorer, although it is installed and shows up in Device Manager as "working properly". Is there a way to move the files (jpegs, downloaded apps, and application created files) from Win98 HD2 to XP Pro HD1 even though I screwed up and set up HD1 as NTFS instead of FAT32 ? If so, how ? Much obliged for any help.

 

[JohnWill]

Since XP understands FAT32 disks, there is some other issue with the second drive. I have lots of FAT32 disks in my systems, and they're all recognized just fine with W2K & XP. In disk manager, when you right click the FAT32 drive and select properties, what does it say? Could this disk have been formatted with a 3rd party partitioning utility, like MaxBlast?

 

[lyrical]

Truely strange that your system will show the drive in device manager, and not in explorer. It should really plug and play it.

Anyway, have you considered using the drive converter utility? I am fairly certain that the drive can be converted TO NTFS without any data loss. HOWEVER, YOU CANNOT CONVERT IT BACK with out suffering total data loss. Read what it tells you and give it a try.

 

[trekerjohn]

I checked the jumpers and the IDE cable again. They look fine. The 2 are set as Master (HD1 with XP) and Slave (HD2 the Win98 drive) on the primary IDE controller. Now, HD2 was never used as a boot drive and I never installed an OS directly onto it, but I have used it just fine as a backup HD for some time. When I first got it, I used Drive2Drive to copy HD1 onto HD2. I tried a few times to make HD2 the boot drive, but always got a Windows Protection Error and so I left it as a functioning backup drive. In answer to your question, in Device Mgr. the Properties for HD2 say: the device is working properly. It is listed as device type: disk drive; manufacturer: standard disk drive; Location - 1. HD1's properties are the same, but it's at Location 0. Both are shown to be using the identical driver - same date and version. Still, HD2 shows up in Device manager but not in windows explorer. Hmmmm !

 

[trekerjohn]

I also looked in the BIOS and HD2 is shown as the slave on the primary IDE controller. Still no sight of it on Windows Explorer or My Computer. I'm not really interested, yet, in converting HD2 to NTFS until I can get my data off of it onto HD1. I figure the more converting etc. I do to it the greater the chance of losing those hundreds of photos and other goodies I'd hate to have to scan again. Do I hear someone saying, that's why you back up to CD dude! Yeah, I know, but the reason this happened is that my HD1 started going bad real fast and whenever I tried anything that involved writing data to C:, I got the blue screen telling me it couldn't write to C:. So I took the plunge and went straight for XP Pro. HELP !!!

 

[JohnWill]

Originally posted by lyrical:
Truely strange that your system will show the drive in device manager, and not in explorer. It should really plug and play it.

Anyway, have you considered using the drive converter utility? I am fairly certain that the drive can be converted TO NTFS without any data loss. HOWEVER, YOU CANNOT CONVERT IT BACK with out suffering total data loss. Read what it tells you and give it a try.

If he can't read the FAT32 volume in his system, how do you suppose he's going to convert it to NTFS??? The only possible outcome with attempting this without solving the current problem is a bad one!

 

[lyrical]

I was hoping that Diver Converter Utility would recignize the drive, even if it is not showing up in the explorer.

I had a thought, have your tried using FDISK to check and see if the drive is being recignized as a logical fixed disk.

Another thought, Drive2Drive.. isnt that a mirroring program? If you used a software mirror to "copy" from HD1 to HD2 you will only show one logical drive in the explorer.

Let me know..

 

[trekerjohn]

OK, I finally figured it out. I discovered Computer Management in the Administrator's tools on XP Pro. Next, discovered that all disks are not necessarily drives. Both were listed as Basic Disks, but only HD1 was listed as a drive. I noticed the difference in System Information. Back in Computer Management, I finally figured out that by looking at different Views of the 2 disks, one of the views gave me the option to change HD2 to a dynamic disk. As of that time, HD2 did not have a letter id. I made it a dynamic disk and then was able to assign a letter to it; the system chose E: and left the CD at D:. Fine with me. Then I was able to transfer all of my precious data and other goodies from HD2 to HD1 (finally) and then format HD2 as NTFS in Windows Explorer so that I can install XP Pro on HD2 also. Then I can finally make HD2 the boot drive and use HD1 for backup, my original plan. That's where I had to stop because when I tried to install XP on E: from C: there was not enough clear info on my options to make me comfortable that with a new install, I was not going to reinstall the OS on C: again, wiping out all of. So I quit to be safe. Now, for the last step, I have to figure out how to install XP on E: starting up from C. I have the entire install CD copied onto both C: and E:, but when I've tried to install to E:, I'm not sure it's going there. I tried to use a Win98 startup disk to get to a C: prompt and go from there, but I guess you can't install XP Pro from DOS. So, that's where I am now. I sure appreciate all the help and great suggestions. If anyone has my final problem figured out, you'll be my hero. Thanks.

 

[Lardog]

You can install XP two ways, either boot from the CD or run setup from within your existing install.

If you boot from the CD, then setup will automatically start. In the text mode, you will have to select which disk/partition you wish to install on. Simply select your 2nd disk and you're off.

However, if you run setup from within the existing install, then you need to select first that it is a new or clean install (as opposed to the default of upgrade), and then, select the advanced option. Within the advanced options, there is a checkbox that says "Allow me to choose the partition to install to". If you do not select this option, it will default to installing into the first partition on the first drive.

 

[caperjack]

I'm trying to figure why you would install XP on both drives !!if you are only going to use one of the drives for back up !!You only need to format the backup one and set it as slave and use it for backups you don't need a OS on it .

 

[lyrical]

Glad you fixed your problem.

If you really want good redundency with IDE drives, either a software or hardware RAID mirror is the way to go.

A software RAID is simply a program, and uses CPU processing time.

A hardware RAID would be possible via PCI IDE RAID controller card. These are about $40. These also have a small processor which will off load disk read/writes from the CPU.

Both kinds (depending on the quality) usually provide a multitude of options. Most likely you'd want to use RAID 1 (disk mirroring). Disk mirroring makes both drives exact copies, so if drive 1 fails, drive 2 picks automatically.

There would be no reason to install a second OS. This replicates the entire drive to the backup drive. Both drives appear as one logical drive as well.

 

[trekerjohn]

Great comments ! I understand about the second drive, but in this case the second one is a 100 gig and faster than the first, which is a 20 gig. I've never had the 100 as the boot drive and I'd like to do that and keep the 20 as the backup. That's why I'm trying to install the OS on both; so I can then switch the 100 to the master and the 20 to the slave. As for installing from C: with the hope of the install going onto E:, I don't see the Advanced options giving me a clear picture of where the install is going, like 98 does. It just asks where you want the system files to go and defaults to " \Windows", which is C:. I read a little today about "activation" for XP. It seems that with XP, especially if you install SP1, you can not install your OS on 2 drives in the same box. You have to pay for a new license. I'm sure that's the reason why XP's advanced options on install don't make the choice clear, or even possible. I've tried from the CD and from a 98 boot disk, but I think I have the answer now. As soon as I'm done here, I'm downloading a set of 6 XP boot floppies from MS. Then I'm going to disconnect the 20, set the 100 as a single drive, and boot from the XP floppy. Hopefully I can then install XP on the 100 and then set it as the master. I need more hours in my day. Thanks again.

 

[lyrical]

You can go about it as you see fit.

Remember, installing a second OS will install a second registry. Any programs that are used with OS1 will have to be reinstalled to be used with OS2 because of that fact. Once the programs are installed, you can communically share data between the two OSs. Any users, groups, or administrative policies will also have to be recreated.

Consider the following.. at least check out a software RAID. I have seen some that will let you mirror partitions. So then you would take your biggest and fastest drive, make a partition that is the exact size of the smaller drive. Mirror that partition to the smaller drive and use the leftover space for a data or mirrored data drive. The configuration is really up to you. You could also mirror the 100g drive partition wise.. 2 50g partitions mirrored. Then I would schedule a redundent backup system.. using the second drive.

It is really a matter of finding what works best for you, but to do that you should at least explore all the possibilities.

 

[Lardog]

As for installing from C: with the hope of the install going onto E:, I don't see the Advanced options giving me a clear picture of where the install is going, like 98 does. It just asks where you want the system files to go and defaults to " \Windows", which is C:. I read a little today about "activation" for XP. It seems that with XP, especially if you install SP1, you can not install your OS on 2 drives in the same box. You have to pay for a new license. I'm sure that's the reason why XP's advanced options on install don't make the choice clear, or even possible.

Allow me to hold your hand.

If you run setup from within Windows, then the first thing you see asks you which typ of installation you want to perform. Select "New Installation (Advanced)".

Click Next, accept the EULA, enter your CD key.

The next thing you see is your setup options screen. Select the Advanced button. In the resulting dialog, there is an option to "I want to choose the install drive letter and partition during setup." Check that option and procceed. See attached image.

Now, when setup reboots, you will get prompt to select your disk/partion to install to. It is the same option you would see when you boot from the XP CD or the 6 install floppies.

If you are having trouble getting past this, then perhaps you should reconsider performing the new install.

 

[trekerjohn]

I like the RAID concept, either soft or hard, and will probably do that later after I recover from these all nighters. BUT, I got it all done. I admit I had little faith for the install to go to the second drive and I didn't want to take a chance, so I downloaded the exe. file which created the 6 floppies and disconnected the smaller drive and then booted to the larger one from the floppies. It all went well and not I finally have my larger faster drive as the boot drive and the smaller one as the backup. I like XP Pro so far. It has had some, what it calls "serious errors", but with what I'm throwing at it at this stage, I'm still impressed that it hasn't shut down altogether. It always restarts very politely and there it all is again. Thanks for all the input. If anyone else ever has this same problem, I'm your man, if you don't mind taking the road less travled. The experience was kind of like doing one of those old hand puzzles with numbers or letters that are all scrambled and you have to move them one at a time to line them up. I'm tired, but happy to have triumphed over the box. chow.