asked on Converting System Reserved from FAT32 to NTFS on a Windows Server 2008
I have a Windows 2008 Enterprise server (SP2, not R2) OS and I discovered (to my horror) that a previous administrator had setup the system reserved partition using FAT32. This is my main web server and FAT32 systems are not allowed on my company's domain. Here is the Disk info:
C:\ Partition (NTFS) - 1TB - Main Windows partition - 70% free
F:\ Partition (FAT32) - 1.3GB - Reserved System partition
I think I need to create another NTFS partition and move system reserved this new NTFS partition. However, I've never done this before and I'm not sure how to proceed. I have a feeling it's not as simple as copying files off the existing partition, formatting the partition to NTFS, and then copying the files back. I don't want to hose this server and re-installing Windows is not an option.
C:\ Partition (NTFS) - 1TB - Main Windows partition - 70% free
F:\ Partition (FAT32) - 1.3GB - Reserved System partition
I think I need to create another NTFS partition and move system reserved this new NTFS partition. However, I've never done this before and I'm not sure how to proceed. I have a feeling it's not as simple as copying files off the existing partition, formatting the partition to NTFS, and then copying the files back. I don't want to hose this server and re-installing Windows is not an option.
Windows Server 2008
Last Comment
noxcho
Leave it as it is. That partition isn't being used, or only during bootup or for diagnostic purposes. Usually it also includes diagnostic utilities which are DOS based, and those tools wouldn't work if the file-system were NTFS. It also doesn't (or shouldn't) have a drive-letter assigned, to make it inaccessible to the OS.
Apparently this was done not by your system administrator but by server provider. You can easily convert it using a command suggested by leew. I've never had problems in doing so.
No, as I said, leave it as it is. Older servers, for example Dell and HP servers, when correctly setup, use this partition for diagnostics, and for the diagnostics to be able to run the partition must be FAT. If you convert it, you loose that functionality.
ASKER
I CANNOT leave it as it is. FAT32 was identified as a security risk and I'm not allowed to have FAT32 drives on the network.....no exceptions. I either have to reformat as NTFS or move it to a NTFS partition. Re-installing Windows is a HUGE nightmare that I don't want to do. Since this drive contains boot information and I can assume it is critical to Windows.
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How much used space is in F partition? And what is inside? As said - you can convert it which I did on Dell servers and I never saw any problem after converting them to NTFS.
You can backup this partition then convert it and see if you get any problem. If yes then restore it back. If not - leave it ntfs.
You can backup this partition then convert it and see if you get any problem. If yes then restore it back. If not - leave it ntfs.
More information:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/gg441289.aspx
And if you want to convert a FAT file system to NTFS - ASSUMING YOU ARE CERTAIN THIS ONE IS NOT CRITICAL TO WINDOWS - simply type CONVERT X: /FS:NTFS where X is the drive letter you want to convert.