Convert your drives to NTFS
The easiest way to choose a filesystem for a drive is to format it. But if you need to convert a drive without wiping its data, use the FAT to NTFS Conversion Utility (convert.exe). To convert drive J:, for example, just open a Command Prompt window (cmd.exe) and type:
convert j: /fs:ntfs
Include the /v option to run in "verbose" mode, which provides more information as it does its job. Type convert /? for other, more esoteric options.
Note that this is a one-way conversion, at least when using the software included with Windows 7. If you need to convert an NTFS drive to FAT32 for some reason, you'll need a third-party utility such as Disk Director.
In this tutorial:
- Windows 7 Performance
- Trim the Fat
- Tame Mindless Animation and Display Effects
- Make Menus More Mindful
- Start Windows in Less Time
- Eliminate unnecessary auto-start programs
- Clean out your Temp folder
- Start Windows Instantly (Almost)
- Put your PC to sleep
- Sleep and Hibernate troubleshooting
- Shut Down Windows Quickly
- Start Applications Faster
- Make Your Hardware Perform
- Windows 7 Get Glass
- Maximize the Windows Performance Rating
- Improve Battery Life
- Manage IRQ Priority
- Overclock Your Processor
- Hard Disk
- A Defragmentation Crash Course
- Enable automatic boot defragments
- If in Doubt, Throw It Out
- Optimize Virtual Memory and Cache Settings
- Part 1: Virtual memory settings
- Part 2: Defragment the paging file
- Part 3: Clear the paging file on shutdown
- Part 4: Advanced settings for the adventurous
- Choose the Right Filesystem
- Convert your drives to NTFS
- Advanced NTFS Settings
- Transfer Windows to Another Hard Disk
- What to look for in a new hard disk
- Work with Partitions
- The Disk Management nickel tour
- Create and delete partitions
- Resize and move partitions
- Alternatives to Disk Management
- Different ways to mount a volume