Dual Boot xp and 8.1 pro can I change FAT32 partition?

Aksarben

New Member
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18
Location
Fennville, MI
On my primary drive 0 it is divided into 3 partitions. First partition has always been my Windows XP Pro in a FAT32 file system. Second partition is a logical extension drive D, also in FAT32. Third partition is NTFS and has Windows 8.1 Pro on it. I can dual boot into either XP or 8.1 after the GUI Windows 8.1 boot screen appears. It looks at the folder BOOT (hidden) on my XP_C partition to boot. What would happen if I use EaseUS Partition tool and change my XP_C partition (drive C: when I'm in XP) into a NTFS partition? Will it still boot? Will there bay any issues?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP and 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus MB home built
    CPU
    AMD AM3+
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    12GB
    Hard Drives
    3 ea Western Digital 1 Tb hard drives.
    Drive 0 = 3 partitions C: D: F:
    Drive 1 = 1 partition
    Drive 2 = 1 partition
    Internet Speed
    DSL sometimes slow as mollasses in Jan.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    ESET
Curious why you want to do this?

The safe thing to do would be to backup (image) the entire drive, then try converting FAT32 to NTFS

If something goes wrong or there are problems, restore the backup.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
I turned off UAC control via the registry edit so I could then see the XP_X drive from within running Windows 8.1 The Fat32 partition is "An Unsecured" partition that I cannot read or write to. There is not TAB view of SECURITY in a FAT32 partition. So I could not go into PROPERTIES - TAB- SECURITY and change the permissions of that parturition. I think I could if it was NTFS.

I have the drive cloned to another 1Tb hard drive, and I think for experiment sake, I would work on it first to see what happened. Just wondering if anyone had any experience changing FAT32 to NTFS and if my Windows XP Pro partition would still boot, or even if the computer would even boot at all since the BOOT (hidden) folder resides in the same directory structure as Windows in the XP partition.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows XP and 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus MB home built
    CPU
    AMD AM3+
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    12GB
    Hard Drives
    3 ea Western Digital 1 Tb hard drives.
    Drive 0 = 3 partitions C: D: F:
    Drive 1 = 1 partition
    Drive 2 = 1 partition
    Internet Speed
    DSL sometimes slow as mollasses in Jan.
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    ESET
Years ago I changed a FAT to NTFS with the built in Windows procedure. I didn't have any problem when I did it. But, I did have a full hard drive back up just in case.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i7 6700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero
    Memory
    16 Gb G Skill TridentZ DDR4 3400
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel (i7 CPU)
    Sound Card
    RealTek Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" Dell SE2717HR
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    500GB Samsung 850 SSD, 3TB for backups
    PSU
    EVGA Supernova 750 G2
    Case
    BeQuiet Silent Base 600
    Cooling
    Deepcool Captain 120EX
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Cable - 100MB Downlink
    Browser
    Edge/Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft
    Other Info
    Sonar Platinum 64 bit recording studio software with MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid recording interface unit.
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