Convert ext4 hard drive to ntfs fromat without formatting

08
2014-07
  • Mutuma

    I have a 1TB external hard drive with about 800gb data of ext4 format. Is there a way of converting it to ntfs format without having to format hence losing my data?

    • Answers
  • Journeyman Geek

    As far as I know, no. Being able to convert a FAT32 drive to NTFS is an exception, not a rule, and converting from one modern, journaled file system to another to another is implausible. For that matter, you can't convert from NTFS to another FS/

    Any file system operation is tricky - I suppose you could shrink the EXT4 partition, then create a small NTFS partition, move some files, and repeat until everything is moved over and the EXT partition is gone, but one mistake and its all gone.

    Backing up, reformatting and copying back the data is the smart choice.

    You might also want to look into ext3/4 drivers for windows if its just a matter of access. I had reasonable luck in the past with them, but I haven't worked with them recently


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  • user33317

    I have a MyBook hard drive that someone gave to me to format to NTFS. Right now it's UDF and windows treats it like a CD-ROM.

    I can't seem to figure out how to format it to be NTFS.


    • Related Answers
  • Sathya

    Note do not partion via Windows or 3rd party software like paragon, otherwise you will mess the WD hard drive.

    Connect WD HDD to pc, go to open WD smartware and go to the window inside WDsmartware where you will see update software (right bottom corner).

    First download the firmware, install, power recycle WD and then reconnect. Download software update, power recycle again. Now you have an NTFS WD. By doing this way you will not harm the drive and it's always reversable to factory setting (e.g. when you want to sell it etc.)

    This solution is also valid for WD passport essential SE owners, after following these instructions you will able to disable "VCD" (UDF) so you have unlimited size NTFS.

  • MJMJMJ

    I first had to reformat the WD usb drive to FAT using a MAC. Only then was I able to reformat it to NTFS using Windows

  • yhw42

    After reading @Son2012's answer, I went to the WD website and updated the installation software and problem solved. It detected the hard drive properly just as it is supposed to.

    The link to WD specific website is: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?level1=1&lang=en

  • Kravlin

    You might be able to work on it via a live boot of Ubuntu and then running gparted. I'm not sure if there's a utility to fix it otherwise.

  • chris

    It sounds like you need to re-partition it.