Defrag changed File System from NTFS to FAT12

[gmhtid]

I defragmented my WD2500JB yesterday and now Windows 2000 will not read it and wants to re-format. It is recognized in POST and in some of the programs I've found on the web. How do I change the file system back to NTFS without losing my data? (There's a LOT of data I don't want to lose.)

[glc]

I don't know why defrag would do that, unless you don't have SP 3 or 4 and EnableBigLBA set (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;305098) but you might be able to convert it with Partition Magic.

[Mynot]

Try this command
Converts FAT volumes to NTFS.

CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V]
volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon), mount point, or volume name.
/FS:NTFS Specifies that the volume to be converted to NTFS.
/V Specifies that Convert should be run in verbose mode.

EXAMPLES

convert d: /fs:ntfs - Convert the d: drive which in this example is a FAT volume to a NTFS volume. Note, if this volume is anything other than FAT, such as NTFS or RAW this command will generate an error.

Read about it here

http://www.computerhope.com/convert.htm#01

[glc]

Mynot, I doubt that the builtin convert can do anything with a FAT12 partition. That's a floppy drive file system.

[Mynot]

Sorry glc.... i read the thread too quickly, I assumed that gmhtid was referring to FAT32.