Kathy1 Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 Hi Brian, Just purchased a SanDisk SSD 4TB. I want to give it a letter other than the one my windows 10 gives it. When I attempted to do that, I noticed the two file systems. I have some EHD using the exFAT and some using NTFS. Which is best to use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 NTFS! NTFS! NTFS! NTFS! NTFS! NTFS! exFAT is over-rated since both the Mac OS and Windows OS will read and write to it. Manufactures love this because people think it's so convenient to go in between both worlds. BUT! It's not bullet-proof and can be as glitchy as hell. I personally think it's one of those "Tinkering with something in the Garage" that Microsoft did a few years back, and really haven't updated it much. In fact, I would NEVER-EVER-EVER use exFAT on ANY of my HDs. Especially ones with important data. If you want to go that route, that's fine, you are on your own...no help from me when it corrupts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 Moving this thread to the Windows Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 2, 2023 Author Share Posted August 2, 2023 Thank you thank you! Will follow your advice! I have two Sandisk SSD that are the exFAT file system. Is it possible to change to the NTFS without screwing up data? I was unaware about the two systems when I started using those disks. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 36 minutes ago, Kathy1 said: Is it possible to change to the NTFS without screwing up data? Yes. But you will need to copy the entire contents off of that drive, delete the existing exFAT Partition, and then create a NTFS one in its place. Then you copy the data back over. So the real trick is having another clean hard drive that has enough capacity to store all of your files and folders of the ones you wish to convert. Just do one HD at a time. Keep things simple. Honestly, it's pretty straightforward, very much like shuffling books around in a bookcase; this row of books goes over to this other bookcase, you then clean the bookshelf and then move the books back. Think logically, one step at a time. I can help if needed. Since you have a new SSD Drive, is this one large enough to store the data on the other drives? You basically are playing a shuffling game. The partition routine, as you have discovered, takes a few minutes. It's the data transfer speed that's a huge time-suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 2, 2023 Author Share Posted August 2, 2023 Is this correct? Copy one of my disks over to the new SSD. Then change the file system of my exFAT to NTSF. Then move the data back to the original SSD? Then repeat with the second disk that is exFAT? Fortunately I have the new 4TB disk that can be the one I transfer the data to. I will do this tomorrow as I am sure it will take awhile. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 Yep!! Open the HD you want to copy the data from. Perform a "Select All" (usually CTRL+A) and then right click and select Copy. Open the "New/Temp" EHD and select Paste. All of your files should transfer over. Always use COPY & PASTE, never "Move/Cut." When you "Move/Cut" files, it deletes the originals as it does stuff. IF something were to screw up during the data transfer, you can hit Cancel and try again, but only if you use COPY / PASTE. If you "Move/Cut" the files, you are screwed. After verifying that all of your data from the original HD is now on the "Temporary / New" HD, I would eject the New/Temp Drive and remove it from the computer. (This is to prevent any possibility of you screwing up and deleting the wrong HD. Nothing personal, even ** I ** do this to make sure that I don't screw up. Head back to Disk Manager, select the exFAT external drive you just copied from, right-click on it and select "Delete Partition." Windows will ask you if you really-really-really want to do this, tell it yes/ok. Your HD that was exFAT should be empty with a Black Line all the way across. Right click on the area with the Black Line, and run the HD Wizard to create a NTFS partition, use the full capacity of the HD, AND perform a Quick Format. Open up "Computer" or Windows Explorer, and you should see the HD appear with the NTFS Partition. Attach the New/Temp Drive and Copy & Paste your files back. After you are 110% sure everything is copied over, I'd do a quick format on the New/Temp EHD to start fresh for the next data transfer. Then perform the same steps with the other exFAT HD. When you are finished, you should have three NTFS EHDs. Easy-Peasy. Should take you about an hour or so if you are on USB 3.0. Don't overthink, just approach things methodically and logically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 2, 2023 Author Share Posted August 2, 2023 You are the best! Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 Let me know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 3, 2023 Author Share Posted August 3, 2023 I don’t see a “delete partition” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 "Delete Volume..." 'ya Wally. It's the only delete, LMAO! AAAAANNDDDD!!! You are not following my directions!!! I said click on the Hard Drive that you want to delete. Down where it says Disk 0, Disk 1, Disk 2, etc. Right-Click on the SSD Drive that has the exFAT Partition and select "Delete Volume..." Now the way you are doing it will work, but when it comes to hard drives, it's REALLY-REALLY-REALLY EASY to accidentally click on the wrong drive. I'd hate for you to Nuke the wrong drive. I also said to remove all of your other externals before deleting / nuking the drive. I see another Extreme SSD, a My Passport Drive, a Data D Drive, etc. etc. Only one external at a time, unless you are copying. Make sure you eject them and don't just yank them out of the computer. Granted, if you pick the right one, you should be fine. But I do not want to have the conversation of trying to do Data Recovery with you in a Panic. I have personally done this once, Nuked the wrong drive, it's a good thing i had a full back up mostly backed up of that drive and was able to re-install things, well except photos from 2007-2011. Not many were that important, except all of the photos of my kids when they were young. I got some back, but not all of them. This is why I'm paranoid about these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 3, 2023 Author Share Posted August 3, 2023 LOL! I am so scared of messing up that if it is not the exact wording I freeze. I will follow your directions exactly. I am away from the computer now. I will let you know when I have succeeded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 3, 2023 Author Share Posted August 3, 2023 I was successful! Thank you. Well, I will show you with the screenshots. Beer coming your way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted August 3, 2023 Share Posted August 3, 2023 Yep! That’ll work. I would go into Computer or Windows Explorer and right-click on the drive and give it a name. (Rename) Helps keep things straight, especially if you have multiple copies of the same drive / capacity. Just got the PayPal notification, THANK YOU! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy1 Posted August 3, 2023 Author Share Posted August 3, 2023 I will do that. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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