I wanna get FAT

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Ausumm

Ausumm

Gold Plated Productions
Oct 21, 2008
12,244
15,624
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Bethlehem PA
I use the Numark D2 Director.
which requires that my hard drives are scanned with the Numark Librarian software before they will recognize them.
A few months ago, I began having intermittent trouble with the external hard drives
(a pair of My Book 500-gigs, mirrored)
In checking them closer, I realized ONE was is FAT32, the other was NTFS
The D2 does fine with both, so I changed the FAT32 HD over to NTFS, since it is more up-to-date.
Still having trouble with them being recognized by the D2...
it takes a lot longer to find the files, but I keep getting a READ ONLY error.
so, I check the manual and find this:


Note: D2 Director can play MP3, WAV and AAC music formats stored on FAT16, FAT32, NTFS
(read-only) and HFS+ file systems.

Should I have made both of the HD's FAT32?
but in checking the web, I see it's not as easy to change to FAT32
as there is a very real danger of corrupting files and/or losing data.
Anyone know of a simple (and free) way to change NTFS to FAT32?

Since the HD's are mirrored, coould I keep one as the backup....
delete all the files on the second HD
change it over to FAT32
and then transfer or copy all the files BACK ON to the first one?
or will it automatically revert the first HD back to NTFS?
 
Ausumm said:
Since the HD's are mirrored, coould I keep one as the backup....
delete all the files on the second HD
change it over to FAT32 aka: format
and then copy all the files BACK
Click to expand...

If these are physically separate drives and not software mirrored or hardware mirrored, then you specified the best way to do it correctly. After the first drive is done, repeat with the second.

Being that it can read NTFS, not sure why you're wanting to change it.

Can you define mirror: is it part of a software or hardware raid? If the answer is yes, then you cannot perform the above steps.

Being that you said "external hard drives (a pair of My Book 500-gigs, mirrored)", I shall assume that if you plug them in, you have drive G: and H: (or something like that) - and you copy everything from G: to H:
While this is a 'mirror' by your term, this really is a redundant copy. Using the phrase 'mirrored drives' around IT people is dangerous, especially when you're not really talking about a mirror. Raid level 1 is a disk mirror - an exact duplicate, but the system handles all the copying / mirroring.
 
ittigger said:
If these are physically separate drives and not software mirrored or hardware mirrored, then you specified the best way to do it correctly. After the first drive is done, repeat with the second.

Being that it can read NTFS, not sure why you're wanting to change it.

The D2 can also create playlists, and if it is READ ONLY, I cannot make new playlists or access the old ones. and as I said, it takes longer than usual for the D2 to even SEE the HD

Can you define mirror: is it part of a software or hardware raid? If the answer is yes, then you cannot perform the above steps.

it's not a technical term, just MY way of saying that I copy songs on to BOTH drives, so I can use one or the other. they are a "mirror image" of each other

Using the phrase 'mirrored drives' around IT people is dangerous, especially when you're not really talking about a mirror.

I'll remember that for future use when talking to IT guys.[/QUOTE]
Click to expand...
 
ittigger said:
If these are physically separate drives and not software mirrored or hardware mirrored, then you specified the best way to do it correctly. After the first drive is done, repeat with the second. Being that it can read NTFS, not sure why you're wanting to change it.
Click to expand...

Ausumm said:
The D2 can also create playlists, and if it is READ ONLY, I cannot make new playlists or access the old ones. and as I said, it takes longer than usual for the D2 to even SEE the HD
Click to expand...

If it is read only, then you should be able to access the old ones, you just can't change them - or make new ones.

ittigger said:
Can you define mirror: is it part of a software or hardware raid? If the answer is yes, then you cannot perform the above steps.
Click to expand...

Ausumm said:
it's not a technical term, just MY way of saying that I copy songs on to BOTH drives, so I can use one or the other. they are a "mirror image" of each other
Click to expand...

Being that this is a redundant copy, I restate what I said previously - You specified the best way to do it correctly. After the first drive is done, repeat with the second.

ittigger said:
Using the phrase 'mirrored drives' around IT people is dangerous, especially when you're not really talking about a mirror.
Click to expand...

Ausumm said:
I'll remember that for future use when talking to IT guys.[/
Click to expand...

Ok. :)
 
now it gets smelly.
when I go to re-format, FAT32 is no longer a choice
it is now listed as "exFat"
CRIPES!
 
Get a decent partition manager like EASEUS -- you can do anything you want :)


Think of Windows like a wedding venue. The client still has to get somebody to DJ, somebody to do flowers, make the cake, drive the limos, make the dress, etc. Windows leaves out (or makes things hard), so you can buy into value added services from third parties.

It's not unlike the DJ industry... ;)
 
SoftJock Rick said:
Get a decent partition manager like EASEUS -- you can do anything you want :)


Think of Windows like a wedding venue. The client still has to get somebody to DJ, somebody to do flowers, make the cake, drive the limos, make the dress, etc. Windows leaves out (or makes things hard), so you can buy into value added services from third parties.

It's not unlike the DJ industry... ;)
Click to expand...

nice idea
but for once, I expected a TECHNICAL answer from YOU
:triconfused:
 
yeah, wont work from Cprompt
unfortunately, part of the problem trying to convert anything TO FAT32
is that windows sets a limit on the size of the drive you can change
(less than 100 as I remember)

our IT guy at work suggested a way...
evidently "exFAT" is like a newer version of FAT32
that allows larger sized drives to convert
and that is why it is the only "FAT" choice on the HD

see that
we all learn something new at ODJT
 
Ausumm said:
nice idea
but for once, I expected a TECHNICAL answer from YOU
:triconfused:
Click to expand...


If I was sitting in front of your machine, I would do it for you -- but I'm not... ;)

There is no simple way to do what you want (change the file system on the fly) -- that I would recommend to someone not completely knowledgeable in how the file systems work. If you mess up, you could lose everything...

If you try to format FAT32 using a DOS command line, with a drive that size -- the odds are that the format will fail at the end, and you will have wasted a few hours. That's why I use the aforementioned program (which is free). :)


Just bear in mind, that once you successfully format one of the redundant drives, Mr. Murphy may decide to throw a power failure your way, and the only known good drive could crap out. If you want to completely reformat and redo both drives, you should have a third drive as well, in case the sh_t hits the oscillating appliance...

Step 1: Copy all files to third drive, from one of the drives.
Step 2: Use partition software to format one of the drives.
Step 3: Copy all files from one working drive to the newly formatted one.
Step 4: Format second drive.
Step 5: Repeat step 3.

Windows will by default, make these copies read only, so you need to change that manually.
 
well you all have to remember the bigger the hard drive the LESS likely FAT32 will work properly now as it is

now you have the 3TB of which now you even have to use NEW software to format the sucker...

so if you can use NTFS then use it
or get smaller hard drives (which is fast becoming deleted)



oh here is the FREEWARE version of what Rick suggested to use

http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

..
 
thanks guys
I dont have a major gig for a few weeks
so now is the time to try
used them "as is" this past Saturday
and I realized I cannot even change the PITCH with read only files
I have to try SOMETHING
I'll let ya know how it turns out
 
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