[GRLUG] fat32 to ntfs

[Benjamin Flanders]

Short question:
How can I convert a large partition from fat32 to ntfs without loss of
data?  Basically does changing cluster size reformat the partition?

Long story:
I dual boot Windows XP and Linux.  I've been doing this for years and
I have a rather large hard drive with a smallish ntfs "c:" and some
smaller xfs partitions for linux.  The majority of the drive I
formatted with fat32 and have this as my "shared" partition.  I did
this because at the time linux didn't have good read/write for ntfs.

Several upgrades later the latest Kubuntu has ntfs-3g with, if I hear
correctly, great support for ntfs.  I am getting sick of the fsck's on
boot, seemly always happening when I boot up for quick directions to a
meeting that I am almost late for.

Googleing, I found that fat32 to ntfs is a simple "convert drive
letter: /fs:ntfs" this can be done without lose of data.

I also found that the optimal cluster sizes of the two file systems
are different.  I can't seem to find any information as to whether
changing cluster sizes destroys the data in a partition or not.

Is there a free solution for changing the cluster sizes?

Thanks in advance
-- 
Share and Enjoy
Ben