Convert FAT floppy to NFTS

bound4h

Junior Member
Dec 10, 2004
11
0
0
I have a 3.5" floppy disk that I believe is formatted using the FAT32 file system. I originally used it on an old computer (33Mhz, ya I know f'in old) and now I want to view it on my NFTS desktop computer. Is there a program or utility that I can use to salvage these files and view them on my desktop without reformatting my whole harddrive or the disk and losing the information?

When I insert the disk into my computer it says "This disk needs to be reformatted. Reformat now?"

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
1
0
The latest versions of Windows can read FAT32 just fine, so it sounds like your floppy diskette is corrupted. You might try the freeware file-recovery software from pcinspector.de and see how your luck is.
 

Slikkster

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2000
3,141
0
0
What happens if you answer "NO" and try to view the disk in My Computer or Windows Explorer? There's no reason why an NTFS system (presumably XP) can't read Fat32 discs.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
239
106
Actually, the odds are that the 3.5 floppy is FAT, not FAT 32. Even so, it should be read. However - it simply may be too old. Floppy disks decay over time - we used to call it "bit rot." :)

Also, some floppy drives can be slightly out of alignment so that their disks are not always readable on other drives. Try connecting the old floppy drive to your new machine. If it still is unreadable, it is probably dead meat.

Hmmm! I have a few boxes of 5.25-in diskettes - I wonder how they are?

Anyway - NTFS is not good for floppies - too small! The NTFS overhead would take away 25% or more of the disk storage space.
 

RebateMonger

Elite Member
Dec 24, 2005
11,586
0
0
Yeah, your floppy isn't being read properly by your floppy drive. A common problem. Try another floppy drive and keep trying other drives until you find one that reads your floppy. Floppy disks and floppy drives are not terribly reliable.

Do NOT reformat the floppy. I imagine there's still floppy disk recovery software floating out there that you could try, too. And, btw, you can only format a floppy to FAT12 in Windows. Nothing else.