MegaScenery FAT32 Warning

[W2DR 1,859]

If you have FAT32 drives you may want to talk with the MegaScenery folks before ordering it. It seems that FAT32 can't always (ever?) cope with the 74,000+ filies that need to be installed. The recommended solution is to convert your drive(s) to NTFS. Really a troubling scenario for many who must maintain FAT32 for any of a variety of legitimate reasons. Anyway, see the info here http://www.megascenery.com/techsupport.htm for a more complete explaination.Doug

[brucek 38]

Hi Doug,I have XP. Do you know if I can convert just my HD partition that I use for FS9 into NTFS, and leave the OS and other partitions at FAT32? Or, does the OS partition also need to be converted as well?Thanks,Bruce.

[W2DR 1,859]

Yes, you can convert just the FS9 partition. With XP almost any mix-and-match is possible. (The problem(s) will come for anyone not using XP or who has a dualboot with Win98). More info here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/usi.../convertfat.asp If the FAT32 drive was not formatted originally by XP you also need to look at the info here: http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.htmDoug

[JimmiG 244]

The problem isn't with Megascenery. The problem is people still insisting on using a file system (FAT) developed in the mid 80s.

[brucek 38]

Thanks Doug.Bruce.

[Manny 1,293]

Dang!.I originally had NTFS and OS Win2000. I had to convert my HD to FAT32 for a reason.. and I need to keep it that way...Can I convert back the directory where I have the FSim2004 to NTFS or partition my disk and create a new disk as NTFS and reinstall the FSim there?hmmm...This sucks.

[JimmiG 244]

The only reason to use FAT32 is if you want to run Win9x on your computer (dual-boot)...but IMO, any system capable of running FS2004 should be running Win2000 or XP. Note that Win9x computers on a network CAN access shared directories on NTFS drives on Win2k/XP computers.If you need a FAT32 partition for compatibility, I recommend creating just one small partition and format it as FAT32.You can not convert directories, only entire partitions. Also, once the drive is converted to NTFS you can not go back to FAT32 without reformatting. There are utilities that claim they can go back to FAT32 without data loss but they are not very reliable.

[W2DR 1,859]

Nobody said there was a "problem" with MegaScenery. It's just a fact that a FAT32 drive is probably going to need converting. Better to have that information now as opposed to finding it out after the purchase. Lighten up a bit.

[brucek 38]

Interesting topic!If I end up with a mixture of NTFS and FAT32 partitions, can I still move files between partitions with My Computer even when the source and destination partition are different formats?Thanks,Bruce.