xp Service Pack 1 NTFS format of hard drive

I updated my WINDOWS2000XP with Service pack #1 and it converted my entire hard drive to NTFS from FAT32. I was not notified in advance that this would happen when I updated my computer and now none of my older software programs work. I depended on several of them to build and modify all my files (hundreds of them) I built during my research into my family's ancestry and my military history and development of my life's history using both text and photo data files. Is there an easy way to convert my hard drive from NTFS back to FAT32 without reformatting the drive and reloading all my current files and software. Reformatting my drive is not an accepted choice. My computer does contain an additional hard drive that is still FAT32 but none of those files or programs work when I try to use them with the software on the main hard drive. Please help me.

 

Welcome to Windows BBS ghggomer

I'm having trouble understanding your situation so perhaps a few counter questions are in order.

1. What OS do you have, Windows 2k or XP? (or dual boot)

2. How did you perform the SP1 update; did you directly install it from the Windows Update Site or did you download it and install it off-line?

3. Are you aware that the NTFS format is merely a method of storing files and has nothing whatever to do with their operation with the OS?

4. Did your system work normally before the SP1 install?

What I'm saying is, if they worked when the system was FAT32, converting to NTFS wouldn't affect that workability.

I'm have never heard of anyone having their drive converted by the installation of the SP1 program. I think you may have had something else take place other than the SP1.

All that aside, yes, you can convert the NTFS file system to FAT32 by using a 3rd party program such as Partition Magic. All your data will remain intact. I must warn you that this conversion will NOT fix any problem that you have mentioned with software not working. It won't make the material on the other drive be any different than it already is. You have other problems obviously. They may have been caused by SP1 but that remains to be seen.

Enlighten me and perhaps something will become clear as to what really happened.