Ntfs.sys Error After Converting Fat32 To Ntfs

Windows XP includes a utility called convert.exe that allows you to convert a FAT formatted hard disk to NTFS. To convert your hard drive formatted to FAT32 file system to NTFS file system, you need to use convert drive: /fs:ntfs (drive denotes the name of drive to be converted) command using command prompt. It is a non-destructive process, but at times you find that after using the command, system prompts errors and fails to boot. You encounter an error that NTFS driver file, Ntfs.sys is corrupted and Windows could not start as the result. Therefore, to correct the situation you might need to reformat the hard disk and restore lost data from backup. But in critical circumstances when backup fails to restore, use Data Recovery applications that serve as perfect tools to recover lost data.

After converting your FAT32 hard disk to NTFS, when you try to start your system, you might receive the below error message:

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: System32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys”

This error is specific to Windows XP.

Cause

The above error occurs after you use convert.exe tool to convert the file system. The prime reason for this error to occur is that either Ntfs.sys file is missing or corrupted.

Solution

You can solve this problem by repairing Windows XP installation using these steps through Recovery Console:

• Boot your system using Windows XP startup or installation disk
• When prompted for, Press R when you see the ‘Welcome to Setup’ screen
• Choose the Windows installation to be repaired
• Give administrator password, if prompted for
• Next, you need to rename the corrupted Ntfs.sys file using the command prompt:
cd \windows\system32\drivers

ren ntfs.sys ntfs.old
• After this, you can replace the damaged file:

copy cd:\i386\ntfs.sys drive:\windows\system32\drivers
Where, cd refers to the drive letter of Windows XP disk.
• Remove the Windows XP disk and quit the Recovery Console

You need to restart the system after applying the above steps. If the issue persists or these measures are not feasible to apply, you should reformat the drive and use your recent data backup to restore. However, you can use advanced Data Recovery Software whenever you face any backup concerns. Data Recovery tools are high-end applications to locate and safely restore the missing data.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is a powerful Data Recovery Software with interactive interface and read-only design. It supports Windows 7 (currently in RC1), Vista, XP, 2003 and 2000. Providing advanced features, it is one of the trusted tools considered for efficient recovery. It supports FAT32, VFAT, NTFS and NTFS5 file systems.

By: k madhav

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

K madhav is a data recovery expert and doing research on file recovery and partition recovery