How to format a USB drive with NTFS file system
Ever wondered why you can’t format your USB drives to NTFS. Its because Windows XP by default won’t allow you to do so except format either to FAT or FAT32. But its fairly easy to get over it and enable NTFS files system on your removable devices.
NTFS does allow you encrypt your files with Windows XP’s built in file encryption. It also lets you to add allow and deny permissions on individual files and folders for specific Windows users, something you can’t think of using FAT systems. On the down side NTFS file system won’t get detected in most linux systems, besides that the encryption is pretty much useless. However if you can get over this few demerits NTFS file system is very good for daily usage.
Here is how to format USB drive with NTFS.
First, plug in your USB device to a free USB port of your computer. Now rightclick on My Computer and select Manage.
Now after moving to the computer management window, click on the Device Manager and then expand the disk drives, you’ll see your USB drive listed there.
Now rightclick on the USB drive and select Properties. Now go to the Policies tab.
You’ll see two options, one is “Optimize for quick removal” and other is “Optimize for performance”, select the second option “Optimize for performance”. This enables you to format the drive to NTFS.
Now click on OK and go to My Computer. Rightclick on the drive and now choose Format. In the file system drop down you’ll see the NTFS format option.
I have 2 USB hard drives and 4 USB flash drives and I haven’t had a problem getting them formated in NTFS.
Thanks for this info,very useful. I’ll be setting my next usb pen drive.
Thanks,
Just what my Google searched :)
Nice.. It is very helpful..
Thanks,,
Thanks! Most helpful
Thanks for that, great help!
Although I want to note that for some reason I still couldn’t format my 8GB Sandisk Cruzer drive as NTFS through the Windows Disk Management utility. I had to format from a Windows Explorer window to get the NTFS option. In case anyone else has that weird experience.
YOU ROCK MAN!
Thanks for that, great help!
THIS INFO. IS VERY NEED FULL TO ME.
GODBLESS YOU.
Thanks a lot man.
One thing you didn’t mention was this allows you to save files > 4GB on the key.
That was the reason I wanted to format my drive with NTFS.
Awesome job.
Thanks! The explorer-format was the detail that made it work for me. The computer-management only gave me FAT32 as an option. Woot, 8 gig NTFS fixed. Able to write 7.5 gig backup.bkf files.
Great, I finally got it working properly!
Thanks a lot!! =)
Thank you!!! God Bless you!
Thanks, I was thinking in the right direction then.
My main reason for NTFS is like Sanjeevnuts, to be able to save files >4GB.
Keep in mind though that NTFS reads more from the disk than FAT and could reduce the lifespan of the drive. But you have probably bought a much faster and bigger drive before that.
it won’t work for me…
The error message: ” windows was unable to complete the format”
any suggestions?
my usb stick is KINGSTONE 4GB
Excellent- exactly what I needed. Now how about an article on which “Allocation Unit Size” I should go with. :-)
Another “Excellent – exactly what I needed” post. Your web page is very much appreciated…
Genius! Thanks for the help, worked great!!
Hi,
Assuming O: is the pen drive letter
you can convert FAT32 to NTFS from the command line
>CONVERT O: /FS:NTFS
thank you so much!!!!
The policy change didn’t help with my 8Gb AData, but the command line CONVERT did the trick.
I have 16 GB drive. Either “Manage” or “Convert” didn’t work. Advice please.
Alext.
Works great. Thank you.
Thanks for guys like you who find the time to post things like this that save us guys who don’t have time!
It doesn’t work to my USB pen stick intenso. It tells me that windows was unable to complete format.
Anyone wo got smart idea plzzz.
tnx tnx tnx…i have a problem with mu usb with copy speed,and now after this my usb work great
sorry for bad english ;)
Thanks yaa .. Thank you so much.
ty dude its great tutorial.
Many thanks! Just what I needed.
Great tutorial! Thanks!
Thank you so much!!!