Mixing Partition types

[RScotti]

I saw a message somewhere here that you should not use different file systems on the same
computer.
I have a HP Desktop and it has two partitions a NTFS C:\ and a FAT32 for
D:\for a Recovery partition.
I wanted to change this to NTFS but HP said if I do I will lose the Recovery so I couldn't
do it.
would this cause any problems? I don't want to delete my Recovery partition if I don't
have to.

Have a good day!
Rich Scotti

 

[Richard Urban]

If you alter the recovery partition you will lose the ability to bring your
computer back to the state it was in when you first purchased the computer.

There are hundreds of posts in these groups from people who have such
problems. They have to go through a lot of phone calls, and "may" end up
having to purchase Windows XP a second time because of their error in
deleting/altering the partition.

Leave it alone!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Roberto]

I saw a message somewhere here that you should not use different file
systems on the same
computer.
I have a HP Desktop and it has two partitions a NTFS C:\ and a FAT32 for
D:\for a Recovery partition.
I wanted to change this to NTFS but HP said if I do I will lose the
Recovery so I couldn't
do it.
would this cause any problems? I don't want to delete my Recovery
partition if I don't
have to.

Have a good day!
Rich Scotti

There's no general issues mixing file systems, just keep in mind
FAT32 cannot see NTFS based file systems although NTFS can see FAT32.
You HP recovery partition likely uses Ghost to restore the machine
back to factory defaults, if you convert it to NTFS you will as HP
warned, loose the ability to recover your machine in the event of a
disaster.
Which in turn will require you to purchase an XP CD and D/L all the
drivers unless you created the recovery DVD/CDs when you originally
purchased the machine.

rgds
Roberto

 

[RScotti]

Thanks for both your inputs. I will leave it alone.

There's no general issues mixing file systems, just keep in mind
FAT32 cannot see NTFS based file systems although NTFS can see FAT32.
You HP recovery partition likely uses Ghost to restore the machine
back to factory defaults, if you convert it to NTFS you will as HP
warned, loose the ability to recover your machine in the event of a
disaster.
Which in turn will require you to purchase an XP CD and D/L all the
drivers unless you created the recovery DVD/CDs when you originally
purchased the machine.

rgds
Roberto

Have a good day!
Rich Scotti

 

[-Alias-]

Thanks for both your inputs. I will leave it alone.

I would call HP and insist on a recovery CD. If your hard drive fails,
you're SOL.

Alias

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

There's no general issues mixing file systems,

Right, there are no issues at all, and if RScotti saw such a message, it.was
incorrect. In fact almost all computer mix file systems, because diskette
drives and CD drives don't normally use the same file systems that hard
drives do.

just keep in
mind FAT32 cannot see NTFS based file systems although NTFS can see
FAT32.

But this is not at all correct. File systems don't see other files systems
at all. It's operating systems that can or can not see file systems. Windows
XP can see NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, and FAT12, in any and all combinations,
regardless of what file system it itself is installed on.

However if you have a multi-boot system, running Windows 98, for example,
alongside Windows XP, the Windows 98 partition will be unable to see any
NTFS partitions, because Windows 98 has no support for NTFS.

 

[RScotti]

Thanks I just couldn't understand why they used FAT32. NTFS is so much better.

Right, there are no issues at all, and if RScotti saw such a message, it.was
incorrect. In fact almost all computer mix file systems, because diskette
drives and CD drives don't normally use the same file systems that hard
drives do.




But this is not at all correct. File systems don't see other files systems
at all. It's operating systems that can or can not see file systems. Windows
XP can see NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, and FAT12, in any and all combinations,
regardless of what file system it itself is installed on.

However if you have a multi-boot system, running Windows 98, for example,
alongside Windows XP, the Windows 98 partition will be unable to see any
NTFS partitions, because Windows 98 has no support for NTFS.

Have a good day!
Rich Scotti

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thanks I just couldn't understand why they used FAT32. NTFS is so
much better.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

I'm not sure who "they" is, but in my view, the only good reason for having
a FAT32 partition in Windows XP is if the partition needs to be shared with
another operating system that is not NTFS-aware.

 

[RScotti]

"They" is HP.
Thanks for your help. I don't know what I would do without these Newsgroups.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

I'm not sure who "they" is, but in my view, the only good reason for having
a FAT32 partition in Windows XP is if the partition needs to be shared with
another operating system that is not NTFS-aware.

Have a good day!
Rich Scotti

 

[John]

I saw a message somewhere here that you should not use different file systems on the same
computer.
I have a HP Desktop and it has two partitions a NTFS C:\ and a FAT32 for
D:\for a Recovery partition.
I wanted to change this to NTFS but HP said if I do I will lose the Recovery so I couldn't
do it.
would this cause any problems? I don't want to delete my Recovery partition if I don't
have to.

Have a good day!
Rich Scotti

That is nonsense - disregard the mis-information. As a worse case
scenario dissimilar operating systems on the same comp won't be able to
read each other's file systems.

John

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I saw a message somewhere here that you should not use different file systems on the same
computer.

That message was meaningless and incorrect. WinXP can read FAT12 (the
file system used on 3.5" diskettes), FAT16, FAT32, CDFS (the file system
used on most CDs), and NTFS with equal facility. Further, the file
system on any one disk/partition or diskette has absolutely no affect
upon the operating system's ability to read other compatible file
systems on other disks/partitions.

I have a HP Desktop and it has two partitions a NTFS C:\ and a FAT32 for
D:\for a Recovery partition.
I wanted to change this to NTFS but HP said if I do I will lose the Recovery so I couldn't
do it.
would this cause any problems? I don't want to delete my Recovery partition if I don't
have to.

If HP says converting the hidden Recovery partition to NTFS will
prevent the recovery from working, then you'd be best advised to leave
that partition alone. This would be a limitation of HP's recovery
method, however, and not a limitation of the OS, per se. Why worry
about converting it, anyway? It's not as if it can be used for anything
else.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrum Russell

 

[Bruce Chambers]

There's no general issues mixing file systems,

True

.... just keep in mind
FAT32 cannot see NTFS based file systems although NTFS can see FAT32.

That's incorrect to the point of being meaningless. Both FAT32 and
NTFS are file systems; neither one has anything to do with "seeing" one
another; accessing any given file system is a capability of the
*operating system*.





--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrum Russell