FAT32 or NTFS on XP Pro?

[Guest]

I have just upgraded from 98se to XP Pro. I have 2 drives, 12gb(c and
4gb(d. I am currently using FAT32 file system, but I'm wondering if it
would be beneficial changing to NTFS with the drives sizes above.

FAT32 states for use with <32gb drives, but NTFS offers better support?

Also would it benefit me formatting my 4gb drive as an extension of my C:
drive?

Whats your opinion?

Thanks

 

[Jim Macklin]

fixed broken links
in message | NTFS is more stable than FAT. The only reason to keep FAT
| is if you dual boot an OS that can't read NTFS.
|
| Go ahead and convert the drives. Backup critical data
| beforehand, but usually it all goes well with no loss of
| data.
| see
| |
|
|
| Web Results 1 - 10 of about 112,000 English pages
| for convert fat32 ntfs. (0.20 seconds)
|
| NTFS.com Convert FAT32 to NTFS. Converting. Convertion.
| ... Q: Is it possible to convert a FAT32 Hard Drive to
NTFS
| without losing all data
| on the drive? I like to change from FAT32 to NTFS, my
| operating system is ...
| www.ntfs.com/quest3.htm - 6k - Mar 5, 2005 - Cached -
| Similar pages
|
| How to Convert FAT Disks to NTFS
| ... If it is FAT or FAT32, Setup gives you the choice of
| converting to NTFS. ... You
| can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this
command.
| ...
|
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/itpro/managing/convertfat.asp
- 24k - Cached -
| Similar pages
|
| Microsoft Windows XP - Automatically Converting FAT32 to
| NTFS
| Automatically Converting FAT32 to NTFS. When upgrading,
| you ... automatically
| to NTFS. To automatically convert FAT32 partitions to
| NTFS. ...
|
www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prbc_cai_quet.asp
- 9k -
| Cached - Similar pages
| [ More results from www.microsoft.com ]
|
| Converting FAT32 to NTFS in Windows XP
| ... CONVERT.EXE, finding it cannot use 4K clusters, gives
up
| and makes the ... of the varying
| default cluster sizes used by FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS for
| partitions ...
| http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.htm - 7k - Mar 5,
2005 - Cached -
| Similar pages
|
|
| --
| The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
| But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
|
|
|
| "FAT32 or NTFS" <FAT32 or (e-mail address removed)>
| wrote in message
| ||I have just upgraded from 98se to XP Pro. I have 2 drives,
| 12gb(c and
|| 4gb(d. I am currently using FAT32 file system, but I'm
| wondering if it
|| would be beneficial changing to NTFS with the drives
sizes
| above.
||
|| FAT32 states for use with <32gb drives, but NTFS offers
| better support?
||
|| Also would it benefit me formatting my 4gb drive as an
| extension of my C:
|| drive?
||
|| Whats your opinion?
||
|| Thanks
|
|
|

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

There is some overhead that comes with that better file system support with
NTFS. Also, FAT32 seems to be a little faster on drives the size of yours.
Personally, I would leave them as is. (I see larger hard drives in your
future and then you want to use NTFS).

Get it from the folks who know: http://www.ntfs.com/

 

[Guest]

The main issue I seem to be having is freezing, do you see NTFS halting this
issue, or making it worse.

What do you mean by overheads, e.i. available size, transfer rates?

Thanks

There is some overhead that comes with that better file system support with
NTFS. Also, FAT32 seems to be a little faster on drives the size of yours.
Personally, I would leave them as is. (I see larger hard drives in your
future and then you want to use NTFS).

Get it from the folks who know: http://www.ntfs.com/

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)

I have just upgraded from 98se to XP Pro. I have 2 drives, 12gb(c and
4gb(d. I am currently using FAT32 file system, but I'm wondering if it
would be beneficial changing to NTFS with the drives sizes above.

FAT32 states for use with <32gb drives, but NTFS offers better support?

Also would it benefit me formatting my 4gb drive as an extension of my C:
drive?

Whats your opinion?

Thanks

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Freezing is not an issue I would resolve by converting to ntfs because you
need to resolve that issue or risk transporting the problem right over into
the new file system.

As for overhead, please follow the link I gave you to ntfs.com. That
explains why a rather large piece of the hard drive space is used by ntfs.
You know, overhead. You will have less storage space available because of
the overhead.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)

The main issue I seem to be having is freezing, do you see NTFS halting
this
issue, or making it worse.

What do you mean by overheads, e.i. available size, transfer rates?

Thanks

There is some overhead that comes with that better file system support
with
NTFS. Also, FAT32 seems to be a little faster on drives the size of
yours.
Personally, I would leave them as is. (I see larger hard drives in your
future and then you want to use NTFS).

Get it from the folks who know: http://www.ntfs.com/

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
message

I have just upgraded from 98se to XP Pro. I have 2 drives, 12gb(c and
4gb(d. I am currently using FAT32 file system, but I'm wondering if
it
would be beneficial changing to NTFS with the drives sizes above.

FAT32 states for use with <32gb drives, but NTFS offers better support?

Also would it benefit me formatting my 4gb drive as an extension of my
C:
drive?

Whats your opinion?

Thanks

 

[Ron Martell]

I have just upgraded from 98se to XP Pro. I have 2 drives, 12gb(c and
4gb(d. I am currently using FAT32 file system, but I'm wondering if it
would be beneficial changing to NTFS with the drives sizes above.

FAT32 states for use with <32gb drives, but NTFS offers better support?

Also would it benefit me formatting my 4gb drive as an extension of my C:
drive?

Whats your opinion?

Thanks

Be very careful about converting an existing drive from FAT32 to NTFS,
and in particular read the article by MVP Alex Nichol at
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.htm

Converting an existing FAT32 partition to NTFS without first checking
for proper alignment will result in a 512 byte rather than a 4K
cluster size which can be very inefficient.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Jim, do you really think the OP opened the attachment? <g>

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have just upgraded from 98se to XP Pro. I have 2 drives, 12gb(c and
4gb(d. I am currently using FAT32 file system, but I'm wondering if it
would be beneficial changing to NTFS with the drives sizes above.

FAT32 states for use with <32gb drives, but NTFS offers better support?

Also would it benefit me formatting my 4gb drive as an extension of my C:
drive?

Whats your opinion?

Thanks

Personally, I wouldn't even consider using FAT32 when NTFS is an
option. FAT32 has no security capabilities, no compression
capabilities, no fault tolerance, and a lot of wasted hard drive space
on volumes larger than 8 Gb in size. But your computing needs may
vary, and there is no hard and fast answer.

To answer your questions without getting too technical is
difficult, but has been handled quite well by Alex Nichol in the
article here:

FAT & NTFS File Systems in Windows XP
http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm

Somewhat more technical information is here:

Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314463

Choosing Between File Systems
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...prodtechnol/winntas/tips/techrep/filesyst.asp

NTFS file system
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/ntfs/

--

Bruce Chambers

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