FAT32 vs NTFS with Windows XP

[Frank]

Wondering if I should go thru the conversion process from FAT32 to NTFS.
When upgrading from ME to XP, does the FAT32 automatically get converted to
NTFS.?
I upgraded to XP from ME, and when I look at System
Information/Storage/Drives,, it shows I have a File System FAT32. When I
look at my Format options for the C drive, it only lists NTFS. I'm
confused. Could it be that after conversion, System Info will normally say
FAT32 even tho it was converted to NTFS.?

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Wondering if I should go thru the conversion process from FAT32 to
NTFS. When upgrading from ME to XP, does the FAT32 automatically get
converted to NTFS.?
I upgraded to XP from ME, and when I look at System
Information/Storage/Drives,, it shows I have a File System FAT32.
When I look at my Format options for the C drive, it only lists NTFS.
I'm confused. Could it be that after conversion, System Info will
normally say FAT32 even tho it was converted to NTFS.?

Ignore the format options. The System Info will show exactly which file
system you are using. When upgrading you will have the option to select the
file system for the drive.

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[John E. Carty]

Wondering if I should go thru the conversion process from FAT32 to NTFS.
When upgrading from ME to XP, does the FAT32 automatically get converted to
NTFS.?
I upgraded to XP from ME, and when I look at System
Information/Storage/Drives,, it shows I have a File System FAT32. When I
look at my Format options for the C drive, it only lists NTFS. I'm
confused. Could it be that after conversion, System Info will normally say
FAT32 even tho it was converted to NTFS.?

When you upgraded the file system remained FAT32. However, XP will not
create or format a volume as FAT32 if it is over 32GB's in size

 

[Frank]

My drive is 60gb. Do you think I should go back and do the "convert".?
When I looked at the dos command prompt under Help/Convert,, it says...
"Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. You cannot convert the current drive".

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

My drive is 60gb. Do you think I should go back and do the
"convert".? When I looked at the dos command prompt under
Help/Convert,, it says... "Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. You cannot
convert the current drive".

Frank

When you run the Convert utility, you cannot convert the boot drive while XP
is running. Run the command and you will see an error stating this, which
will ask if you wish to perform the conversion the next time that XP starts.
Click Yes and reboot the computer. The conversion will take place during the
reboot.

Before you run the Convert command, read the article by MVP Alex Nichol at
the following website for some tips and information which will make this a
smooth operation.

Converting FAT32 to NTFS in Windows XP:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/ntfscvt.htm

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
Wondering if I should go thru the conversion process from FAT32 to NTFS.
When upgrading from ME to XP, does the FAT32 automatically get converted to
NTFS.?
I upgraded to XP from ME, and when I look at System
Information/Storage/Drives,, it shows I have a File System FAT32. When I
look at my Format options for the C drive, it only lists NTFS. I'm
confused. Could it be that after conversion, System Info will normally say
FAT32 even tho it was converted to NTFS.?


.
If you didn't choose NTFS during installation it is

FAT32. NTFS can read FAT32 but FAT32 can't see NTFS files

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

NTFS can read FAT32 but FAT32 can't see NTFS files

Incorrect, it has nothing to do with the file system. It has everything to
do with the operating system. If it can read both (and WinXP can) then it
can read and use any combination of the two on a given system. If it can't
(and Win98 is a good example), then it can only read the one (EG: Win98 can
only use FAT16/FAT32). Linux can read FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, and Ext2/3 (its
native file system) - all on the same machine.

To look at it another way, floppies use FAT12, regardless of the version of
Windows. To use your logic, no operating system using FAT32 or NTFS would be
able to read a floppy.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

FAT32. NTFS can read FAT32 but FAT32 can't see NTFS files

No, this is completely false. Neither FAT32 nor NTFS "reads" or
"sees" the other. It is operating systems which read or see file
systems, not the file systems themselves.

Windows XP can read NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, and FAT12, in any and all
combinations, and regardless of what file system it is itself
installed on. So if Windows XP is installed on a FAT32 partition,
it has no problem reading files on another NTFS partition.

 

[Don]

Just a sidebar in addition to what you said about Linux NTFS support.

Red Hat doesn't release it's kernel with the Linux-NTFS driver, unlike most
other Linux distibutions.

Here's the info to get the newest Linux-NTFS drivers and RPMs for Red Hat
and Fedora. (from an earleir post I made)