XP on 40GIG hard drive with single FAT32 partition?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bradc
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Bradc

So far everything I've read in MSKB, there's nothing that
tells me succinctly that I should expect errors if I run
XP from a hard drive with a single 40GB FAT32 partition.
I realize that NTFS is the preferred file system in this
case but I'm not ready to convert just yet. I'm about to
install a new hard drive where I will restore a Ghost
image of XP to the full capacity of a 40GB drive in a
single FAT32 partition. I wouldn't dare proceed if I
thought XP would cause me one single headache in normal
operation. Is it ok to proceed? WINXP SP1 H.E.
 
There shouldn't be any problems as long as your image is valid and has the
necessary HAL and drivers for the machine you are applying it to. I also
performed a quick search of the knowledge base and didn't find any entries
that referenced errors when using Ghost and FAT32 drives. You may still
want to consult the Symantec website to verify that there software doesn't
have any issues with imaging the FAT32 file system.
 
On a FAT32 partition of this size, each and every cluster consumes 32 KB
of space. This means that about 40 percent of your hard disk is wasted
space, caused by file overhang. FAT32 was useful in the Win 9x world when it
was an extension of FAT and got around most of its disadvantages. However,
its large cluster size past 8 GB of space is a problem. As well, you forego
most of the security and stability features in the NT-based family by
sticking with FAT32. There is no logical reason to stick wiyth FAT32, and
many risks and drawbacks. Make the move to NTFS and be done with it.
 
-----Original Message-----
There shouldn't be any problems as long as your image is valid and has the
necessary HAL and drivers for the machine you are applying it to. I also
performed a quick search of the knowledge base and didn't find any entries
that referenced errors when using Ghost and FAT32 drives. You may still
want to consult the Symantec website to verify that there software doesn't
have any issues with imaging the FAT32 file system.

--
Click to expand...
Well I don't need to worry about the HAL and drivers
since the Ghost image is an EXACT sector by sector image
of a drive that will be replaced by the same model drive
into the same machine with no other hardware changes. My
only concern was running a single FAT32 partition >32GB.
I should point out that GHOST does create the parition
and formats it on the fly while restoring to a new
drive. In my last experience, Ghost laid down the FAT32
parition with 16KB cluster size even though the new drive
and parition was 40GB. I imagine this will happen again
since the source of the XP image is from a 30GB drive (at
16KB cluster size). The new drive again is 40GB. I hope
not to notice a performance hit using a smaller than
normal cluster size on the new 40GB drive.
Matt Hendrix [MSFT]

"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights."


So far everything I've read in MSKB, there's nothing that
tells me succinctly that I should expect errors if I run
XP from a hard drive with a single 40GB FAT32 partition.
I realize that NTFS is the preferred file system in this
case but I'm not ready to convert just yet. I'm about to
install a new hard drive where I will restore a Ghost
image of XP to the full capacity of a 40GB drive in a
single FAT32 partition. I wouldn't dare proceed if I
thought XP would cause me one single headache in normal
operation. Is it ok to proceed? WINXP SP1 H.E.
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
 
Greetings --

By design, WinXP cannot create and format a new FAT32 partition
greater than 32 Gb. However, the OS has no problems being installed
upon or otherwise using FAT32 a partition larger than 32 Gb, as long
as that partition has been created/formatted by another OS, such as
Win98.


Bruce Chambers

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