FAT32 & NTFS

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phil

OK Not so much a hardware but a software issue.

I have just reformatted one of the two hard drives in my system.
I opted to use the NTFS system this time as i had it as FAT32 before.
The thing is, my slave hard drive is still FAT32 & i seem to be getting
problems with software in that drive.
Will i have to format that drive too to the NTFS System so as to avoid any
hassle ??

Phil.
 
phil said:
OK Not so much a hardware but a software issue.

I have just reformatted one of the two hard drives in my system.
I opted to use the NTFS system this time as i had it as FAT32 before.
The thing is, my slave hard drive is still FAT32 & i seem to be getting
problems with software in that drive.
Will i have to format that drive too to the NTFS System so as to avoid any
hassle ??

Phil.
Click to expand...
While you haven't stated exactly what the problems are or what
applications you are using, I don't think the different in the
filesystems is the cause of them.

Perhaps you could list the applications and the errors.

If you did have an application that doesn't support Fat32, you could use
convert to change to NTFS without reformatting. (You should still backup
any critcal data before running.)
 
OK Not so much a hardware but a software issue.

I have just reformatted one of the two hard drives in my system.
I opted to use the NTFS system this time as i had it as FAT32 before.
Click to expand...

Err, ok?
So since you had NTFS this time, will you choose FAT32 next?
I don't mean to start another NTFS vs FAT32 flamefest, but
did you have some particular need for the NTFS, as it might
effect your use of this second, FAT32 formatted drive?

The thing is, my slave hard drive is still FAT32 & i seem to be getting
problems with software in that drive.
Will i have to format that drive too to the NTFS System so as to avoid any
hassle ??
Click to expand...


Software shouldn't care unless it's trying to create files
larger than 4GB, as it's the FAT32 limit. Otherwise there
are no problems that come to mind that you'd encounter due
to having FAT32 instead of NTFS, that is, if the system
(especially the drive) is working properly.

It might be a good safeguard to back up the data on that
drive and run the manufacturer's diagnostics.

Exactly what "problems" (as detailed as possible) ?
 
Software shouldn't care unless it's trying to create files
larger than 4GB, as it's the FAT32 limit. Otherwise there
are no problems that come to mind that you'd encounter due
to having FAT32 instead of NTFS, that is, if the system
(especially the drive) is working properly.
Click to expand...

I've always thought that Fat32 was reliable, although maybe not
quite as robust as NTFS. But Maxtor tech support has taken to
blaming lots of their drive failures on FAT32 format. They claim that
they've seen corruption of the files system in 250g FAT32 drives.
This may be just an convenient excuse. I'm not sure why there
would be a problem with larger drives.

That is, if you can figure out how to do FAT32 partition/format on
250G. But most of the drive utils (Acronis, etc) can handle it.

_B
 
I have just reformatted one of the two hard drives in my system.
I opted to use the NTFS system this time as i had it as FAT32 before.
The thing is, my slave hard drive is still FAT32 & i seem to be getting
problems with software in that drive.
Will i have to format that drive too to the NTFS System so as to avoid any
hassle ??
Click to expand...

Describe "problems with software".. what kind of problems ? error messages ?
anything else helpful ?

Software to my knowledge neither knows nor cares what type of file system it's
installed onto, so I doubt this is your problem.


Regards,
Chris
 
I've always thought that Fat32 was reliable, although maybe not
quite as robust as NTFS.
Click to expand...

It is. I always question those who claim a real benefit to
NTFS for "reliability", as a system that is more reliable
with NTFS has other problems than it's filesystem. NTFS
would then be a bandaid, not a fix. As with all things, an
extra layer of protection may not hurt- unless one needs DOS
support.

But Maxtor tech support has taken to
blaming lots of their drive failures on FAT32 format. They claim that
they've seen corruption of the files system in 250g FAT32 drives.
This may be just an convenient excuse. I'm not sure why there
would be a problem with larger drives.
Click to expand...

I'd look for more confirmation of this than only relying on
Maxtor, if it's only their drives it seems more like a
diversion than the truth.

That is, if you can figure out how to do FAT32 partition/format on
250G. But most of the drive utils (Acronis, etc) can handle it.
Click to expand...

Figure out?
The newer (win98se patched or WinME) FDISK will. Just
choose percentage and ignore that it "overlaps" the sizes in
64GB chucks when reporting actual space.
 
kony said:
.... snip ...

It is. I always question those who claim a real benefit to
NTFS for "reliability", as a system that is more reliable
with NTFS has other problems than it's filesystem. NTFS
would then be a bandaid, not a fix. As with all things, an
extra layer of protection may not hurt- unless one needs DOS
support.
Click to expand...

At least as described by Helen Custer in her books on NT, the NTFS
should be much safer because of the database aspects of handling
directories and space assignments. It _should_ be impossible to
get the equivalent of a fouled FAT table.

It is quite possible that MS has since dumbed it down to enhance
their monopolism. I have no direct experience, since the MS EULA
is something up with which I shall not put.
 
Thanks all for your suggestions.
I can't publish any error messages etc as i have now backed up data &
deleted all content of that drive.

Now my Win XP CD rom is the upgrade disc which requires a previous version
installed first of which is Win 98se i have.

When i reinstalled windows XP on my master drive it did it as NTFS so will
following the same procedure do the same for my slave drive??
The thing is how do i select to format this drive as NTFS without actually
installing windows itself.

Please forgive me if i sound stupid as i have only ever installed windows on
1 occasion before therefore i am not totally familiar with this procedure
althouh the most of it is self explanatory.
 
Mr Digital said:
When i reinstalled windows XP on my master drive it did
it as NTFS so will following the same procedure do the
same for my slave drive??

Yes.


The thing is how do i select to format this drive as NTFS
without actually installing windows itself?
Click to expand...


Use the Disk Management utility on your existing WinXP drive.
Right-click on My Computer, select Manage, then select
Disk Management. Right click on the new HD ("Disk 1", probably)
and delete any partitions there (assuming you don't want them)
by rt-clking the partition and selecting Delete Partition. Then
rt-clk the now "unallocated" area on Disk 1, and select New Partition
and follow the wizard. At some point you will be asked for the type
of file format.

*TimDaniels*
 
When i reinstalled windows XP on my master drive it did it as NTFS so will
following the same procedure do the same for my slave drive??
The thing is how do i select to format this drive as NTFS without actually
installing windows itself.
Click to expand...

The simplest way is after you've installed XP, run the following command:

CONVERT D: /FS:NTFS

Assuming D: is the slave drive (if not, just change it to whatever the drive
letter is). It's not the most effecient way to convert, but for your purposes it
should be fine, and saves the expense of drive management software such as
Partition Magic.

Regards,
Chris
 
Thanks all for your suggestions.
I can't publish any error messages etc as i have now backed up data &
deleted all content of that drive.

Now my Win XP CD rom is the upgrade disc which requires a previous version
installed first of which is Win 98se i have.
Click to expand...

You're better off installing WinXP clean. See if it'll run
the setup and prompt for verification of prior OS, like that
98SE original disc. I am not one to advise on doing this
any further though, I have upgraded Win98SE to XP before but
IMO, it is far better to do a clean XP install instead of
over Win98SE.
When i reinstalled windows XP on my master drive it did it as NTFS
Click to expand...

It does not convert a FAT32 to NTFS unless that's what you
choose in the Installation screens. If you want NTFS, so be
it, but you can choose either during XP installation.
... so will
following the same procedure do the same for my slave drive??
Click to expand...

Huh?
XP doesn't need to touch your slave drive, nor will it,
unless you specific that drive as the location to install
to. If you do that, again you choose whether it's FAT32 or
NTFS.
The thing is how do i select to format this drive as NTFS without actually
installing windows itself.
Click to expand...

Why would you want to?
Forget about other drives/partitons/etc for the moment and
just focus on getting XP installed where you want it. You
can format/reformat, do whatever with other drives &
partitions later. There is no benefit to formatting a drive
as NTFS before you even have a way to read NTFS, since you
only had WIn98SE at the moment, not XP.
 
The simplest way is after you've installed XP, run the following command:

CONVERT D: /FS:NTFS

Assuming D: is the slave drive (if not, just change it to whatever the drive
letter is). It's not the most effecient way to convert, but for your purposes it
should be fine, and saves the expense of drive management software such as
Partition Magic.

Regards,
Chris
Click to expand...

That is a TERRIBLE idea!! I know...because I tried it a few times.

Just try waddling thru 512 clusters!! lol


Have a nice one...

Trent©

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!
 
At least as described by Helen Custer in her books on NT, the NTFS
should be much safer because of the database aspects of handling
directories and space assignments. It _should_ be impossible to
get the equivalent of a fouled FAT table.
Click to expand...

Its not. I've had many of them. As a matter of fact, there's
instructions on the MSFT site on how to create a boot disk for XP...in
case things get hosed on NTFS.

I've had to use it several times.

So far, I've found FAT32 to be much more reliable than NTFS. Only in
rare cases do I go with NTFS.


Have a nice one...

Trent©

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!
 
That is a TERRIBLE idea!! I know...because I tried it a few times.
Just try waddling thru 512 clusters!! lol
Click to expand...

Hence I say "not the most effecient way" lol

Regards,
Chris
 
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