Fat32 XP can read vista ntfs partition

  • Thread starter Thread starter tokeer.port5.com
  • Start date Start date
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tokeer.port5.com

Hi,

I am used to dual booting xp O/S and typically I keep one partition
NTFS (everyday usage) and the other FAT32 (software testing).
This is so when I boot into my FAT32, my NTFS is hidden and the
primary drive is C:\

I bought a new desktop with Vista intalled on it, I have successfully
partitioned and dual booted with XP.
Vista is NTFS and XP is FAT32, when I boot into the FAT32 XP, the
primary comes up as H:\ and the C:\ is still the Vista partition which
easily browsable?

Why can XP read Vista NTFS partition?

Thanks
YF4E
 
XP can read NTFS, both of mine have for years. Most folks have converted the
C: drive on XP to NTFS. XP can read FAT32; specifically drives that haven't
been converted, USB Flash memory drives, USB external disks. Keep only
portable drives in FAT32 for portability reasons.
 
The NT series of windows which became Windows 2000 then Windows XP, then
Vista have all been able to use the NTFS file system.
The none NT series, Windows 98, ME as the last of the line are fat32 (and
fat ?) only and not able to read NTFS (if I remember correctly).
 
The NT series of windows which became Windows 2000 then Windows XP, then
Vista have all been able to use the NTFS file system.
The none NT series, Windows 98, ME as the last of the line are fat32 (and
fat ?) only and not able to read NTFS (if I remember correctly).










- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Thank you Charles and Gary for your replies.
My secondary windows xp partition is Fat32 and my primary vista
partition is NTFS.

What I meant to say was why can XP Fat32 read Vista NTFS?
YF4E
 
tokeer.port5.com said:
My secondary windows xp partition is Fat32 and my primary vista
partition is NTFS.
Click to expand...
What I meant to say was why can XP Fat32 read Vista NTFS?
Click to expand...

There's no such thing as "XP FAT32". Only Windows XP, in Home or
Professional versions. Windows XP, like all versions of Vista,
supports both the FAT32 and NTFS file systems (as well as FAT16,
FAT12, and whatever CDs and DVDs use). It makes no difference what
file system the disk where the OS lives is using, it's the same OS
regardless, and can read from and write to partitions in all of these
file systems.
 
There's no such thing as "XP FAT32". Only Windows XP, in Home or
Professional versions. Windows XP, like all versions of Vista,
supports both the FAT32 and NTFS file systems (as well as FAT16,
FAT12, and whatever CDs and DVDs use). It makes no difference what
file system the disk where the OS lives is using, it's the same OS
regardless, and can read from and write to partitions in all of these
file systems.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Sorry for my ambiguos post, on my old PC i have winxp pro formatted
FAT32 on one partition and it cannot read winxp pro formatted NTFS
formatted on the other partition. So, when I boot into either
partition, the primary drive is rendered as C:\

Now with my new PC, I have arranged my PC with similar paritition
setup, when I boot into the vista NTFS partition, the primary drive is
rendered as c:, but when I boot into winxp FAT32 partition, the
primary drive is rendered as H:\ (after all the removable drives)

Thanx
YF4E
 
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