NTFS v FAT32

  • Thread starter Thread starter RedZed
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RedZed

My main drive is NTFS

My slave drive is FAT32.

Can anyone explain the difference?

Are there any advantages?

Is it better to have the same system for both drives? If so, which?

TIA

BJ
 
NTFS has security as part of the filesystem. FAT32 does not.

Current NTFS used in XP has no current partition size barrier existing on
some current larger hard drives. FAT32 does has this limitation, even when
using the latest fdisk from MS.

Dos-oriented tools cannot read or recover NTFS based files in a real mode
ms-dos environment.

NTFS is best for security and safety of filesystem. But, has less tolerance
for I/O hardware problems.
 
Hi,

Unlike the NTFS partitions, you can't apply the file and folder security
permissions in a FAT32 partition.
Moreover if you are booted in to a FAT32 partition, you can't access the
data in the NTFS partition.
Hence it is always better to have NTFS partition in both.

For more information on this issue, access the URL given below:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/russel/october01.asp

Limitation of FAT32 partition:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314463

Advantages of using NTFS:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us
/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/reskit/en-us/prkc_f
il_duwx.asp


When to use FAT File System ?

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/reskit/en-us
/prkc_fil_duwx.asp

I hope the above information helps you.

S.Vijay

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
 
RedZed said:
My main drive is NTFS

My slave drive is FAT32.

Can anyone explain the difference?

Are there any advantages?

Is it better to have the same system for both drives? If so, which?
Click to expand...

GOOGLE it!

You could have typed in your subject in Google and gotten hundreds of hits
that explain it better than anyone here will take the time to do...
 
GOOGLE it!

You could have typed in your subject in Google and gotten hundreds of hits
that explain it better than anyone here will take the time to do...
Click to expand...

Help and Support covers it pretty thoroughly as well.
 
My main drive is NTFS

My slave drive is FAT32.

Can anyone explain the difference?

Are there any advantages?

Is it better to have the same system for both drives? If so, which?

TIA

BJ
Click to expand...

Each file system has advantages and disadvantages. The help file in XP has
a nice comparison chart and links for deeper reading on the subject.

If running one drive NTFS and one FAT32 suits your purposes, go for it. XP
will handle that arrangement just fine. If you plan on doing any multimedia
recording or editing, take the working file sizes into consideration. FAT32
is limited to a 4GB file size.

Personally, I favor NTFS for all drives on an XP system. That's an opinion.
Other people will have other opinions.
 
Moreover if you are booted in to a FAT32 partition, you can't access the
data in the NTFS partition.
Click to expand...

PS: I think that you meant to qualify that statement a little further.
Booting to some operating systems (such as Win9x on FAT32) would cause the
limitation that you mention.
 
Sharon F said:
Each file system has advantages and disadvantages. The help file in XP has
a nice comparison chart and links for deeper reading on the subject.

If running one drive NTFS and one FAT32 suits your purposes, go for it. XP
will handle that arrangement just fine. If you plan on doing any multimedia
recording or editing, take the working file sizes into consideration. FAT32
is limited to a 4GB file size.

Personally, I favor NTFS for all drives on an XP system. That's an opinion.
Other people will have other opinions.
Click to expand...

Thanks for dispelling a myth for me. Thought only inepts and cheap PCs had
FAT32 on the XP boot partition. Didn't know personal preference over
obvious filesystem capabilities would be factor in the decision.
 
Thanks for dispelling a myth for me. Thought only inepts and cheap PCs had
FAT32 on the XP boot partition. Didn't know personal preference over
obvious filesystem capabilities would be factor in the decision.
Click to expand...

It's your computer. Your preferences should come into play
whenever/wherever possible. ;)
 
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