 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
FAT32 vs. NTFS
 |
== I just need to know, I'm sure I'll be needing the info in the future. ==
Whenever I install win2k over win98/ME or I start on a clean install of win2k/XP, I always choose FAT32. This is mainly because I'm familiar with it, and NTFS can't be seen on win98/ME when I last had a dual boot operating system. What's the difference between NTFS and FAT32? which is better? should I use NTFS over FAT32 on a win2k/XP system? can I view/share files from a computer with NTFS using a computer with FAT32 (meaning win98/ME) over a network?
Please enlighten me...
Whenever I install win2k over win98/ME or I start on a clean install of win2k/XP, I always choose FAT32. This is mainly because I'm familiar with it, and NTFS can't be seen on win98/ME when I last had a dual boot operating system. What's the difference between NTFS and FAT32? which is better? should I use NTFS over FAT32 on a win2k/XP system? can I view/share files from a computer with NTFS using a computer with FAT32 (meaning win98/ME) over a network?
Please enlighten me...
*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
•
•
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 9,441
Reputation: 
Solved Threads: 476
No win 98 or ME will not see the NTFS ,NTFS is more stable and the single file size can be upto 2Gigs .thats the main difference to my knowledge.one way or the other it wouldn't matter what one you use ,thats my opinion !
Linux boot cd http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html
so, based on your post, the only difference is that it can handle a single file up to the size of 2Gigs. what do you mean by more stable? stable in what way?
tnx.
tnx.
*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
0
#5 Feb 26th, 2004
Q: How does NTFS compared to FAT32 in Windows XP, and which is faster?
A: NTFS has much more built-in features than FAT, so generally it is a bit slower.
However it depends on many factors such as cluster size, average file size, etc.
For example, NTFS can keep small files inside MFT entry, so if the file size is less than cluster size, most likely it will be accessed much faster on NTFS than on FAT.
Generally speaking the performance of NTFS on large volumes is higher than performance of FAT32. NTFS performance on small volumes is lower than performance of FAT/FAT32.
A: NTFS has much more built-in features than FAT, so generally it is a bit slower.
However it depends on many factors such as cluster size, average file size, etc.
For example, NTFS can keep small files inside MFT entry, so if the file size is less than cluster size, most likely it will be accessed much faster on NTFS than on FAT.
Generally speaking the performance of NTFS on large volumes is higher than performance of FAT32. NTFS performance on small volumes is lower than performance of FAT/FAT32.
Thank you very much for the info RC_Razor. what if my win2k crashes and I want to boot from a floppy? is there a bootdisk that can access an NTFS? if there is, then I'll probably have to repartition my HDD to NTFS since everything you've said sums up everything to the NTFS being way much better than FAT/FAT32.
*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
•
•
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 56
Reputation:
Solved Threads: 0
Junior Poster in Training
not sure about the boot disk disk but to add more information on the difference between the two.
The biggest difference comes when you network and share files over a LAN,
FAT: you can specify only down to which folder to share, and you can add a password to it, but anyone on the LAN who has the password can get into it.
NTFS: You can share files down to a specific file and not a whole directory and you can type in which computers can access it. So if you want no one else but a certain computer to read the file over the LAN, you can set it to do so, but not in FAT
The biggest difference comes when you network and share files over a LAN,
FAT: you can specify only down to which folder to share, and you can add a password to it, but anyone on the LAN who has the password can get into it.
NTFS: You can share files down to a specific file and not a whole directory and you can type in which computers can access it. So if you want no one else but a certain computer to read the file over the LAN, you can set it to do so, but not in FAT
•
•
•
•
Originally Posted by Jra2003
FAT: you can specify only down to which folder to share, and you can add a password to it, but anyone on the LAN who has the password can get into it.
*-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
*I am the oceans.. Still, still yet always in constant *
*motion.Quiet but never afraid,Silent but always awake*
*And no God nor Man can control where you roam.. no *
*boundaries cast forever you last.... *
*=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
•
•
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 56
Reputation:
Solved Threads: 0
Junior Poster in Training
no, on fat32, you can only narrow down to the directory, either the whole directory or nothing at all. NTFS adds more flexibility so you are allowed to specify which files to share. It isn't really dependent on the OS just format type.
|
Similar Threads
- XP, fat32 to ntfs: cut, paste, copy, move doesn't work (Viruses, Spyware and other Nasties)
- Conversion from FAT32 to NTFS (Windows NT / 2000 / XP)
- Are FAT32/NTFS file systems handled by Mac OSX? (OS X)
- Converting from Fat32 to NTFS (Windows NT / 2000 / XP)
Other Threads in the Windows NT / 2000 / XP Forum
- Previous Thread: My Documents link dead in 2k pro
- Next Thread: Installing 2Kpro from newly formatted HD?
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
You need to join our community in order to build your list of favorite forums. You can visit the forum index for a listing of all forums.
Related Forum Features
Latest Windows NT / 2000 / XP Posts
- Today's Posts
- Unanswered Threads
.net 3.5 3daccelertion 2007 2010 a.exe activedirectory alaris application appstore arm auto black blue book cellphones chinese collaboration computer computerfreezes crash cursor deployment desktop desktops dns domain dotnetnuke drive eartlink error errors features folder fontmanagers fonts format framework gadgets intel interoperability killprocess laptop laptops latitude linux load login mac microsoft mobile monitor motionle1600 netbooks novell nvidia operatingsystems osinstallationproblem osx outlook palm partition patch printer product proxy raid rds remotedesktop remotedesktopconnection replacingraiddrive retrieve screen server. simplifiedchinese sp1 ubuntu unreadable update usb verizon videodrivers videogames virtual virus vista visual vulnerability wab webos weecam win win32/heur windows windows7 windowsxp windowsxpnotstartingup. worm xp xpde