FAT32 or NTFS

[Spanko]

Does anyone have a link to a website or something that explains in detail with facts the differences and specifications of each? I am contemplating formatting and going FAT32 this time... I think it will yield better performance, I am a gamer above all else, I do make websites and do other things but that is primary computer activity. I have been searching for info on this matter, but all I ever find is peoples opinion, and everyone's is different, I would just like some facts....and it would help if I heard some of your experiences with the two...

 

[Sazar]

www.microsoft.com should have some information related to the same...

basically NTFS is faster for indexing therefore faster for retrieving, storing files... more secure and more stable than Fat32.. not to say fat32 is bad but I just think its faster in NTFS... coz when I had win2k I had it in both and ntfs was faster for files...

also you can probably find links somewhere in the forum section coz someone asked a similar question to you a while back... I am still finding my way round this gargantuan place so sorry that I can't stick that link on... when I find it I wil put it back on here...

 

[Spanko]

thx for the info

 

[Zedric]

FAT is faster for smaller drivers (say <8GB or so). Above that the bigger "overhead" of the NTFS system is balanced out by the better "general" performance. Besides NTFS is a smarter and safer file system.

(Did that make any sense?)

Ah here we go: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/tips/techrep/filesyst.asp

 

[Cosmin]

Almost that ..

Zedric said almost all but the most important thing is that you can use what you want or need .
NTFS more secure & for large partitions ( over 32 GB )
I use it !

 

[TheBlueRaja]

I could be wrong, hands held up high, but isnt NTFS less prone to fragmentation as well..

 

[Zedric]

Originally posted by TheBlueRaja
I could be wrong, hands held up high, but isnt NTFS less prone to fragmentation as well..

Yes it is. Instead of just putting a file wherever it fits (first empty space, like FAT does), NTFS will put it where it will be least fragmented.

 

[Dirty_Sanchez]

Originally posted by Spanko
Does anyone have a link to a website or something that explains in detail with facts the differences and specifications of each? I am contemplating formatting and going FAT32 this time... I think it will yield better performance, I am a gamer above all else, I do make websites and do other things but that is primary computer activity. I have been searching for info on this matter, but all I ever find is peoples opinion, and everyone's is different, I would just like some facts....and it would help if I heard some of your experiences with the two...

Hey dude, if your partition is larger than 400-500 MB then use NTFS as it accesses files much quicker. PLus you got the added benefit of security

 

[gonaads]

Hey Spanko, try this link. It describes the NTFS file system.
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/ntfs/

 

[Spanko]

Thx for all ur help and info guys.

 

[Nismo83]

Hey dude Spanko, if you are moving this HD to another SU that is using the FAT32 file system HD for its primary HD then you won't be seeing the NTFS partition as I've experienced it myself. Since you are creating websites and so on, i would recommend an NTFS file system since NTFS is faster for indexing therefore faster for retrieving, storing files and more secure and stable than FAT32 file system.



---------------------------------------------------------------
Intel Pentium IV 1.5GHz
Intel 850GB Chipset
256 RD RAM (PC 800)
Sound Blaster Live 5.1
Maxtor 20GB ATA 100 HDD
Gainward 64 MB GeForce2 MX 400 (should be in Musuem in a few months time or maybe now)
52X Creative CD-ROM
8X4X32 Creative CD-RW

 

[Taurus]

dunno why this is in the game section, but anyway...

i'm kind of partial to fat32 simply because it's dos compatable. and it seems like random file corruption is more common on ntfs disks... but i have a feeling that it's just me and someday i'll get over it and switch to ntfs...

which brings my question; how does one convert fat32 to ntfs? when i installed xp it gave me no such option like 2k did. will it involve reformatting? if not, is it a risky procedure? been looking for an excuse to reformat anyway...

 

[Joseph]

Converting from FAT32 to NTFS is simple and painless

Goto Start, click "Run" and type "cmd"
In the new window type:
"convert (drive letter) /fs:ntfs"
Example:
covert c: /fs:ntfs

It will take only a few minute's, and non of your files will be lost. You can even convert the drive that XP is installed on. It will do it right underneath it
Althow I do highly recommend a clean install of XP in the format you want it it

 

[Taurus]

so i can convert to ntfs, wipe it clean, then install winxp onto the ntfs drive? btw, how do you wipe an ntfs drive without dos?

 

[gonaads]

Originally posted by taurus
so i can convert to ntfs, wipe it clean, then install winxp onto the ntfs drive? btw, how do you wipe an ntfs drive without dos?

If you're gonna wipe it don't convert first, just use a Win 98SE Boot Disk to boot. Reformat the HD and all the Partitions (it will format FAT32) . Reboot, go into BIOS, set it to boot from CD then reboot but take the boot disk out first. Install XP, while it begins to install it will tell you that you have x-amount of FAT32 partitions... do you want to convert to NTFS or keep as is? Choose to convert all to NTFS. That's it, it will continue to install and yer done.

 

[Taurus]

ah, gotcha. see, i've always installed xp by doing a minimal 98se first. why? cuz i guess i'm kind of a noob.. i just recently found out that you can install xp by running 'cdrom:\i386\winnt.exe'. i thought there was no dos way since i had the upgrade version. it will ask my for a previous os cd though, right?

 

[gonaads]

Yes, it will ask for the CD. So when it asks for it, take out the XP Disk, put in your old OS Disk. Once it checks it, it will tell you to remove it and put the XP disk back in. It continues from there.

 

[Taurus]

thanks gonaads, joseph.

 

[stkootic]

I have a similiar question. Does this sound right? I have a 20gig IBM 75gxp with 7200 rpm with NTFS and winxpp installed.
I also have a 80gig maxtor 5400rpm (2 partitions) for mp3 and file storage. Both partitions are fat32. I use less than 10% of each drive currently and all my benchmarks shows that the 80gig maxtor is faster.
The 20gig uses 4k clusters and the 80gig uses 32k clusters. Both drives has 2 meg cache and the 80gig transfers 261mb/s from cache and 4.04 uncached. the ibm scores 228 and 2.27 respectively. what are you inputs?

 

[Joseph]

Originally posted by gonaads
just use a Win 98SE Boot Disk to boot.

XP CD's are bootable

Go into your BIOS and set one of your CD ROM's as the first booting drive. Plop in your XP CD and restart.
A message will come up asking if you want to boot from the CD ROM, press any key. It doesn't matter what drive XP is in, it will check all your CD ROM's.
It will detect it an off ya go with the installer =)

From one of the menu's, select "Compleat format in NTFS". It will give ya the typical warning that on OS is alrady detected and that you'll loose all data. Continue past it