NTFS vs. FAT32

[[NK]Mutant]

Hey all, I was just wondering which is better: NTFS or FAT32. It would also be nice of you to explain the differences between both. All I know so far is that NTFS allows you to password-protect files in XP. Thanks in advance.
I now wait patiently for Krell to come.

[TC75580]

Originally posted by [NK]Mutant
Hey all, I was just wondering which is better: NTFS or FAT32. It would also be nice of you to explain the differences between both. All I know so far is that NTFS allows you to password-protect files in XP. Thanks in advance.
I now wait patiently for Krell to come.
This is something I know not much about, though I'd like to... I await the more informative people as well (though Phalkon is supposedly "out with his girl" :wings )

[Krell]

What do I look like a damn genie, you rub a lamp 3 times and I show up ?


j/k

This had been done to death, but your sake, I will say that I prefer NTFS, but if you go fat32, you will be fine too.

Say for example, you get really brave, and you go to a folders properties, and set the rights access to only "Bubba" Now, only Bubba can access that folder. Its on your D: drive.

You get really brave with something else, and then, you tweaked your way out of an O/S (sound familiar to anyone?) You reinstall XP, and this time, you chose the name " ROCK"

Great, thats a cool name right? Now, how in the hell are you going to get back to your porn folder that only "Bubba" can get in to?

Oh I can get you in short of an act of god, but thats an example of a pro and con of NTFS.

I say, try both, an O/S is a disposable comodity anyway.

Go for it.

[Koffee Bean]

First of all, the terms. FAT stands for File Allocation Table, and it dates way back to DOS days, when the operating system fit on a single 360k floppy. I wonder how many of those floppies it would take to boot Windows XP today? Beginning with Windows 95 SR-2, FAT was upgraded from 16 bit to 32 bit, and so when we refer to FAT, we are actually talking (these days) about FAT32, not FAT16. FAT32 overcame some of the inherent limitations of FAT16 disk and volume sizes, as well as directory entry restrictions, long filename restrictions, and large cluster sizes, which wasted large amounts of disk space when storing small files. FAT32 volumes, in theory, can range in size from less than 1 MB up to 2 TB (TeraBytes). However, when used with Windows XP/2000, the maximum size of a volume is 32 GB. Also, the maximum individual file size is 4 GB. FAT32 is the native file system of Windows 98 and Windows ME, although it is supported by Windows XP/2000.

NTFS, or New Technology Filing System, is the native file system of Windows NT Windows 2000, and Windows XP. NTFS is a "journaling" filing system, which means that it is less likely to become corrupt, and will recognize errors or bad sections of disk and correct itself automatically. NTFS volumes can only be accessed (directly, not through shares) by Windows NT/2000, without the aid of third-party products. Because of the larger overhead, NTFS cannot be used on floppy disks, and the minimum recommended size for an NTFS volume is 10 MB. However, the maximum supported volume size is 2 TB, and there is no limit on the file size. NTFS also supports file encryption, file compression, file permissions and auditing, as well as many fault-tolerant disk configurations such as mirroring and RAID 5.

It is difficult to measure the performance differences between FAT32 partitions and NTFS partitions, because there are so many factors involved such as hardware configuration, fragmentation, file placement on the disk, file caching by the operating system. etc. However, performance between the two formats is very similar, and there are several other factors that you can use to help you decide which is the best format for you.

You must use the FAT filing system if you have any of the following requirements:

-You dual boot with any Operating System other than Windows 2000 or NT (note: NT version 3.x or 4.x cannot read FAT32 volumes, only FAT16).
-You want to be able to access the volumes using any Operating System other than Windows XP, 2000 or NT. In other words, if you want to be able to use a DOS or Windows 9x/ME boot diskette to boot the machine and access the volumes.
-You are formatting a floppy disk.
-You may decide later that you want to dual boot. You can convert a FAT volume to NTFS, but not vice-versa: it's a one-way conversion.

You must use the NTFS filing system if you have any of the following requirements:

-You want to be able to encrypt files so that only a certain user can access them.
-You want to use fault tolerant disk configurations such as RAID 5 or mirroring.
-You want to assign permissions to files, specifying which users or groups have access to which files and folders.
-You want to store files larger than 4 GB.
-You want to format partitions larger than 32 GB.
-You want to audit files for access by certain users or groups.
You do not want the files to be accessed by someone using a boot disk.
-You need a more robust filing system that is less prone to errors or corruption.

Some other things to consider are that NTFS seems more prone to become fragmented than FAT32, although Windows XP/2000 does have a disk defragmenter and there are also excellent third party products such as Raxco's PerfectDisk that can alleviate this problem. Also, if you plan to dual boot with Windows NT 4 and Windows XP/2000, be sure that you apply Service Pack 4 or higher to the Windows NT 4 OS before you install Windows XP/2000. This is because Windows XP/2000 will upgrade the NTFS partitions to NTFS5, which is unreadable to NT4 before SP4 (pre-SP4 NT4 can only read NTFS4 or earlier).

NTFS is also more stable than FAT32 because with FAT32 it allows a program control over the whole operating system, so if a program crashs, usually so does the OS. However with NTFS it allows the program to think it has control over the OS, but in reality it doesn't, so you are less likey to get any system or program crashes.

EDIT: Dammit Krell! I started typing this 3 minutes after the guy posted it, but then I just found a website, so I just copied that, and yet you STILL beat me to it. LOL, oh well.

[isus]

just a personal experience of mine...

i used to use ntfs, but then after about 3 months, the ntfs.dll would somehow get corrupted and cause my system to bsod on me after about 2 minutes uptime. i cant get much done in 2 minutes...

fat32 has never given me a problem tho.

[phalkon30]

Originally posted by isus
just a personal experience of mine...

i used to use ntfs, but then after about 3 months, the ntfs.dll would somehow get corrupted and cause my system to bsod on me after about 2 minutes uptime. i cant get much done in 2 minutes...

fat32 has never given me a problem tho.

I can keep an OS installed for about a month, two tops, after that I like to start with a fresh registry, its also nice because it forces me to find the latest versions of programs, and have them run at peak performance

I think Koffee covered all that needs to be said, and Krell had a good point to

For me, NTFS looked good because of the compression aspect, which btw, with XP works pretty damn nicely

TC75580, is there anything wrong with spending a day with my gf? lol, its nice to get out of the house, and Koffee, you have priveleged info, keep it to yourself please :)

[TC75580]

Originally posted by phalkon30

TC75580, is there anything wrong with spending a day with my gf? lol, its nice to get out of the house
Not at all, I'm a bit jealous myself :tilted


Originally posted by Koffee Bean
First of all, the terms. FAT stands for File Allocation Table, and it dates way back to DOS days, when the operating system fit on a single 360k floppy. I wonder how many of those floppies it would take to boot Windows XP today? Beginning with Windows 95 SR-2, FAT was upgraded from 16 bit to 32 bit, and so when we refer to FAT, we are actually talking (these days) about FAT32, not FAT16. FAT32 overcame some of the inherent limitations of FAT16 disk and volume sizes, as well as directory entry restrictions, long filename restrictions, and large cluster sizes, which wasted large amounts of disk space when storing small files. FAT32 volumes, in theory, can range in size from less than 1 MB up to 2 TB (TeraBytes). However, when used with Windows XP/2000, the maximum size of a volume is 32 GB. Also, the maximum individual file size is 4 GB. FAT32 is the native file system of Windows 98 and Windows ME, although it is supported by Windows XP/2000.

NTFS, or New Technology Filing System, is the native file system of Windows NT Windows 2000, and Windows XP. NTFS is a "journaling" filing system, which means that it is less likely to become corrupt, and will recognize errors or bad sections of disk and correct itself automatically. NTFS volumes can only be accessed (directly, not through shares) by Windows NT/2000, without the aid of third-party products. Because of the larger overhead, NTFS cannot be used on floppy disks, and the minimum recommended size for an NTFS volume is 10 MB. However, the maximum supported volume size is 2 TB, and there is no limit on the file size. NTFS also supports file encryption, file compression, file permissions and auditing, as well as many fault-tolerant disk configurations such as mirroring and RAID 5.

It is difficult to measure the performance differences between FAT32 partitions and NTFS partitions, because there are so many factors involved such as hardware configuration, fragmentation, file placement on the disk, file caching by the operating system. etc. However, performance between the two formats is very similar, and there are several other factors that you can use to help you decide which is the best format for you.

You must use the FAT filing system if you have any of the following requirements:

-You dual boot with any Operating System other than Windows 2000 or NT (note: NT version 3.x or 4.x cannot read FAT32 volumes, only FAT16).
-You want to be able to access the volumes using any Operating System other than Windows XP, 2000 or NT. In other words, if you want to be able to use a DOS or Windows 9x/ME boot diskette to boot the machine and access the volumes.
-You are formatting a floppy disk.
-You may decide later that you want to dual boot. You can convert a FAT volume to NTFS, but not vice-versa: it's a one-way conversion.

You must use the NTFS filing system if you have any of the following requirements:

-You want to be able to encrypt files so that only a certain user can access them.
-You want to use fault tolerant disk configurations such as RAID 5 or mirroring.
-You want to assign permissions to files, specifying which users or groups have access to which files and folders.
-You want to store files larger than 4 GB.
-You want to format partitions larger than 32 GB.
-You want to audit files for access by certain users or groups.
You do not want the files to be accessed by someone using a boot disk.
-You need a more robust filing system that is less prone to errors or corruption.

Some other things to consider are that NTFS seems more prone to become fragmented than FAT32, although Windows XP/2000 does have a disk defragmenter and there are also excellent third party products such as Raxco's PerfectDisk that can alleviate this problem. Also, if you plan to dual boot with Windows NT 4 and Windows XP/2000, be sure that you apply Service Pack 4 or higher to the Windows NT 4 OS before you install Windows XP/2000. This is because Windows XP/2000 will upgrade the NTFS partitions to NTFS5, which is unreadable to NT4 before SP4 (pre-SP4 NT4 can only read NTFS4 or earlier).

NTFS is also more stable than FAT32 because with FAT32 it allows a program control over the whole operating system, so if a program crashs, usually so does the OS. However with NTFS it allows the program to think it has control over the OS, but in reality it doesn't, so you are less likey to get any system or program crashes.

EDIT: Dammit Krell! I started typing this 3 minutes after the guy posted it, and you STILL beat me to it. LOL, oh well.
Koffee Bean, you couldn't fool me, but nice try: :wings

http://windows.about.com/library/weekly/aa001231a.htm

Yes, in the three minutes that it took you to search for that, Krell typed out an adequate message. Thanks for doing the work, but next time post the link instead. :-P

[Koffee Bean]

Originally posted by TC75580
Not at all, I'm a bit jealous myself :tilted

Koffee Bean, you couldn't fool me, but nice try :wings

http://windows.about.com/library/weekly/aa001231a.htm

lol, yep! Thats the power of Google for ya. I could have, but I don't think anyone would actually visit the link, so I just normally post what I find. And don't worry phalk, my lips are sealed.

[zaphodiv]

>note: NT version 3.x or 4.x cannot read FAT32 volumes, only FAT16

There is a third party tool for NT4 that make FAT32 partitons accessable though the partiton NT boots from still can't be FAT32.

[[NK]Mutant]

OK, here is what I decided:
I'm going to get a new hard disk (around 200-400 gigs) and add it to my computer. I will format that hard disk in NTFS and install Windows XP on it. I will then reformat my old hard drive and install Linux (probably Mandrake, unless anyone has a problem with that). I will keep fat32 on that disk. Thanks for your opinions, guys.

[chipperrox]

Originally posted by [NK]Mutant
OK, here is what I decided:
I'm going to get a new hard disk (around 200-400 gigs) and add it to my computer. I will format that hard disk in NTFS and install Windows XP on it. I will then reformat my old hard drive and install Linux (probably Mandrake, unless anyone has a problem with that). I will keep fat32 on that disk. Thanks for your opinions, guys.

thats quite a hard drive there, buddy. Well anywho, good luck

[[NK]Mutant]

Yes, I know, it's big, but I need it. I'm dling, what, 10 gigs a night? That adds up fast.

[chipperrox]

Yea i guess your right, if you run out of space there, maybe you could consider a dvd burner or maybe a tape drive. HAha a tape drive for downloading. that would be weird

[Koffee Bean]

Originally posted by [NK]Mutant
OK, here is what I decided:
I'm going to get a new hard disk (around 200-400 gigs) and add it to my computer. I will format that hard disk in NTFS and install Windows XP on it. I will then reformat my old hard drive and install Linux (probably Mandrake, unless anyone has a problem with that). I will keep fat32 on that disk. Thanks for your opinions, guys.

There's only one problem with that. You won't be able to keep FAT32 on that drive if you want to install Linux. FAT32 & NTFS are only Windows kernals and you can't use them for another OS, so when you install Linux you'll need to format it with the Linux kernal. It's like trying to install Win95 on a NTFS file system, it just doesn't work, or like trying to install XP on the MAC kernal, you have to reformat the harddrive with the right one in order for it to work.