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dubbibidy
10-12-2003, 01:50 AM
I'm gonna be formatting a new 200gig HD.Which way is better NTFS or FAT 32?Oh and it will be running Windows XP Pro Corporate.Thanks.
Livy
10-12-2003, 01:51 AM
ntfs is more stable and efficent, if the system wont be going near a 9x systems go with ntfs, im not sure if fat32 would support a 200gb partition anyway
clocker
10-12-2003, 01:52 AM
NTFS.
No question.
Benno
10-12-2003, 01:52 AM
if you are running winxp --> NTFS
Virtualbody1234
10-12-2003, 01:54 AM
Yup. For sure NTFS. http://www.mcbriens.net/liam/img/smilies/thmbup.gif
Johnny_B
10-12-2003, 02:04 AM
I have some questions too.

Is it safe to convert from fat32 to ntfs? Will problems like data loss occur? :huh:

Is it safe to convert from ntfs to fat32 using partition magic? I know ntfs is better, but I'm just curious. :D
dubbibidy
10-12-2003, 02:06 AM
That's what I needed to know.Thanks for the quick replies.
Mr. Blunt
10-12-2003, 03:41 AM
From PC Magazine (Vol. 21 No. 19)


As a guide: Use FAT32 if your hard drive is smaller than 32GB, or if you want to install more than one operating system on your computer. Use NTFS if you have a hard drive that is larger than 32 GB and you are going to run only one operating system.
Xilo
10-12-2003, 03:49 AM
Ya, FAT32 is only good if you plan on dual booting and want to be able to edit the contents of a drive from multiple OSs. So if you aren't dual booting, NTFS is the best.
serpico
10-12-2003, 04:11 AM
It is safe to switch from Fat to ntfs you won't loose any space...you will actually get an extra 200mb of it. I know because I have done it.
Wolfmight
10-12-2003, 04:25 AM
NTFS
Kunal
10-12-2003, 09:54 AM
Originally posted by Mr. Blunt@12 October 2003 - 03:41
From PC Magazine (Vol. 21 No. 19)


As a guide: Use FAT32 if your hard drive is smaller than 32GB, or if you want to install more than one operating system on your computer. Use NTFS if you have a hard drive that is larger than 32 GB and you are going to run only one operating system.
I'm dual booting between windows 2k and Xp pro, my partitions are ntfs, should i change these to fat32. (Partions size are 30/ 27.2GB)
[B][O][T]
10-12-2003, 09:59 AM
I use FAT32 Myself but then again I know nothing about hardware :blink: :D

BOT
lynx
10-12-2003, 11:09 AM
Originally posted by Johnny_B@12 October 2003 - 02:04
I have some questions too.

Is it safe to convert from fat32 to ntfs? Will problems like data loss occur? :huh:

Is it safe to convert from ntfs to fat32 using partition magic? I know ntfs is better, but I'm just curious. :D
Why use partition magic to convert from fat32 to ntfs? Microsoft provide a perfectly usable command themselves.
Simply use the 'Run' box and type "convert x: /fs:NTFS", where x is the drive letter.
It will ask you to confirm the volume name.
Since the drive is in use, it will not let you convert immediately, so it will ask you if you want to convert next time the system starts.
Acecool
10-12-2003, 12:04 PM
With Fat32 I always lost dls from kazaa, just disappeared, with NTFS I have yet to lose one...
lynx
10-12-2003, 12:21 PM
Originally posted by Acecool@12 October 2003 - 12:04
With Fat32 I always lost dls from kazaa, just disappeared, with NTFS I have yet to lose one...
Good point, Acecool, that's because NTFS is a 'journalised' file system, which means any changes between checkpoints are logged, so the system can be returned to a 'safe' state. Non-journalised file systems can't do this, so they can only truncate the data which hasn't been finalised, which is what leads to the file corruption that causes lost downloads.

I've only just converted my 'C' drive to NTFS, but because almost all data has been written to the 'D' drive, I haven't had any file system problems in the 2-3 years since I installed this system.
bowrabob
10-12-2003, 12:41 PM
I've tried both...I had modem problems with Fat32 and my system used to crash in games...NTFS is much more stable.