NTFS and FAT32

CAN I USE NTFS WITH A HARD DISK SMALLER THAN 32 GB?

The directions with XP say, quote

"If you’re not sure which file system to use, keep the one your computer defaults to during Setup. If you want to change your file system, here are a few recommendations:

1 Use FAT32 if your hard disk is smaller than 32 GB.

2 Use FAT32 if you want to install more than one operating system on your computer.

3 Use NTFS if your hard drive is larger than 32 GB and you are running only one operating system on your computer.

4 Use NTFS if you want enhanced file security.

5 Use NTFS if you need better disk compression. "

Not sure which takes priority among the above 5 recommendations, the first, or the fourth
(my disk is 10GB, about half full). I would really like the security of NTFS, Thought I'd better ask first. Thanks

IMHO, to simplify things "USE NTFS"

Yes, NTFS works fine on smaller disks. The only drawback to NTFS is if you're on a dual-boot computer and need to read files from W9x/Me

See my tutorial on that here:

http://www.antionline.com/showthrea...threadid=230579

nt4 will omly use maximum 2.5 gig partitions, can make it use a little more but it acts strange. so yes as posted above you can use ntfs on most any size drive.

Makes me wonder how my NT4 server uses that 30gb partition

You are limited to a 4gb partition when installing NT4 unless you partition and format the drive prior to installation. You can however use larger partitions after the installation.

Yes you can use larger partitons after install AND AFTER YOU HAVE RUN SERVICE PACK 4 OR ABOVE.

YOU SHOULD NEVER EXCEED 7.8GIG FOR BOOT/SYSTEM PARTITON DUE TO A WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED NTFS/BIOS BOOT BUG.

The 32 gig FAT32 is a limit built into W2K and XP. You can use other utilities [like a 98 fdisk and format] to create much larger fat32 partitions.

I have been running NT4 on a 20gig drive with system being 125meg [how to lock the boot files from being put past the 7.8gig mark] and the rest of the drive is the boot partition which houses the winnt folder. I run SQL and a financial app and have for 4 years.

2.5limit? Think again.

THE REASON A HOME USER SHOULD NOT RUN NTFS IS THAT NTFS IS NOT ACCESSABLE BY A MICROSOFT BOOT DISKETTE. You have to buy a ntfs full version utility to be able to read/write a ntfs drive. This makes file access and recovery more difficult for a home user. STICK WITH FAT32 unless you want local file level security.

Hi All, I am appreciating all the input. I am not using this computer for any networking, and I don't need any partitions. The main thing I want is the security (multiple members of household using it, some are very computer saavy and not the most trustworthy types), so the only thing that I don't understand, as a drawback to NTFS is it "not being accessible by a Microsoft boot disc" Thanks for the help!

To clarify, assuming you are using a current patch level of NT4 (i.e., sp6a) you should have no problems.

If you want user-level security on your computer, where you can limit access to files & folders by a user, you should use NTFS.

You can't boot DOS from a floppy and read a NTFS partition, but if you ever should need to do this there are inexpensive utilities that will let you, like from www.sysinternals.com I have never missed this with my 3 NT4 servers since 1998.

I do recommend installing 2 instances of NT on 2 different partitions. This has saved me a couple times when the primary instance got a problem and wouldn't boot.

Sounds like this is what I want to do.

"a current patch level of NT4 (i.e., sp6a) " is this refering to keeping the NTFS updated, like keeping Windows updated?


" installing 2 instances of NT on 2 different partitions. " Is this so that I can keep the system basics on one, in case of failure? If so, can I keep that partition small so that it just contains the system (the drive is 10gb, a little less than half full with most of what I need already on it)

Wow, Talk about confusing a guy.

In short, you want file security... locally.

Use the NTFS, although its not 100% secure locally (boot to linux kernel and NFS it), it is a whole lot more secure than FAT16/32.

Plain and simple. NTFS.

I have never had a problem with it. Although if using XP, be sure to name an admin pass, and be sure to unlock file exporting in recovery console.

Enjoy your new NTFS drive.


xmaddness

NTFS gets updated with windows updates. SP6a is the latest service pack release for Windows NT4, and yes it updates NTFS to whatever is the current NTFS version (I think 5).


Yes. I recently had a problem with my primary laptop XP, it wouldn't hook up with my network due to some kind of problem. I have a 2nd, normally unused, partition with a 2nd instance of the OS. I booted into the 2nd instance and did a complete backup of my primary partition, which made me feel much happier while I fixed the problem.

Took the plunge this morning, just using the "convert" command.
Everything seems to work fine, programs are working fine and I have the security stuff worked out, its working too. Will probably make a second partition sometime, and possibly look for a larger and/or second hard drive. Thanks to all of you!!!
HT in Kansas