PDA

View Full Version : Compatibility between NTFS and FAT32


funnyman82
08-13-2005, 11:02 AM
Hey everyone,

I am planning to upgrade to WinXP and had a question about the formats of my hard drives.

I have two hard drives: C,D,E (D and E are the same hard drive but partitioned). C is my main drive with windows and all my program files. All my hard drives are formatted as FAT32.

I have been reading that WinXP is better to be installed on NTFS format. If I format my C drive to NTFS will i still be able to copy these files to my other drives and be able to access them. Or is it better for me to just format my C drive to FAT32 again.

Thanks.
dbusguy
08-13-2005, 11:12 AM
if you format C to ntfs, it'll give you higher security on that drive.
yes, you'll be able to still have full access to all your other drives.
Dr.Dan
08-13-2005, 11:25 AM
As long as your OS is on a NTFS partition it can see FAT partitions.
If your OS was on a FAT partition, you wouldn't be able to see NTFS partitions.

So yes, go ahead and format for NTFS for your OS.

Later, after backing everything up, you will be able to do a 'convert' to NTFS on the other partitions too.
It usually goes fine, but just incase something goes wrong you want to have it backed up... as you should anyways... just incase your drive fails ;)
funnyman82
08-13-2005, 06:25 PM
So the main hard drive (C) i am gonna format and setup as NTFS and i will leave the other hard drive (D/E) as it is as FAT32 and i will not have any problems?

Thank you
AMD
08-13-2005, 06:28 PM
FAT32 is fully accessible without running the operating system; with NTFS, you must be running windows. When it comes to troubleshooting and data recovery, FAT is a heck of a lot easier to work with, and it will be readable on systems running windows 98. (useful if the main drive is about to fail and you don't have another system running XP/2000)

I knew that there are security benefits and all, but for the average user it probably doesn't make a difference.
funnyman82
08-13-2005, 07:14 PM
I just want to make sure if I install MS Word on my main hard drive (NTFS) will i be able to access word documents on my other drive (FAT32)?
AMD
08-13-2005, 07:17 PM
Yes- it will work fine, since XP is fully compatible with both.
Dr.Dan
08-13-2005, 07:19 PM
I just want to make sure if I install MS Word on my main hard drive (NTFS) will i be able to access word documents on my other drive (FAT32)?
Yes, it'll work fine.
funnyman82
08-13-2005, 08:09 PM
A side question to this: Do i have to format in dos prior to installing xp or will it ask me to format once i put the cd in?
AMD
08-13-2005, 09:05 PM
The bootable CD can be used to partition and format.
funnyman82
08-14-2005, 08:07 AM
Thanks for all your help...i am hoping to buy XP home today...hope everything goes well
AMD
08-14-2005, 11:48 PM
For the sake of reliability and performance, please do a clean install unless you're running Windows 2000. (based on the same platform as XP)
Dr.Dan
08-14-2005, 11:58 PM
If he's formatting to NTFS then it will be a clean install ;)
AMD
08-15-2005, 12:35 AM
If he's formatting to NTFS then it will be a clean install ;)

D'oh!
funnyman82
08-15-2005, 09:49 PM
so i installed xp now....needed help saving email files, but a couple people on the board helped me...one thing i forgot to do was save my favorite links in ie....oh well...i can probably find them again if i need them...

Thanks for all your help...i will be back again if i have any other problems...lol...