Re: Sorry to have to ask this.
- From: Bruce Chambers <bchambers@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2005 19:30:02 -0700
John Corliss wrote:
After four years of holding out, I have finally caved in and purchased the XP Home Edition with SP2. I could have gotten XP with this system, but I got ME instead and it's served me well. However, lately too much software is being written so that it won't work in ME.
I've backed up all of my data and will be going for a fresh install of the OS (formatting and installing).
And now I'm faced with the old (I suppose to you folks in this group) dilemma of whether or not to go with NTFS or stick with FAT32.
Personally, I wouldn't even consider using FAT32 when NTFS is an option. FAT32 has no security capabilities, no compression capabilities, no fault tolerance, and a lot of wasted hard drive space on volumes larger than 8 Gb in size. But your computing needs may vary, and there is no hard and fast answer.
To answer your questions without getting too technical is difficult, but has been handled quite well by the late Alex Nichol in the article here:
FAT & NTFS File Systems in Windows XP http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm
Somewhat more technical information is here:
Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314463
Choosing Between File Systems http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/TechNet/prodtechnol/winntas/tips/techrep/filesyst.asp
NTFS file system http://www.digit-life.com/articles/ntfs/
I've heard that Scandisk won't work with NTFS ....
A moot point. WinXP does not have a program called "Scandisk," as this was a Win9x/Me program. Instead, because WinXP is descended from the WinNT/2K OS family, it has a command line utility called "Chkdsk," which performs much better.
Start > Run > Cmd > Chkdsk.exe /? for the correct syntax and available options.
Alternatively, double-click My Computer > right-click the desired hard drive > Properties > Tools > Error-checking/Check Now. This will run Chkdsk, normally on the next reboot.
However, unless you are actually experiencing a specific problem related to your hard drive's file system, there's no real need to run Chkdsk. The utility is not designed to be used as part of any period maintenance plan.
and that NTFS is slower than FAT32.
Not usually. Someone's been feeding you a line. In most cases, it's just the opposite.
Not only that, but you can't use an emergency startup disk or disc with NTFS. Anybody care to elaborate or clarify?
Well, with NTFS, there's almost never a need for an emergency startup disk, beyond the WinXP installation CD, which is bootable and provides access to the Repair Console.
Since I'm going to be using the Home edition of XP, how would NTFS be more secure than FAT32?
Well, since FAT32 has *NO* security capabilities at all.....
--
Bruce Chambers
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