Re: Use NTFS or FAT32 on external hard drive?


"JCIrish" <JCIrish@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:A867D007-99D4-4450-BB20-A04B416A320A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I just purchased a Seagate 300 gig HD. It comes formatted with FAT32. My OS
is XP Home Edition with internal HD C:\ formatted as NTFS. Should (must) I
reformat the new Seagate to NTFS to be consistent? Advantages to doing so?
Disadvantages(the Seagate Quick Start Guide says that if I reformat to
NTFS I
must always log in as Administrator to their BounceBack Express software
to
ensure access to my backed up files).
And, any recommendations about partitioning the new HD? Should I do this?

Any help will be appreciated.


JCIrish:
Your subject-line indicates that your Seagate HDD is being used as a USB
external hard drive, i.e., it's contained within a USB enclosure. That's
right, isn't it?

If that is indeed the case, in my opinion there is really no need to convert
its present FAT32 file system to NTFS even if you're working solely in an XP
environment and your internal boot HDD is NTFS-formatted. Presumably your
USB external hard drive will be used for storage & backup purposes. Under
those conditions the FAT32 file system will work just fine. There will be no
significant performance issues as compared with working with a NTFS file
system on that external drive. And there will be no pressing security issues
you need be concerned with either.

As to partitioning, it's really what you feel comfortable with. Assuming
you'll be working with only a single PC to which is attached your USB EHD,
and you don't plan to use the device with other PCs, then my own feeling is
to leave well enough alone with a single partition as you (presumably) now
have and to simply create folders to organize your data.

On the other hand, your backup software may make other recommendations which
might be more suitable since I'm not familiar with the backup program that
was included with your USB EHD. Generally, I'm not thrilled with any of the
so-called backup software included with these USB external devices.

While we're on the subject of backups, consider investigating the merits of
using a disk imaging program such as Acronis True Image for your backup
needs. The great advantage of these types of programs is that they allow the
user to back up their *entire* system, including the operating system,
programs, created data - everything that's on one's day-to-day working HDD.
Other backup programs (I'm assuming similar to the one included with your
USB EHD) simply are generally designed to back up only data that the user
has created. Important, to be sure, but not as comprehensive as what a disk
imaging program can provide.
Anna


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Use NTFS or FAT32 on external hard drive?
    ... OS is XP Home Edition with internal HD C:\ formatted as NTFS. ... Disadvantages(the Seagate Quick Start Guide says that if I reformat ... Your subject-line indicates that your Seagate HDD is being used as a USB ... USB external hard drive will be used for storage & backup purposes. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: Use NTFS or FAT32 on external hard drive?
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