Need help installing Windows XP !!!

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anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com
Date: 09/01/04 

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2004 12:11:18 -0700

Short answer, yes.

Windows XP is capable of reading both NTFS and FAT32 with
no problems at all. The only difficulty is if you plan on
using Windows 98 at all (as it is unable to read NTFS).

My recommendation, upgrade to NTFS, copy your data over
and format your 120GB.

A bit off-question, but I, personally, would use the 120GB
as your main drive and use your 40GB as the FAT32 backup
to copy your data off of. (Although it makes very little
difference).

Hope that helps. Good luck (and enjoy XP)!

-- CptnSbaitso

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi Guys
>
>I have a small question regarding the installation of my
>new Windows XP Operating System.
>
>First, let me give an overview of what I have on my
system
>currently.
>
>Currently, I have 2 Hard Drives on my PC. One is 120GB
>and the other is 40 GB. On this 120GB Hard Drive, I have
>Windows 98. And I use this 40 GB Hard Drive as an
>addditional drive. And both the drives are using the
>FAT32 file system.
>
>Now I got the upgrade version of Windows XP. What I want
>to do is to convert this 40GB Hard Drive to NTFS File
>System and install Windows XP on this drive and use this
>120GB (which is currently FAT32 and have Windows 98)Hard
>Drive as an additional drive. I primarily want to use
>Windows XP on my system.
>
>Now the question is...
>
>Can this NTFS 40GB Hard Drive running Windows XP
>recognises this FAT32 Hard Drive and vice versa ? Can I
>transfer the data back and forth between both the drives ?
>
>Are there any compatibility issues ?
>
>My plan is, once I setup Windows XP on this NTFS 40GB
Hard
>Drive, I will slowly transfer files from this FAT32 120GB
>Hard Drive to this NTFS 40GB Hard Drive and once I am
done
>copying all the files to this 40GB Hard Drive, I will
>reformat this 120GB Hard Drive to NTFS File System.
>
>So is it possible to have that transition time ?
>
>OR am I better off with the FAT32 File System on both the
>Hard Drives ?
>
>If someone please help me with this problem, I really
>appreciate.
>
>Will be waiting for your responses.
>
>If you need further information, please contact me.
>
>Thank you very much.
>
>Ram.
>.
>

Relevant Pages

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    ... In other words, if you had an 80GB FAT32 drive in a Windows 98 box and if you were to install that drive in the Windows XP box, Windows XP would see and read/write to it without any problems. ... System Restore cannot change the file system, for all intents and purposes unless you use third party tools the NTFS conversion is irreversible. ...
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