[RESOLVED] file system and FAT V/s NTFS

[Harsh Gupta]

hi all!!

can somebody post some link related to the topics??? i am little aware of the file system and have no idea abt difference b/w the 2 popular file systems.

thnx

[I_Love_My_Vans]

http://www.web-friend.com/help/misc/format.html

ILMV

[RobDog888]

I would highly recommend NTFS for many reasons that are in any article or link you could find.

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I would highly recommend NTFS for many reasons that are in any article or link you could find.

The file allocation table (FAT) is an old file system, developed back in the days of DOS. But, it does still have its uses:

• Almost all operating systems can read and write to a FAT file system.
• A FAT file system is ideal for devices with only a small amount of space. The file allocation table itself is only as big as the number of sectors on the disk.
• Reading and writing files to the disk is fast and requires little overhead.

There a disadvantages however:

• A corrupt file allocation table can render the disk unusable as this table contains a map enabling the operating system to find all the information on the disk.
• Failure of power during a write to the file allocation table can corrupt causing the above.
• There is no security. Anyone with the appropriate tools and / software can read and write to a FAT partition.
• The partition becomes fragmented quickly meaning files take longer to retrieve.

The NTFS file system was built to address the main failings of the FAT file system, to improve reliability and security.

• It is a journalling file system. Meaning that it can recover easily from a power failure or an event which interrupts a write operation.
• The file system supports built in compression and encryption. Although this isn't enabled by default.
• In general MS operating systems are the only OS's which can both read and write to NTFS partitions and encrypted data is ONLY accessible on the computer it was created with an encryption certificate via windows.

In general you should only ever use NTFS on a partition which you plan to install windows on. If you have dual boot system which is running Windows 9x or Linux too then you should create a separate FAT 32 partition which both OS'es can access and share.

The main drawback of the NTFS file system is that the file allocation tables and journalling take up allot of space on the disk. As such an NTFS file system does have minimum size (cannot remember what it is ) but a floppy disk and small USB disks are not big enough to house an NTFS file system.

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KarbosGuide provides some very detailed information on the architecture of file systems.

[RobDog888]

Yes, as you pointed out some very good points but I assumed we are talking for a physical hard drive and not other types of storage devices or the list would grow.

98 and below do not recognise NTFS and I hope no one is planning on install 98 on a new system.

Most people will be installing 2000 or XP so in those cases you would always use NTFS.

Very good find on the link. Sounds like an addition to your future upcomming General PC FAQ?

[Harsh Gupta]

thnx to all!!