FAT32 vs NTFS on WinXP SP2

My desktop with WinXP MCE SP1 uses NTFS on HDD as it was supplied.

Just bought my spouse a new laptop which came with WinXP Pro SP2 but the HDD uses FAT32.

Is there an advantage to NTFS on her laptop?

If so (I've already created a bootable CD-R and have imaged the drives to an external Maxtor HDD), how would I convert to NTFS?

Thanks, Larry

 

Hi Larry,

NTFS is more efficient than FAT32. There is a utility within Windows to convert to NTFS. I think there is a long term problem with FAT32 and WinXP.

Here is the process:

ConvertConverts FAT and FAT32 volumes to NTFS.

Syntax
convert [volume] /fs:ntfs [/v] [/cvtarea:FileName] [/nosecurity] [/x]

Parameters
volume
Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon), mount point, or volume name to convert to NTFS.
/fs:ntfs
Required. Converts the volume to NTFS.
/v
Specifies verbose mode, that is, all messages will be displayed during conversion.
/cvtarea:FileName
For advanced users only. Specifies that the Master File Table (MFT) and other NTFS metadata files are written to an existing, contiguous placeholder file. This file must be in the root directory of the file system to be converted. Use of the /CVTAREA parameter can result in a less fragmented file system after conversion. For best results, the size of this file should be 1 KB multiplied by the number of files and directories in the file system, however, the convert utility accepts files of any size.
For more information about using the /cvtarea parameter, see "File Systems" at the Microsoft Windows XP Resource Kits Web site.(http://www.microsoft.com/)

Important

You must create the placeholder file using the fsutil file createnew command prior to running convert. Convert does not create this file for you. Convert overwrites this file with NTFS metadata. After conversion, any unused space in this file is freed. For more information about the fsutil file command, see Related Topics.
/nosecurity
Specifies that the converted files and directory security settings are accessible by everyone.
/x
Dismounts the volume, if necessary, before it is converted. Any open handles to the volume will no longer be valid.
Remarks
You must specify that the drive should be converted when the computer is restarted. Otherwise, you cannot convert the current drive.
If convert cannot lock the drive (for example, the system volume or the current drive), it offers to convert the drive the next time the computer restarts.
The location of the MFT is different on volumes that have been converted from previous version of NTFS, so volume performance might not be as good on volumes converted from Windows NT.
Volumes converted from FAT to NTFS lack some performance benefits compared to volumes initially formatted with NTFS. On converted volumes, the MFT might become fragmented. In addition, on converted boot volumes, NTFS permissions are not applied after the volume is converted.
Examples
To convert the volume on drive E to NTFS and display all messages, type:

convert e: /fs:ntfs /v

George

 

Hello George,

NTFS is more efficient than FAT32.
Agreed. Running both NTFS aand FAT32 XP installations and can see the difference, especially in terms of disk fragmentation.

I think there is a long term problem with FAT32 and WinXP.
Don't agree. Have a FAT32 XP installation for more than 3 years now, no problem.

Regards - Charles

 

I just put a new Dell laptop (purchased directly by client) onto their network which came with XP Pro on FAT32, I converted it immediately!

 

Thanks to all!

I'm most concerned about the restore disks that came with the notebook, Will they be ok after converting from FAT32 to NTFS?

I'm also concerned if my full backup (and incremental backups) as well as my bootable CD-R will still be ok, or need to be redone?

The notebook is an ACER ASPIRE 1520, 512MB RAM, 80GB HDD.

I found that under Computer Management WinXP has a convert HDD to NTFS feature. This should do the trick, yes?

Thanks again to everyone,
Larry

 

Hello Larry,

I'm also concerned if my full backup (and incremental backups) as well as my bootable CD-R will still be ok, or need to be redone?
Depends, if they are drive images, no. If file/folder backup, that's ok, the restore would "translate" into the appropriate file system.

I found that under Computer Management WinXP has a convert HDD to NTFS feature. This should do the trick, yes?
Yes, that works, but can't do that from within Windows for the boot partition, have to use the method outlined by iclarius in post #2 otherwise.

If you look under Disk Management and click on the boot partition or drive if not partitioned, Format is greyed out, it is on my system.

Regards - Charles

 

Why is it more efficent ?

I know about the utility.

I agree with charlesvar about there being no long term problem with FAT32. At least I have not seen any.

Could it make a difference whether XP was installed clean or used to upgrade 98SE ?

BillyBob

 

For one thing, cluster size.

FWIW I use FAT32. My computer runs rock steady. I've had a blue screen or two in the past but I can't remember when the last one was. It's been so long that if I ever get another one, I don't know if I'll know what it is.

 

Why is it more efficent ?

I wouldn't say thats the big reason. To me, NTFS means a file system that can handle a lot more trauma than FAT. its journaling, just like a SQL database, and can recover from partial writes without corrupting the data structures. Custom attributes, streams (for virus scanners), junction points for seamless drive expansion, and of course, file level permissions. NTFS is the way to be, unless you dual boot into some ancient OS.

 

You guessed it Joe. That and with this particular PC I don't really have any use for the extra security features. I do have one NTFS partition however that I use for large files such as DVD files.

Truth be told though, if I ever decide to reformat and start over I'll probably go entirely with NTFS. I use the other OS's so little now that it would make more sense to go with NTFS and use a virtual PC to run the others. I'd probably do it now but my system runs great and I really hate the thought of all the work involved.

 

Same here

DRD

 

i agree with most everything said in prior post. i do like fat32 on smaller drives because there seem to be more utils out there from the old days that make it easier to work on fat32 partitions. 40g or less. youd be surprised at how many 40g or smaller are still out there with xp especially with laptops.

 

Why is it more efficent ?

One thing that makes NTFS more efficient is the use of smaller cluster size (only 4 KB) than FAT32. A cluster is a bunch of sectors on the hard drive to which data is written when you work with files or install programs and so on.
Every cluster is considered "used" if only a single byte is written to it. Imagine that with 32 KB clusters or even bigger - what a waste!

Besides that, NTFS guarantees volume consequence, which is used in combination with a standard transaction log file to restore the volume in case of a crash or malfunction (system restore). This among other things really convinced ME to use NTFS as the file system on my PC.

 

Don't Use That XP Drive Image...& more...!!!

...Just bought my spouse a new laptop which came with WinXP Pro SP2 but the HDD uses FAT32....Are You sure about that?
...Is there an advantage to NTFS on her laptop?...Y E S, it's better....If so (I've already created a bootable CD-R and have imaged the drives to an external Maxtor HDD),...I would not use a drive an image of a drive if I were you --- you will have problems with many software applications, like XP, that use a registration number to unlock --- you will have to unlock them again and sometimes it does not work...Don't be lazy, just re-format the hard drive using NTFS and re-install XP...how would I convert to NTFS?...There are instructions available from Microsoft here:To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt...

 

Hi Larry,
It would be permissable to explore an image file and recover your personal files, even though the image was of a FAT32 file storage system and the target is a NTFS file storage system. I think that's what you had in mind.

You obviously can't do a full deployment of the entire image since it would convert the target to FAT32 in the process.

FYI and future need, if you ever deploy a full image from an old drive to a new one of the same or greater size, it will generally work just fine. In the rare case where some software is tied to the Volume Serial Number for authentication, you can easily change that with a freeware tool called VolumeID

Frankly, if I were in your position, I'd leave the system as FAT32 and go on down the trail. It'll work fine. The only valid consideration would be the extra security features that NTFS offers. If you don't need those, FAT32 will serve you well and changing isn't worth the effort IMHO.

 

Sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place.
I have a dual boot C:W2K, D:WXP, Eata, in a FAT32 drive.
I use NORTON 2004 GHOST in diskette, to backup drives C,D,E.
( I believe GHOST is a DOS application )
I also have have two NTFS drives I use for DVD/video files.
The question I have is: If I convert C:, D: and E: to NTFS,
I will be able to continue using NORTON GHOST for backup.?

 

Yes, Ghost will work on either file system. Since it is a self contained program on a floppy, it matters not what type of file system it copies. It merely copies bit by bit. It can then place the images created on either file system as well.