On Tue, 8 Dec 2009 14:01:06 -0000, "Patti Barden"
wrote:

Hi
I have purchased an External Hard Disk Drive, usb2 & main power, 1TB in
size.
The very limited instruction manual says it is best to run it in NTFS.


That depends entirely on how you are going to use it. If it will only
be used in Windows XP, yes, NTFS is best. But if you might want to use
it on a computer running an operating system that is not NTFS-aware,
then FAT32 is necessary.


When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"


That's what it currently is.


yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and click
"Format" it says "File System NTFS".


That's what it will format it as, unless you change it there.


Which is right?


Both.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup