NTFS or Fat32 which is right?

Note in my reply: "2) Create a 32GB FAT32 partition/logical drive and assign
it a
volume name of: 'SHARED'. Anything you want to move from one
computer to the next can be stored on this partition/logical drive.
3) With the remaining free space, format as a single NTFS partition.
Now you have the best of both worlds."

Last time I checked XP could still create a 32GB FAT32 partition!

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com



"Bruce Chambers" wrote in message
...
JS wrote:
"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says
"File System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti


Most external USB drives come pre-formatted as exFAT
which is a newer version of FAT32.

FAT32 is limited in two ways:
1) Max Partition size is 32GB.


Not true. WinXP, by design, cannot create/format a FAT32 partition
greater than 32GB, but that's a deliberate limitation of the OS, not the
file system.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand
Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

Note in my reply: "2) Create a 32GB FAT32 partition/logical drive and assign
it a
volume name of: 'SHARED'. Anything you want to move from one
computer to the next can be stored on this partition/logical drive.
3) With the remaining free space, format as a single NTFS partition.
Now you have the best of both worlds."

Last time I checked XP could still create a 32GB FAT32 partition!

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com



"Bruce Chambers" wrote in message
...
JS wrote:
"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says
"File System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti


Most external USB drives come pre-formatted as exFAT
which is a newer version of FAT32.

FAT32 is limited in two ways:
1) Max Partition size is 32GB.


Not true. WinXP, by design, cannot create/format a FAT32 partition
greater than 32GB, but that's a deliberate limitation of the OS, not the
file system.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand
Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

Thanks David. What I am asking is which is giving me the right info - My
Computer under Details - it says "file system Fat32" or the Drive letter
assigned to the external hard disk which says it says "format system NTFS."

To me it is giving two different bits of info not asking me which one is
better.
I am a complete dunce on these things.
Patti


"David B." wrote in message
...
Neither is right, there are pros and cons to each. With NTFS you can have
file sizes larger than 4GB but the drive is not useable on a MAC and other
operating systems, FAT32 is supported on many different operating systems
but doesn't support file sizes greater than 4GB, the choice is yours.

--


--
"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

Thanks David. What I am asking is which is giving me the right info - My
Computer under Details - it says "file system Fat32" or the Drive letter
assigned to the external hard disk which says it says "format system NTFS."

To me it is giving two different bits of info not asking me which one is
better.
I am a complete dunce on these things.
Patti


"David B." wrote in message
...
Neither is right, there are pros and cons to each. With NTFS you can have
file sizes larger than 4GB but the drive is not useable on a MAC and other
operating systems, FAT32 is supported on many different operating systems
but doesn't support file sizes greater than 4GB, the choice is yours.

--


--
"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

OK Group,
I have read all the replies. I think I get it that the external hard drive
is formatted
in FAT32 and my desktop is formatted in NTFS (by the computer doctor).

So- since I bought the external hard disk to copy what is on the desk top
for a backup
and it has 71GB on Drive C (no separate partitions) will the external hard
drive
be recognized by another computer if I keep it in FAT32?

Am I confused about the word volume? If XP only handles volumes of 32GB
why does my desktop using XP work?
Sorry,
Patti


"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

OK Group,
I have read all the replies. I think I get it that the external hard drive
is formatted
in FAT32 and my desktop is formatted in NTFS (by the computer doctor).

So- since I bought the external hard disk to copy what is on the desk top
for a backup
and it has 71GB on Drive C (no separate partitions) will the external hard
drive
be recognized by another computer if I keep it in FAT32?

Am I confused about the word volume? If XP only handles volumes of 32GB
why does my desktop using XP work?
Sorry,
Patti


"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

Thank you Tim and all the others who answered my plea.
Formatting my external hard disk in NTFS has been puzzling me for exactly
the reason you site. The reason for purchasing the external hard disk was to
avoid losing all my data, emails, etc. in case of a complete computer
failure as had happened to me recently. Also, I had hoped to be able to put
this copy of my computer's hard disk on a new computer, should I need one.

So from what you say it would be more sensible to keep the external disk in
FAT32? -The instruction manual says "FAT32 is possible up to 2TB. In
Windows XP, you can format a FAT 32 volume up to 32GB only. Does not support
domains." However, I already have 71GB on my computer so it sounds like FAT
32 would not handle this size?

Note - I just read Ken Blake "Sorry, that's not correct. It's true that
Windows XP can not create a
FAT32 partition greater than 32GB, but external utilities can, and
Windows XP can use such partitions just fine."

Patti

"Tim Meddick" wrote in message
...
There is a reason why removable drives are nearly always formatted FAT -
because one
of the big advantages of a removable drive is that you can remove it!!

Having it kept formatted as FAT, you would be able to connect it to nearly
any other
PC which would be able to identify and browse it's contents. It's
compatibility with
other computers would be virtually universal.

This would include PCs with other operating systems like Win98 or
LINUX-based and
MACs as well.

If you changed it's format to NTFS and did not set file and folder
permissions to
include "Everyone" as read-only - then your removable drive would only be
accessible
on your own machine (and possibly other NT-based OSs under
'Administrator')

Plus, if you need to gain access to your backup after your own PC has
permanently broken, then you may well find, again, you have problems
"seeing" the drive when connected to in another computer...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

Thank you Tim and all the others who answered my plea.
Formatting my external hard disk in NTFS has been puzzling me for exactly
the reason you site. The reason for purchasing the external hard disk was to
avoid losing all my data, emails, etc. in case of a complete computer
failure as had happened to me recently. Also, I had hoped to be able to put
this copy of my computer's hard disk on a new computer, should I need one.

So from what you say it would be more sensible to keep the external disk in
FAT32? -The instruction manual says "FAT32 is possible up to 2TB. In
Windows XP, you can format a FAT 32 volume up to 32GB only. Does not support
domains." However, I already have 71GB on my computer so it sounds like FAT
32 would not handle this size?

Note - I just read Ken Blake "Sorry, that's not correct. It's true that
Windows XP can not create a
FAT32 partition greater than 32GB, but external utilities can, and
Windows XP can use such partitions just fine."

Patti

"Tim Meddick" wrote in message
...
There is a reason why removable drives are nearly always formatted FAT -
because one
of the big advantages of a removable drive is that you can remove it!!

Having it kept formatted as FAT, you would be able to connect it to nearly
any other
PC which would be able to identify and browse it's contents. It's
compatibility with
other computers would be virtually universal.

This would include PCs with other operating systems like Win98 or
LINUX-based and
MACs as well.

If you changed it's format to NTFS and did not set file and folder
permissions to
include "Everyone" as read-only - then your removable drive would only be
accessible
on your own machine (and possibly other NT-based OSs under
'Administrator')

Plus, if you need to gain access to your backup after your own PC has
permanently broken, then you may well find, again, you have problems
"seeing" the drive when connected to in another computer...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

On Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:07:21 -0000, "Patti Barden"
wrote:

OK Group,
I have read all the replies. I think I get it that the external hard drive
is formatted
in FAT32 and my desktop is formatted in NTFS (by the computer doctor).

So- since I bought the external hard disk to copy what is on the desk top
for a backup
and it has 71GB on Drive C (no separate partitions) will the external hard
drive
be recognized by another computer if I keep it in FAT32?



Yes.


Am I confused about the word volume? If XP only handles volumes of 32GB


No, that's not correct. It handles much larger volumes without a
problem. The restriction, for FAT32 volumes only, is that it can not
*create* a volume larger than 32GB.


why does my desktop using XP work?


See above.


"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti



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

On Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:07:21 -0000, "Patti Barden"
wrote:

OK Group,
I have read all the replies. I think I get it that the external hard drive
is formatted
in FAT32 and my desktop is formatted in NTFS (by the computer doctor).

So- since I bought the external hard disk to copy what is on the desk top
for a backup
and it has 71GB on Drive C (no separate partitions) will the external hard
drive
be recognized by another computer if I keep it in FAT32?



Yes.


Am I confused about the word volume? If XP only handles volumes of 32GB


No, that's not correct. It handles much larger volumes without a
problem. The restriction, for FAT32 volumes only, is that it can not
*create* a volume larger than 32GB.


why does my desktop using XP work?


See above.


"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti



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

Patti,
If you KNOW that the two reasons that you cite are going to be the ONLY
functions this drive will be needed for - then, you could format it as NTFS (saving
you from getting any third-party software)

All this would mean that you would not be able to take it to a friend's house and
share stuff on it - if their PC was running old Win98 (an increasingly rare
situation).

But you would be fine transferring files from any NT-based system (like XP) to
another - PROVIDING THAT : - straight AFTER formatting (while the drive is still
blank) right-click in explorer and select "Properties" "Security" and give the
user "Everyone" "Full Control"

You may need to create the user "Everyone" by clicking on the "Add" button and
entering the user-name "Everyone" - then chackmark the box marked "Full Control".

Setting the security "permissions" in the "root" of an empty drive - ensures that all
sub-folders and files carry the same level of security.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
Thank you Tim and all the others who answered my plea.
Formatting my external hard disk in NTFS has been puzzling me for exactly the
reason you site. The reason for purchasing the external hard disk was to avoid
losing all my data, emails, etc. in case of a complete computer failure as had
happened to me recently. Also, I had hoped to be able to put this copy of my
computer's hard disk on a new computer, should I need one.

So from what you say it would be more sensible to keep the external disk in
AT32? -The instruction manual says "FAT32 is possible up to 2TB. In Windows XP,
you can format a FAT 32 volume up to 32GB only. Does not support domains." However,
I already have 71GB on my computer so it sounds like FAT 32 would not handle this
size?

Note - I just read Ken Blake "Sorry, that's not correct. It's true that Windows XP
can not create a
FAT32 partition greater than 32GB, but external utilities can, and
Windows XP can use such partitions just fine."

Patti

"Tim Meddick" wrote in message
...
There is a reason why removable drives are nearly always formatted FAT - because
one
of the big advantages of a removable drive is that you can remove it!!

Having it kept formatted as FAT, you would be able to connect it to nearly any
other
PC which would be able to identify and browse it's contents. It's compatibility
with
other computers would be virtually universal.

This would include PCs with other operating systems like Win98 or LINUX-based and
MACs as well.

If you changed it's format to NTFS and did not set file and folder permissions to
include "Everyone" as read-only - then your removable drive would only be
accessible
on your own machine (and possibly other NT-based OSs under 'Administrator')

Plus, if you need to gain access to your backup after your own PC has permanently
broken, then you may well find, again, you have problems "seeing" the drive when
connected to in another computer...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File System:
FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and click
"Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

Patti,
If you KNOW that the two reasons that you cite are going to be the ONLY
functions this drive will be needed for - then, you could format it as NTFS (saving
you from getting any third-party software)

All this would mean that you would not be able to take it to a friend's house and
share stuff on it - if their PC was running old Win98 (an increasingly rare
situation).

But you would be fine transferring files from any NT-based system (like XP) to
another - PROVIDING THAT : - straight AFTER formatting (while the drive is still
blank) right-click in explorer and select "Properties" "Security" and give the
user "Everyone" "Full Control"

You may need to create the user "Everyone" by clicking on the "Add" button and
entering the user-name "Everyone" - then chackmark the box marked "Full Control".

Setting the security "permissions" in the "root" of an empty drive - ensures that all
sub-folders and files carry the same level of security.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
Thank you Tim and all the others who answered my plea.
Formatting my external hard disk in NTFS has been puzzling me for exactly the
reason you site. The reason for purchasing the external hard disk was to avoid
losing all my data, emails, etc. in case of a complete computer failure as had
happened to me recently. Also, I had hoped to be able to put this copy of my
computer's hard disk on a new computer, should I need one.

So from what you say it would be more sensible to keep the external disk in
AT32? -The instruction manual says "FAT32 is possible up to 2TB. In Windows XP,
you can format a FAT 32 volume up to 32GB only. Does not support domains." However,
I already have 71GB on my computer so it sounds like FAT 32 would not handle this
size?

Note - I just read Ken Blake "Sorry, that's not correct. It's true that Windows XP
can not create a
FAT32 partition greater than 32GB, but external utilities can, and
Windows XP can use such partitions just fine."

Patti

"Tim Meddick" wrote in message
...
There is a reason why removable drives are nearly always formatted FAT - because
one
of the big advantages of a removable drive is that you can remove it!!

Having it kept formatted as FAT, you would be able to connect it to nearly any
other
PC which would be able to identify and browse it's contents. It's compatibility
with
other computers would be virtually universal.

This would include PCs with other operating systems like Win98 or LINUX-based and
MACs as well.

If you changed it's format to NTFS and did not set file and folder permissions to
include "Everyone" as read-only - then your removable drive would only be
accessible
on your own machine (and possibly other NT-based OSs under 'Administrator')

Plus, if you need to gain access to your backup after your own PC has permanently
broken, then you may well find, again, you have problems "seeing" the drive when
connected to in another computer...

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)




"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File System:
FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and click
"Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti

"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti



You were presented with the option to format the drive as NTFS

I'd do so

XP was designed not to allow you to format a partition as fat32 any larger
then 32 gigs...
it's a totally artificial limit imposed by Microsoft.

However...due to the poor cluster size (wasted space) and inferior fault
tolerance
and security (as opposed to NTFS) I would *not* leave the drive as fat32

"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti



You were presented with the option to format the drive as NTFS

I'd do so

XP was designed not to allow you to format a partition as fat32 any larger
then 32 gigs...
it's a totally artificial limit imposed by Microsoft.

However...due to the poor cluster size (wasted space) and inferior fault
tolerance
and security (as opposed to NTFS) I would *not* leave the drive as fat32

"JS" @ wrote in message ...

"Patti Barden" wrote in message
...
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.

When I go to MyComputer, on the left column under "Details" it says "File
System: FAT32"
yet when I right click on the external hard disk drive letter (F) and
click "Format" it says "File System NTFS".

Which is right?
Patti


Most external USB drives come pre-formatted as exFAT
which is a newer version of FAT32.

Not true, I have recently purchase both a 1TB & a 1.5TB drive (both Seagate)
and they both came formatted in NTFS.
Regards Mike.