NTFS and FAT32

[darrent]

OK - this is complete jargon to me but....
My C drive (came with PC) says it's NFTS and my new Mextor external drive says it's a FAT32.

What's the difference and does it matter? Will it affect my ability to back my C drive up to my new external drive???

HELP!!!

[posty]

basic difference is that NTFS allows for file permissioning and is reputed to be more stable

so, if you were to back up from NTFS drive to FAT32 drive, then restore from FAT32, your restored files will no longer have the same permissioning (rights of access)

hope this helps!

[_DJ_]

darrent said:

OK - this is complete jargon to me but.... My C drive (came with PC) says it's NFTS and my new Mextor external drive says it's a FAT32. What's the difference and does it matter? Will it affect my ability to back my C drive up to my new external drive??? HELP!!!

As has been said one's NT/200x specific (NTFS) and allows permissions to be set on files (as well as a host of other advantages).

You can convert one to the other using convert.exe;

C:Documents and SettingsJason>help convert
Converts FAT volumes to NTFS.

CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename] [/NoSecurity] [/X]

volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
mount point, or volume name.
/FS:NTFS Specifies that the volume is to be converted to NTFS.
/V Specifies that Convert should be run in verbose mode.
/CvtArea:filename
Specifies a contiguous file in the root directory to be
the place holder for NTFS system files.
/NoSecurity Specifies the converted files and directories security
settings to be accessible by everyone.
/X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary.
All opened handles to the volume would then be invalid.

[garethgtt]

so basically in laymans terms.....

START - RUN - type cmd

convert (drive letter of backupdrive) /FS:NTFS
example: convert E: /FS:NTFS
or you could just right click and choose format on the backup drive in MyCOMPUTER and set the file system as NTFS.

At the end of the day--if you are not worried about security permissions on files--then its of no real consequence for you to change it.

If you are bothered about security permission then thats a whole new ballgame-- basically as i recall copying to a location other than the origonal hard drive--means that the files will inherit permission from their new location--thus you are losing your security permissions anyhow.. this is of course if you are using poor backup software or doing it manually. If you are using somthing half decent- it will copy the files and allow them to retain their origonal file permissions.

Vote Bush...he`s crazy and will get us all killed--but it makes the world interesting.....

[ErnestM]

_DJ_ said:

darrent said: OK - this is complete jargon to me but.... My C drive (came with PC) says it's NFTS and my new Mextor external drive says it's a FAT32. What's the difference and does it matter? Will it affect my ability to back my C drive up to my new external drive??? HELP!!! As has been said one's NT/200x specific (NTFS) and allows permissions to be set on files (as well as a host of other advantages). You can convert one to the other using convert.exe; Cocuments and SettingsJason>help convert Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename] [/NoSecurity] [/X] volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon), mount point, or volume name. /FS:NTFS Specifies that the volume is to be converted to NTFS. /V Specifies that Convert should be run in verbose mode. /CvtArea:filename Specifies a contiguous file in the root directory to be the place holder for NTFS system files. /NoSecurity Specifies the converted files and directories security settings to be accessible by everyone. /X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary. All opened handles to the volume would then be invalid.

...or just go into disk manager - kill the FAT32 partition and create a new NTFS partition (about 30 seconds - including formatting if you use fast formatting)

ErnestM

[_dj_]

ErnestM said:

_DJ_ said: darrent said: OK - this is complete jargon to me but.... My C drive (came with PC) says it's NFTS and my new Mextor external drive says it's a FAT32. What's the difference and does it matter? Will it affect my ability to back my C drive up to my new external drive??? HELP!!! As has been said one's NT/200x specific (NTFS) and allows permissions to be set on files (as well as a host of other advantages). You can convert one to the other using convert.exe; Cocuments and SettingsJason>help convert Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. CONVERT volume /FS:NTFS [/V] [/CvtArea:filename] [/NoSecurity] [/X] volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon), mount point, or volume name. /FS:NTFS Specifies that the volume is to be converted to NTFS. /V Specifies that Convert should be run in verbose mode. /CvtArea:filename Specifies a contiguous file in the root directory to be the place holder for NTFS system files. /NoSecurity Specifies the converted files and directories security settings to be accessible by everyone. /X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary. All opened handles to the volume would then be invalid. ...or just go into disk manager - kill the FAT32 partition and create a new NTFS partition (about 30 seconds - including formatting if you use fast formatting) ErnestM

Then speak to Ernest when you can't find all the important information you had on there and didn't backup