Topic: quick! NTFS of FAT?
started by: CatKnight
I don't know which is faster, and i doubt there's much in it, but ntfs has some features that FAT doesn't (support for compressed folders, encyrpted folders etc.)
On the down side, ntfs is not compatible with win9x, so if a dual-boot is a possibility you might wanna choose FAT..
err, ntfs supports hard links, there's that.. difference in cluster size.
But if you're not planning on using any of NTFSs fancy features then i doubt there'd be much in it, especially as hard disk performance is only incidentally contingent to overall system performance (ie, double your hard disk speed, and you'll have about a 10\% faster system.)
For a home computer, I'd recommend FAT32. For one, you have dual boot. Also, you're not protecting proprietary documents. And, in the event of catastrophic failure, you can get your data out of a FAT32 disk much easier than an NTFS disk. It's just a matter of making your life easier.
I use NTFS at home on my drives because I'm super-l33t. But, that's just me.
help convert
it'll tell you about the file system changer util...
quote:
Originally posted by DeadAnztac:
...needed Partition Magic to convert the drive back to FAT32...
I was going to mention that. I've heard that Win2k can convert your drive back to FAT32, but that if you do, only Win2k will be able to read it.
Speaking of Partition Magic, has anyone ever tested which method is faster?
From an empty drive (no partitions):
- Partition Magic: Create partition with formatted filesystem all at once.
- FDISK: Create partition then format in Windows.
Ignoring boot time.
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A good programmer is someone who looks both ways on a one-way street
So please explain why FAT32 is better on a gaming box considering it has NO advantages over NTFS..... *taps foot and waits*
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jim
Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder
< Brews and Cues >
quote:
Originally posted by Observer:
From an empty drive (no partitions):
- Partition Magic: Create partition with formatted filesystem all at once.
- FDISK: Create partition then format in Windows.
Never done it completely ignoring boot time, but from what I can tell, if you have an empty drive, no partitions, your best bet is to just boot from the Win2k Disk and let it do all the work. Also, are you assuming that Partition Magic is already installed on this empty drive?!?!
PS. For anyone still questioning NTFS5 vs FAT32, < read this >
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jim
Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder
< Brews and Cues >
This message has been edited by jim on May 02, 2001 at 06:33 AM
The last time I tried something like this, I was using PM (v6) from a pair of boot floppies (I do hope to make a bootable CD with DOS PM and Drive Image on it eventually). I had to set up a 20-gig drive with an extended partition enclosing a logical NTFS partition. Partition Magic does the verification, partition creation, and formatting all at once. While I imagine the other method would let the formatting be done with 32-bit access.
But since you mentioned it, let's consider then that PM is being run on a separate drive from within Windows.
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A good programmer is someone who looks both ways on a one-way street
quote:
Originally posted by Observer:
Um, how can PM be installed on the drive if it's empty?
That was my point! 
I doubt either method would be convincing faster. I would just go with whichever is more convenient.
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jim
Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder
< Brews and Cues >
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All that I know there was no God for me
Force that shatters all, absence of mortality
quote:
Originally posted by Greasemonk:
Games will work under NTFS5 but you mostly likely will have to download alot of "compatibility" patches to get them to work.
These issues are with the OS itself, not the file system.
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jim
Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder
< Brews and Cues >
(now you know why ya should've stuck this on the geek forum)
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what do you mean vodka isnt an officially recognised AMD coolant
win2k is so cool.
also i like how it pretty much installs itself with no intervention.
partition magic probably would've made life easier. NTFS is pretty stable, but when it takes a dive (mine never has) i've heard it's nasty miserable. personally, i like it. but i don't game, so i couldn't tell you how it does for that stuff.
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kuru
'dancing is the vertical expression of horizontal desire.'
-robert frost
quote:
Originally posted by syf0n:
but still...FAT32 is better for gaming :\
Um ....in my country.... your file system has no connection to how compatable you OS is. NTFS is a more structured file system, allowing file level security and different clustering. But this is where you get fucked in the ass with personguy's dick. If you have an OS fubar, and you need to retrieve data, unless you have another NT machine you cant do it.....unless....<Whips out of ass> < http://www.sysinternals.com > </Whips out of ass> you go there and download the 98/me patch that lets you read an NTFS file system. The freeware lets you read it and if you pony up the ฮ you can have it write to it too.(which is how I run NTFS on a 98 gaming box that r0x0rs anything that dumbass syf0n is running on his shitty fat32 criznap) If you just need to rescue some data befor you blow the partition away and start fresh its your best bet. Also On one of my other boxes I run PHAT64 c4u53 1m ju57 l337 7h47 w4y. ph34r m33....1 0wn j00..h4w h4w h4w....
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Decaffinated coffee is like unleaded fuel, it tastes like shit.
This message has been edited by L33T_h4x0r_d00d on May 03, 2001 at 09:07 AM
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homer as Krusty episode:
lil kid: STOP IT STOP IT he's already dead!
For those who were discussing the ease of recovering data from an NTFS partition vs. a FAT partition, I would say that FAT is easier if you already have a dual-boot OS installed - but not by much. True, you can boot right into WinDOS or Linux and get stuff out of the FAT partition, but if you set up the recovery console in Win2k to be able to copy files, it's just as easy (if not easier). If the recovery console is set up correctly, you can boot from the installation CD, select recovery console, and enter the Administrator password. From there you have access to a Win2K command line including chkdsk, copy, fdisk, format, etc. Check out < these > < links > for more < info >.