NTFS Win2K ???

[Ajaykay]

Been dual booting Win2K and 98 for some time now and want to make the move to 2000 with a fresh install -- eliminate 98 altogether. Advantages to NTFS over FAT?

If I go with NTFS will I be able to read the FAT32 partitions (which I'd have temporarily to backup drivers and essential utilities)? Plan would be to convert the other partitions to NTFS after I restore and reinstall the drivers, apps and utilities. Will this work or are the 2 file systems totally incompatible?

 

[certifyexpress]

Sorry but NTFS does not reconized FAT32. You'll have to delete the entire FAT32 partition.

 

[Skippy]

Windows 2000 can read/write and boot from Fat32. NT 4.0 cannot. If you are going to Win2000 fulltime use NTFS.

 

[Erasmus-X]

NTFS has two key advantages over FAT. First, it uses much smaller cluster sizes (less wasted space in your partitions). NTFS also adds support for disk quotas and has more security features (most notably file-level security).

 

[AndyHui]

Under FAT32, the cluster sizes are the same as NTFS. NTFS has additional attributes including security rights for for directories and invdividual files, and other useful items. The overhead for NTFS is larger, but Win2K seems to run faster on NTFS.

Win2K can read NTFS, FAT32 and FAT16.

NT4 can only read NTFS and FAT16, but not FAT32.

Win98 can read FAT32 and FAT16, but not NTFS.

DOS can only read FAT16.

If you are going to use Win2K only, and will never need to access the hard drive under another OS, you might as well go with NTFS. Make sure that you remember your Administrator password if your OS decides to go west on you, as you can only get to your files through the repair console.

I prefer FAT32, since I still dual boot....but in the event Win2K decides not to work on me, I can still get to my files without too much hassle.