Just a guide ...

[mwkirchner]

As a guide:

Use FAT32 if your hard drive is smaller than 32GB, or if you want to install more than one operating system on your computer.

Use NTFS if you have a hard drive that is larger than 32GB and you are going to run only one operating system.

I know some people may know this ... just thought it might be nice to bring up for some people who may not know this.

[YARDofSTUF]

i will never use ntfs, fat32 forever!

[cy]

What is the MAJOR difference between FAT32 and NTFS? Security?

[YARDofSTUF]

Originally posted by cy
What is the MAJOR difference between FAT32 and NTFS? Security?

NTFS sucks and cuases me errors, FAT32 works fine :)

[Burke]

I hate the fact that Microsoft doesn't "allow" you to format a > 32 GB drive/partition in FAT32 unless you use a Win98 boot disk or a program like PartitionMagic. Just another reason I stick with FAT32.

[cyberskye]

FAT(32) is a messy FS. An OS probably couldn't manage a volume if it were larger than 32 MB :)

FAT32 - better speed, prone to fragmentation, and no (file level) security

NTFS - slower, less prone to fragmentation, more secure.

Why would you need a partition >32MB? You start to loose effeciency/speed at that point in most applications - especially if FAT.

[Burke]

Originally posted by cyberskye
Why would you need a partition >32MB? You start to loose effeciency/speed at that point in most applications - especially if FAT.

Well, NTFS takes up as bigger chunk of space for the file system than FAT322 does, but I only use 32 GB + partitions in FAT32 for data storage that doesn't require fast reads/writes...

[mnosteele52]

Nothing but NTFS for any system I build..... I have never noticed a performance loss, it's more secure & more stable. It's really just a matter of preference but ask yourself.... why use a superior OS such as 2K or XP and not take full advantage of all it has to offer? Just my opinion.:D :cool: