NTFS vs FAT32

[babyboo]

Thanks!

[Dr. DOS]

notice that fat32 is higher performace on smaller volumes and ntfs is higher performace on larger performance ...

Now my new external backup drive (FAT32) is 160 Gigs... with a 2Terrabyte volume size limit would 160G be considered a small or large volume... That will determine whether I switch now to NTFS or keep as FAT32

[BJ_M]

large

[reboot]

IIRC, "large" describing volume size was proposed my MS to be anything over 124 gig...whatever that number was that created the "bug" in XP with drives over that size. I think it was ~124 gig. There's an update somewhere on the MS site for it, and both SP1 and SP2 have it corrected anyhow.

[BJ_M]

127GB

[Dr. DOS]

OK... so my performance will be better with NTFS... will update tonite.

Only have 9 gig on there now... is it best to move to another drive, create new partition, format, and move back OR convert. Advantages of one vs the other?

Thanks

[tekkieman]

OK... so my performance will be better with NTFS... will update tonite.

Only have 9 gig on there now... is it best to move to another drive, create new partition, format, and move back OR convert. Advantages of one vs the other?

Thanks

Just convert. Shouldn't be a problem at all. Unless that 9 G is absolutely critical material. There's rarely a problem with a convert.

[Dr. DOS]

OK... so my performance will be better with NTFS... will update tonite.

Only have 9 gig on there now... is it best to move to another drive, create new partition, format, and move back OR convert. Advantages of one vs the other?

Thanks

Just convert. Shouldn't be a problem at all. Unless that 9 G is absolutely critical material. There's rarely a problem with a convert.

Not critical at all... backed up on another drive as well... Will flip that switch tonite.

[Skith]

You should be able to improve performance of NTFS drives by changing the cluster size. For example a 2 GB NTFS partition would by default have a cluster size of 4k. A FAT32 formatted drive has a 32k cluster size. With NTFS you can manually force different cluster sizes (done via command prompt, I don't remember the command and switches off hand). You can also use a tool like Partition Magic to change the allocated cluster size. In general, the larger the NTFS partition, the larger the cluster size. 4k, 8k, 16k, 32k, 64k (although 64k is not recommended).

**Warning, using the command line method will destroy all data on the partion**

The reason NTFS is slower on smaller drives is because the clusters are 4k, thus larger files require more reads/writes than a FAT32 partion with 32k clusters. However, 4k clusters are more efficient when it comes to space. The reason is every file, regardless of size, occupies at least one cluster. So if you have a file that is 800 bytes on a FAT32 partition, that file will occupy 32k of space (one cluster). Different files can not "share" a cluster. A NTFS drive with a 4k cluster size would only have 4k occupied by the same file.

As you can see, it is a trade of space for speed. I usually partition my NTFS drives with no smaller than 16k clusters.

[Begin Sarcasim]...and that concludes todays lesson. You will be quizzed tomarrow, and don't forget your homework![/End Sarcasim]

[Dr. DOS]

Suprised when I converted last nite I could not rightclick on drive in Drive Management and select 'convert to ntfs' ... I had to convert via command prompt in DOS (or its equivalent in XP) OR ... did I miss the convert option somewhere?

[BJ_M]

nope

[ViRaL1]

Disk Management will let you format a FAT32 drive as NTFS, but it won't convert unless you're talking about converting your data to empty space. If you want to convert it needs to be done from the command line.