del86
asked on
FAT32 Across the Board
Hi all,
Computer hobbyist, no formal computer training, DIYist always in learning mode.
Have 4 computers, W98, W98SE, and two with XPSR1 with following disk drive info:
W98 and SE all FAT32 which I understand is standard.
XP#1 60GB HD
Dellutility 31MB Primary FAT
Local disk C 10GB Primary NTFS
Unallocated 47GB
Processor 2 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4, 256 Megabytes Installed Memory
XP#2 120GB HD
Local disc C 10GB Primary FAT 32
Unallocated 64GB
Extended 40GB Primary FAT32
Second HD 160GB recognized in BIOS and Device Manager, but all unallocated.
Processor 3.2 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4, 512 M installed memory
All file systems are as initially bundled OEM installations.
Question: If not foolish, I want all the above to be FAT32. Not overly concerned with security, as can be seen there is little file activity and I have fairly standard security software installed. Primary activity is the fun of dickering with software and computer technology. Can I end up with FAT32 across the board? If so, this will require some converting from NTFS to FAT32, which I understand is a one way step, essentially, no turning back, and, as I have been reading about this stuff, there seems to be some problem in formatting a "large" disk to FAT32, and even formatting a 160GB HD, period, without some extra steps.
The essential question is can I do it, and peripherally any advice anyone can see as pitfalls, and possible a good link or two. I have searched google under "fat32 vs ntfs" and found more than I could absorb, but never an answer to these particular questions in a neat package.
Thanks for any advice
Del
Computer hobbyist, no formal computer training, DIYist always in learning mode.
Have 4 computers, W98, W98SE, and two with XPSR1 with following disk drive info:
W98 and SE all FAT32 which I understand is standard.
XP#1 60GB HD
Dellutility 31MB Primary FAT
Local disk C 10GB Primary NTFS
Unallocated 47GB
Processor 2 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4, 256 Megabytes Installed Memory
XP#2 120GB HD
Local disc C 10GB Primary FAT 32
Unallocated 64GB
Extended 40GB Primary FAT32
Second HD 160GB recognized in BIOS and Device Manager, but all unallocated.
Processor 3.2 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4, 512 M installed memory
All file systems are as initially bundled OEM installations.
Question: If not foolish, I want all the above to be FAT32. Not overly concerned with security, as can be seen there is little file activity and I have fairly standard security software installed. Primary activity is the fun of dickering with software and computer technology. Can I end up with FAT32 across the board? If so, this will require some converting from NTFS to FAT32, which I understand is a one way step, essentially, no turning back, and, as I have been reading about this stuff, there seems to be some problem in formatting a "large" disk to FAT32, and even formatting a 160GB HD, period, without some extra steps.
The essential question is can I do it, and peripherally any advice anyone can see as pitfalls, and possible a good link or two. I have searched google under "fat32 vs ntfs" and found more than I could absorb, but never an answer to these particular questions in a neat package.
Thanks for any advice
Del
SOLUTION
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Pete Long
when you fresh install windows XP it gives you the option of formatting as either FAT32 or NTFS
FAT32 will have a 4GB file limitation, which may seem like a lot, but isn't, especially if you deal with video files. It also has troubles with disk drives over 137GB.
ASKER
I already have FAT on an XP box on the XP#2 and I don't have the XP install disk, only the Recovery Disk and have PM 8 on both XP computers. I know that I don't want to use the Recovery Disk, will not network the computers at this time and use Drive Image for backup. Want the second hard drive on XP#2 for Drive Image backup, among other things, but what happens if I put a FAT32 image on a NTFS disk? Can I recover it as a FAT32 image on the main C drive?
XP seems to allow formatting of the second HD only in NTFS. Can I later convert to FAT32 with PM8, it would seem so.
A reminder, i'm no wizbanger at this stuff.
XP seems to allow formatting of the second HD only in NTFS. Can I later convert to FAT32 with PM8, it would seem so.
A reminder, i'm no wizbanger at this stuff.
SOLUTION
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
PeterLong
"the only problem with FAT and NTFS arises when they are ON THE SAME PC cause win9x cant read NTFS patitions (unless its over a network)"
Believe I read that W98 can't read NTFS, but XP in FAT32 can. I do not have more than one OS per computer and would not envision doing so but can't rule it out.
All
All have been helpful and I think NTFS is the way to go. Thanks for your input.
I have to figure out how to do this, but I plan to split the points thusly:
PeterLong 200
Callandor 200
opsrcs 100
Del
"the only problem with FAT and NTFS arises when they are ON THE SAME PC cause win9x cant read NTFS patitions (unless its over a network)"
Believe I read that W98 can't read NTFS, but XP in FAT32 can. I do not have more than one OS per computer and would not envision doing so but can't rule it out.
All
All have been helpful and I think NTFS is the way to go. Thanks for your input.
I have to figure out how to do this, but I plan to split the points thusly:
PeterLong 200
Callandor 200
opsrcs 100
Del
ThanQ