What is the difference between NTFS and FAT32? Which is better to use? Please explain why.
What is the difference between NTFS and FAT32? Which is better to use? Please explain why.
I found this article for you to read about the difference of NTFS from FAT32. Just click the source.
Here's an overview:
SourceChoosing the file system to use on a Windows XP system is seldom easy, and frequently it's not just a one time decision.. Different factors can blur the decision process, and some tradeoffs are more than likely. No matter what method you choose to adopt Windows XP, you will have to face the FAT32 versus NTFS decision. Clean and upgrade installs both require you to address the situation early on in the process. Later on, if you add a drive or repartition an existing drive the decision process faces you yet again. Circumstances may dictate the choice for you, but in most cases the options have to be weighed and the tradeoffs of using each method analyzed. Let's look at the available choices.
Thanks for that information. Howbout the meaning of NTFS and FAT32? There is also a FAT format. What is the difference of FAT from FAT32? And is it only Windows OS that uses these kind of formats?
Both FAT and FAT32 have scaling and compatibility limitations that NTFS does not have. NTFS is the recommended file system for Windows XP.
FATxx is an old file system that is simple, well-documented, readable from a large number of OSs, and supported by a wide range of tools.
NTFS is a newer file system that is feature-rich, proprietary, undocumented at the raw bytes level, and subject to change - even within Service Packs of the same OS version
NTFS may be faster...
- smaller RAM footprint as avoids large FAT held in RAM
NTFS may be more space-efficient...
- smaller cluster size than FAT32 above 8G