Success

Many thanks Thor, it worked. Whilst here can I ask if I can change my
original HD from FAT 32 to NTFS and if so how? I would also be interested
in your opinions and preference on these two systems.

Regards
Alan
UK

Alan

"Alan" <> wrote in
news:bq6alf$fat$:

> Many thanks Thor, it worked. Whilst here can I ask if I can change my
> original HD from FAT 32 to NTFS and if so how? I would also be
> interested in your opinions and preference on these two systems.

NTFS uses smaller cluster sizes than FAT32, so it wastes less space. It
also allows you to set file and folder access permissions.
The only advantage FAT32 provides is backward compatibility. If you have
to boot with a 98 startup disk, it won't see your NTFS partitions, but it
will see and be able to access FAT32 partitions.

To convert from FAT32 to NTFS from Windows (assuming windows NT/2000/XP),
it is a one way conversion (you can't convert back without losing all the
data), you can type:
convert x: /fs:NTFS /v
which will convert drive X to NTFS, /v is optional and just gives
information about what it is doing.

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email: de_on-lag@co_cast.net (_ = m)
website: under construction
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It's right there in your windows help.

To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt

1.. Open Command Prompt.
2.. In the command prompt window, type
convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the
ntfs format.

Notes

a.. To open command prompt, click Start, point to Programs, point to
Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
b.. You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command.




"Alan" <> wrote in message
news:bq6alf$fat$...
> Many thanks Thor, it worked. Whilst here can I ask if I can change my
> original HD from FAT 32 to NTFS and if so how? I would also be
interested
> in your opinions and preference on these two systems.
>
> Regards
> Alan
> UK
>
>
>

Sorry, I forgot to address your other question in that earlier reply.

FAT32 has less overhead, and it's speedier on small volumes, compared to
NTFS, according to what I've read. It's also easier to get access to files
on a FAT32 volume when windows is crippled.

FAT32 is a far less efficient storage method with larger volumes compared to
NTFS. There is typically an incredible amount of file slack on the average
FAT32 volume on a large drive (something larger than 10GB) FAT32 is less
robust and less resistant to file system problems than NTFS. Minor file
system errors, lost allocation units, FSinfo misreporting, etc. are routine
occurrences with FAT32. NTFS rarely has corruption problems unless there is
a hardware issue, even with abnormal shutdowns, etc. FAT32 is less secure
than NTFS. You can easily encrypt, and compress data in windows with NTFS.
You also get a host of file and folder permission options with NTFS. It's a
must for running on a network where security is a concern.

The sole biggest downside to NTFS, to me, is the issue of quickly accessing
important data or working on files from a command-prompt environment if
windows is hosed to the point where it won't boot up. But there are tools
available to make it easier. NTFS-aware boot tools can allow you to get
around these issues for the most part. I run NTFS on my personal machine,
and it runs great. Very trouble-free. I recommend it.








"Alan" <> wrote in message
news:bq6alf$fat$...
> Many thanks Thor, it worked. Whilst here can I ask if I can change my
> original HD from FAT 32 to NTFS and if so how? I would also be
interested
> in your opinions and preference on these two systems.
>
> Regards
> Alan
> UK
>
>
>

well, now. That was interesting. When I copy/pasted out of the help file, OE
went ahead and attached the little graphic files that were part of the HTML
help page, even though I post in plain text. Whoops. I'll have to watch that
next time.



"Thor" <> wrote in message
news:...
> It's right there in your windows help.
>
> To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt
>
> 1.. Open Command Prompt.
> 2.. In the command prompt window, type
> convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs
>
> For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the
> ntfs format.
>
> Notes
>
> a.. To open command prompt, click Start, point to Programs, point to
> Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
> b.. You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command.
>
>
>
>
> "Alan" <> wrote in message
> news:bq6alf$fat$...
> > Many thanks Thor, it worked. Whilst here can I ask if I can change my
> > original HD from FAT 32 to NTFS and if so how? I would also be
> interested
> > in your opinions and preference on these two systems.
> >
> > Regards
> > Alan
> > UK
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>

"Thor" <> wrote in news::

> well, now. That was interesting. When I copy/pasted out of the help
> file, OE went ahead and attached the little graphic files that were
> part of the HTML help page, even though I post in plain text. Whoops.
> I'll have to watch that next time.

It came through as plain text on my end...

--
AIM: FrznFoodClerk
email: de_on-lag@co_cast.net (_ = m)
website: under construction
Need a technician in the south Jersey area?
email/IM for rates/services

"Thor" <> wrote in news::

> The sole biggest downside to NTFS, to me, is the issue of quickly
> accessing important data or working on files from a command-prompt
> environment if windows is hosed to the point where it won't boot up.
> But there are tools available to make it easier. NTFS-aware boot tools
> can allow you to get around these issues for the most part. I run NTFS
> on my personal machine, and it runs great. Very trouble-free. I
> recommend it.

My mentality is this:
FAT32 is easier to fix should the FS get destroyed somehow, while NTFS
takes a bit more work to get at the data. However, how often has anyone
seen an NTFS volume require fixing? Aside from the OS itself dying, I've
never seen any reason I couldn't access an NTFS drive short of a failure of
the disk itself or the controller/cable.

--
AIM: FrznFoodClerk
email: de_on-lag@co_cast.net (_ = m)
website: under construction
Need a technician in the south Jersey area?
email/IM for rates/services

Thor wrote:
>
> well, now. That was interesting. When I copy/pasted out of the help file, OE
> went ahead and attached the little graphic files that were part of the HTML
> help page, even though I post in plain text. Whoops. I'll have to watch that
> next time.
>
I just now reviewed alt.computer files. Your message did indeed have the two
..gif
files as attachments. (shortcutCold.gif and note.gif).

They were down at the bottom, after all the quoted text, on Netscape 4.80.
Perhaps DeMoN's newsreader stripped them.

Virg Wall
--
A foolish consistency is the
hobgoblin of little minds,........
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Microsoft programmer's manual.)

V W Wall <> wrote in
news::

> Perhaps DeMoN's newsreader stripped them.

Xnews normally saves them to a default location and I have it set to auto-
open image files, but they just aren't there... I dunno why

--
AIM: FrznFoodClerk
email: de_on-lag@co_cast.net (_ = m)
website: under construction
Need a technician in the south Jersey area?
email/IM for rates/services

--
To e-mail leave out REMOVEME from address.
"Thor" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Sorry, I forgot to address your other question in that earlier reply.
>
> FAT32 has less overhead, and it's speedier on small volumes, compared to
> NTFS, according to what I've read. It's also easier to get access to files
> on a FAT32 volume when windows is crippled.
>
> FAT32 is a far less efficient storage method with larger volumes compared
to
> NTFS. There is typically an incredible amount of file slack on the average
> FAT32 volume on a large drive (something larger than 10GB) FAT32 is less
> robust and less resistant to file system problems than NTFS. Minor file
> system errors, lost allocation units, FSinfo misreporting, etc. are
routine
> occurrences with FAT32. NTFS rarely has corruption problems unless there
is
> a hardware issue, even with abnormal shutdowns, etc. FAT32 is less secure
> than NTFS. You can easily encrypt, and compress data in windows with NTFS.
> You also get a host of file and folder permission options with NTFS. It's
a
> must for running on a network where security is a concern.
>
> The sole biggest downside to NTFS, to me, is the issue of quickly
accessing
> important data or working on files from a command-prompt environment if
> windows is hosed to the point where it won't boot up. But there are tools
> available to make it easier. NTFS-aware boot tools can allow you to get
> around these issues for the most part. I run NTFS on my personal machine,
> and it runs great. Very trouble-free. I recommend it.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Alan" <> wrote in message
> news:bq6alf$fat$...
> > Many thanks Thor, it worked. Whilst here can I ask if I can change my
> > original HD from FAT 32 to NTFS and if so how? I would also be
> interested
> > in your opinions and preference on these two systems.
> >
> > Regards
> > Alan
> > UK
> >
> >
> >
>
>

Thanks for all the help, I have successfully install my second HD which is
working fine. At present I have it on NTFS and my original HD on FAT32 and
may keep this configuration for a while to observe the differences. Thanks
to you all.
Regards
Alan
UK