FAT & NTFS File System

**FAT & NTFS File System**

FAT File System

FAT gets its name from the use of a kind of database called a File Allocation Table that contains an entry for each cluster on the disk. The FAT system has been in use by Microsoft since before DOS 1 (the first version was devised by a teenager named Bill Gates) and has undergone several revisions. There are versions called FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32. The numbers refer to the number of bits used for the cluster entries in the table

Anther Definition

A file allocation table (FAT) is a table that an operating system maintains on a hard disk that provides a map of the clusters (the basic units of logical storage on a hard disk) that a file has been stored in. When write a new file to a hard disk, the file is stored in one or more clusters that are not necessarily

Note:-

»FAT32
A derivative of the file allocation table (FAT) file system. FAT32 supports smaller cluster sizes and larger volumes than FAT, which results in more efficient space allocation on FAT32 volumes.

NTFS File System

NTFS get its name from New Technology File System is a file system that was introduced by Microsoft in 1993 with Windows NT 3.1. NTFS supports hard drive sizes up to 256TB.

NTFS is the primary file system used in Microsoft's Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows NT operating systems. The Windows Server line of operating systems also primarily use NTFS.

Note:-

»Difference between NTFS & NTFS Quick

Quick format is basically only removes files from the partition and does not scan the disk for bad sectors etc so it takes short time. I would go for a normal format. Select it, leave it alone and come back to check it out later on.

» Some older programs may not run on an NTFS volume, so you should research the current requirements for your software before converting

Choosing Between NTFS, FAT, and FAT32:-

Choose between three file systems for disk partitions on a computer running Windows XP: NTFS, FAT, and FAT32. NTFS is the recommended file system because it’ is more powerful

And provides performance, security, reliability, and advanced features that are not found in any version of FAT or FAT32.

For example, NTFS guarantees volume consistency by using standard transaction logging and recovery techniques. If a system fails, NTFS uses its log file and checkpoint information to restore the consistency of the file system. In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, NTFS also provides advanced features such as file and folder permissions, encryption, disk quotas, and compression.

Note:-

Conversion. FAT32 to NTFS is possible and easy but conversion NTFS to FAT32 is not possible and would cause loss of data.

►Convert FAT to NTFS:-

-Standard Windows utility that is called CONVERT serves this purpose

-Just go to the Command Prompt and execute the command:

-C:\> CONVERT  C:  /fs:ntfs

-Where C: is a name of the drive you want to convert.

---After machine re-boot conversion process will start and FAT32 converted to NTFS without of data loss.

Comparison between the sizes of disks and files possible with each file system:-

NTFS
-The minimum recommended size of the volume is 10 megabytes approximately.
Can be volumes larger than 2 terabytes.
-File size is limited to the size and volume only.

Note:-
-Can not be used on floppy disks.

-Does not write on the BAD SECTOR easily and can continue to work
-Slower in the division of the previous systems
-Slower in reading and writing files and getting slow if there are
Prohibitions on the file in large
-Not supported by any Windows NT4
DOS does not support

FAT
-Volumes of the size of the floppy disk and up to 4 GB.
The maximum file size is 2 GB.

Note:-

-Strongly influenced by the presence of the hard BAD SECTOR.

FAT32
-Volumes from 512 MB ​​to 2 terabytes.
In Windows XP, you can format a FAT32 volume up to 32 GB only.
The maximum file size is 4 GB.

Note:-

-Influenced by the presence on the hard BAD SECTOR.
-Does not support Windows 95, NT3
-Does not support DOS, but the average for FAT32 (such as the WINDOWS STARTUP DISK).- NTFS system cause some problems when dealing with some older games
and also needs the device for do not feel slow at dealing with it.
2 - the worst thing NTFS will not be read on Windows 98 or Millennium
Thus, For example if you visit one of your friends and hard adapter partition NTFS and your friend has Windows 98 or Millennium will not see the hard final and can not deal
with it.
3 - for pressure (compress), which should exist in the system NTFS only and this property really is providing space from partition.

In the end of this table to illustrate the:-

►NTFS vs FAT :-

Criteria	NTFS5	NTFS	exFAT	FAT32	FAT16	FAT12
Operating System	Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Server Windows 2008 Windows Vista Windows 7	Windows NT Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Server Windows 2008Windows Vista Windows 7	Windows CE 6.0 Windows Vista SP1 Windows 7 WinXP+KB955704	DOS v7 and higher Windows 98 Windows ME Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows 2003 Server Windows Vista Windows 7	DOS All versions of Microsoft Windows	DOS All versions of Microsoft Windows
Limitations
Max Volume Size	264 clusters minus 1 cluster	232 clusters minus 1 cluster	128PB	32GB for all OS. 2TB for some OS	2GB for all OS. 4GB for some OS	16MB
Max Files on Volume	4,294,967,295 (232-1)	4,294,967,295 (232-1)	Nearly Unlimited	4194304	65536
Max File Size	264 bytes (16 ExaBytes) minus 1KB	244 bytes (16 TeraBytes) minus 64KB	16EB	4GB minus 2 Bytes	2GB (Limit Only by Volume Size)	16MB (Limit Only by Volume Size)
Max Clusters Number	264 clusters minus 1 cluster	232 clusters minus 1 cluster	4294967295	4177918	65520	4080
Max File Name Length	Up to 255	Up to 255	Up to 255	Up to 255	Standard - 8.3 Extended - up to 255	Up to 254
File System Features
Unicode File Names	Unicode Character Set	Unicode Character Set	Unicode Character Set	System Character Set	System Character Set	System Character Set
System Records Mirror	MFT Mirror File	MFT Mirror File	No	Second Copy of FAT	Second Copy of FAT	Second Copy of FAT
Boot Sector Location	First and Last Sectors	First and Last Sectors	Sectors 0 to 11 Copy in 12 to 23	First Sector and Copy in Sector #6	First Sector	First Sector
File Attributes	Standard and Custom	Standard and Custom	Standard Set	Standard Set	Standard Set	Standard Set
Alternate Streams	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Compression	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Encryption	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Object Permissions	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Disk Quotas	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Sparse Files	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Reparse Points	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Volume Mount Points	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Overall Performance
Built-In Security	Yes	Yes	Yes minimal ACL only	No	No	No
Recoverability	Yes	Yes	Yes if TFAT activated	No	No	No
Performance	Low on small volumes High on Large	Low on small volumes High on Large	High	High on small volumes Low on large	Highest on small volumes Low on large	High
Disk Space Economy	Max	Max	Max	Average	Minimal on large volumes	Max
Fault Tolerance	Max	Max	Yes if TFAT activated	Minimal	Average	Average

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