FAT32 or NTFS?

[Tom]

i'm running XP on fat32 at the moment... should i convert to NTFS?
I DO NOT WANT TO FORMAT THE DRIVE.

i found this:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/itpro/managing/convertfat.asp

can anyone tell me how safe doing this is? and if its even worth it? thanks.

-Tom

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THIS POST MAY COTAIN TRACES OF PEANUT. (http://www.ud.2ya.com)

[dalf]

Yes. Convert to NTFS. FAT32 is old and unreliable and less secure than NTFS. Also NTFS is more efficient. So go ahead and make the switch.

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"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives pricisely when he means to!" --Gandalf

[Tom]

Thanks. Going to do it now...

[Cool Matty]

You can't dual boot anything but win2k/linux now, you know right?

[Emon]

Uh, yes you can.

[Emon]

Well, you might have to reformat.

[Darth Evad]

What if I have a non-DOS partition with Linux on it already? Can I convert my Windows partition to NTFS without screwing up my Linux partition? Can I still dual boot?

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It was in Bobcaygeon, when I saw the constellations reveal themselves one star at a time.

[Emon]

I don't see why not, Evad. However, Linux doesn't have stable NTFS write support yet.

[GHORG]

um... kinda related... kinda

how do i let anyone access win2k fat32 hdds over network, they're shared, but always ask for passwords, and no passwords seem to work...

i just want read-only, no passwords needed, can i do that?

[TwistedSoul]

grab a shovel, dig a whole, throw some bacon in it, bury it and slowly walk away.

In the Spring you should have a bacon tree with everlasting bacon.

[/end unhelpful comment]

[Is_907]

Emon, i think we've been through this one before...
2.4.18 has NTFS write support but it is not completely bug free. however i've used it and have had no troubles with it for just moving files back and forth between partitions. (mp3s on the NTFS to save space)

EDIT: also note that if you ever format your Windows partition and reinstall it you'll have to format your MBR and reinstall LILO or GRUB =/

[This message has been edited by Is_907 (edited December 18, 2002).]

[Darth Evad]

More to the point, will the non-DOS partition be ntfs'ed? Windows doesn't even see it now. Will it see it to convert it?

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It was in Bobcaygeon, when I saw the constellations reveal themselves one star at a time.

[Emon]

I know Linux has NTFS write support, but it can cause problems. If I didn't have any important data on my NTFS partition I would use it, but I have my SP levels I'm working on and I can't afford those getting destroyed. :\