Thread: NTFS or FAT 32

Which file system is better according to you NTFS (New Technology File System) or FAT 32 (File Allocation Table)?

FAT32 is now more or less obsolete. FAT32 also suffers from high minimum allocation unit especially for large drives. For example, if the minimum allocation unit is 32 KB, even if the file is 1 byte, it will physially occupy 32 KB on disk.

^^ thats the real answer..

and in the other words, people dont like "Fat" anymore..

and what about stability?

Originally Posted by Sam Bentley

and what about stability?

NTFS is more stable than FAT32.

i think FAT 32 is the file system of windows 98 etc right??^^

for small partition, FAT
for large partition, NTFS

FAT and NTFS are the two most commonly used file systems in the PC world. Since many PC users are now starting to discover the benefits of Windows NT and Windows 2000 (when compared to their consumer grade counterparts such as Windows 9x or ME) they are learning that they have an important file system choice to make. They must decide whether to keep using FAT, as many have done for years in other Microsoft operating systems, or to "take the plunge" and go for NTFS. In fact, this may well be the most commonly-asked question associated with NTFS: "should I use FAT or NTFS?"

As with many commonly-asked questions, there are no simple answers. :^) As with other popular "X or Y" questions such as IDE vs. SCSI, the reason that the question exists is that both alternatives fit certain niches and needs. I can't give you a definitive answer regarding which file system you should choose, because I don't know the particulars of your situation. That's the honest answer. Many people aren't satisfied with this, of course... they want me to tell them which is "better". This is a bit like asking which is "better": a mid-sized family sedan or a pick-up truck? A Ferrari or a motorcycle?

Most frequently, the question of NTFS vs. FAT is answered by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of NTFS, and comparing it to the simpler FAT file system. This can be made easier by assessing three general questions:

Do you need the added features and capabilities that NTFS provides but FAT does not?
Are you willing to accept the additional hardware requirements necessary to use NTFS, and to deal with its drawabcks and limitations?
Can you invest the additional time and resources for proper administration of an NTFS system?

Again, I cannot answer those questions for you, nor will I endeavor to do so. I would encourage you to read the various pages that describe the various benefits and drawbacks of NTFS, and decide for yourself. The questions above will help you.

The only other rule of thumb that I would use is this one: the larger the organization, or the greater the number of people that will be using a PC, the more likely it is that you will want to use NTFS on it. Even leaving aside the other features of NTFS, the security provisions of that file system make it pretty much a necessity if you are going to set up a server with files shared by many different users and groups. For very small organizations, access control is something that may be dispensable, but for a company of say, 20 or more people, it becomes quite important. Of course, in some medium-sized organizations security may not be required, but those are pretty atypical. For individual PC users, NTFS may well be overkill, depending on how the PC is being used.

Another thing is there is a 4GB file size limit with FAT32.....

ya tat is only when u want to paste file more than 4 Gb. othrwise thr is no any size limit to save file

No, I think it is an absolute maximum.

Originally Posted by Sam Bentley

Which file system is better according to you NTFS (New Technology File System) or FAT 32 (File Allocation Table)?

Originally Posted by just4kix

FAT32 is now more or less obsolete.

It was "New Technology" well over a decade ago. There is no need to even think about using FAT file systems --- except, perhaps on thumb drives and memory cards. Leave it in the grave in which all those pre-W2000* Windows versions deserve to be left!



*pedantry dept: ok, W98SE was not bad

NTFS is more secure, better allocation, fast search, encryption and archiving option enabled.
So my suggestion is NTFS (U dont want to be "FAT" )

Or in simple word FAT is has-been.

I can't speak for the "or something" but there is no difficulty at all in accessing (read and write) NTFS from Ubuntu. Not a headache, not even a worry!

The other way around, mind you, that's something different!

Originally Posted by Sam Bentley

Which file system is better according to you NTFS (New Technology File System) or FAT 32 (File Allocation Table)?

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NTFS file system is better.

NTFS Without any second thought.... the big reson is NTFS allows larger file to be stored and transfered... well FAT fails to do so.