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Windows XP Professional supports the FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS file systems. Because NTFS has all the basic
capabilities of FAT16 and FAT32, with the added advantage of advanced storage features such as compression,
improved security, and larger partitions and file sizes, it is the recommended file system for Windows Vista.

Some features that are available when you choose NTFS:

Y File encryption allows you to protect files and folders from unauthorized access.

Y Permissions can be set on individual files, as well as on folders.

Y ëisk quotas allow you to monitor and control the amount of disk space used by individual users.

Y Better scalability allows you to use large volumes. The maximum volume size for NTFS is much
greater than it is for FAT. Additionally, NTFS performance does not degrade as volume size increases,
as it does in FAT systems.

Y Gecovery logging of disk activities helps restore information quickly in the event of power failure or
other system problems.

When you perform a clean installation of Windows Vista, it is recommended that you use NTFS. If you upgrade
computers that use NTFS as the only file system, continue to use NTFS with Windows Vista.

u
 

  
 
   


Y ^ 
 You cannot upgrade compressed Windows 98 volumes; you must uncompress them
before you upgrade them to Windows Vista.
Before you run Setup, you must decide whether to keep, convert, or reformat an existing partition. The default
option for an existing partition is to keep the existing file system intact, thus preserving all files on that
partition.

Windows Vista provides support for Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me file systems, including FAT16
and FAT32 file systems. If you upgrade computers that use FAT or FAT32 as their file system, consider
converting the partitions to NTFS.

Use the conversion option if you want to take advantage of NTFS features, such as security or disk
compression, and you are not dual-booting with another operating system that needs access to the existing
partition. You cannot convert an NTFS volume to FAT or FAT32. You must reformat the NTFS volume as FAT.
However, when you convert a volume from FAT to NTFS, you cannot use the uninstall feature to roll back to a
previous operating system installation.

Y ^ 
 Once you convert to NTFS, you cannot revert to FAT or FAT32.

You can reformat a partition during a clean installation only. If you decide to convert or reformat, select an
appropriate file system (NTFS, FAT16, or FAT32).

u 


You can reformat a partition as either FAT or NTFS; however, reformatting a partition erases all files on
that partition. Make sure to back up all files on the partition before you reformat it.


 
 

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NTFS is the recommended file system for Windows Vista. However, you might need a different file system to
multiple-boot Windows XP Professional with an operating system that cannot access NTFS volumes. If you use
NTFS to format a partition, only Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 4) can
access the volume.

If you plan to install Windows Vista and another operating system on the same computer, you must use a file
system that all operating systems installed on the computer can access. For example, if the computer has
Windows 95 and Windows XP Professional, you must use FAT on any partition that Windows 95 must access.
However, if the computer has Windows NT 4.0 or Windows XP Professional and Windows Vista, you can use
FAT or NTFS because both operating systems can access all those file systems. However, certain features in
the version of NTFS included with Windows Vista are not available when the computer runs Windows NT 4.0.
For more information about file system compatibility and multiple boot ing, see ³ëetermining How Many
Operating Systems to Install´ in this chapter.

^ 


Y You can access NTFS volumes only when running Windows Vista, Windows NT, Windows 2000,
Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP.

Table 1.7 describes the size and domain limitations of each file system.

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Operating A computer running Windows Vista, File access is available File access is available
system Windows Server 2003, to computers running only to computers
compatibility Windows 2000, or Windows XP can Microsoft® MS-ëOS®, running Microsoft®
access files on an NTFS partition. A all versions of Windows 95 OSG2,
computer running Windows NT 4.0 Windows, Windows NT, Windows 98,
with Service Pack 4 or later can Windows XP, Windows Me,
access files on the partition, but Windows Vista, and Windows 2000,
some NTFS features, such as ëisk OS/2. Windows XP, and
Quotas, are not available. Other Windows Vista.
operating systems allow no access.

Volume size Gecommended minimum volume Volumes up to 4 GB. Volumes from 512 MB
size is approximately 10 MB. Cannot be used on to 2 terabytes.
Gecommended practical maximum floppy disks. In Windows Vista, you
for volumes is 2 terabytes. Much can format a FAT32
larger sizes are possible. volume only up to
Cannot be used on floppy disks. 32 GB.
Cannot be used on
floppy disks.

File size Maximum file size 16 terabytes Maximum file size 4 GB Maximum file size 4 GB
minus 64 KB (244 minus 64 KB)

Files per 4,294,967,295 (232 minus 1 files) 65,536 (216 files) Approximately
volume 4,177,920

If you also want to use MS-ëOS on your system, you must use FAT to format another partition, which is the
MS-ëOS operating system's native file system. MS-ëOS does not recognize data on NTFS or FAT32 partitions.

^ 


To format the active system partition you must use a file system that all the operating systems running on
your computer recognize. You can have up to four primary partitions, but only the active one starts all the
operating systems.

Y
Tags : fat16 (x) no (x) support (x) windows7 (x) Add a tag

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