The only way I would convert to NTFS, is if you can move the data off, and
then format the partition to NTFS, then put the data back on. I have tried
the NT4 command line <conversion> in the past and had too many errors to
try it again. Of course this will not be easy if performed on the OS
partition. You would have to boot into another operating system that
supports NTFS.... Then backup the partition to a zip file, then format
NTFS, and finally restore the data. All of this from another install of
NT4, Win2K or XP.
I ran my server for years with NTFS, but I don't use it anymore. Unless you
have a real need for security,...which means controlling other LAN users
access at the file level.... then I wouldn't use it. If you have multiple
users that you need to administer on your LAN, and you want to be able to
secure directories, files and or partitions then you do want NFTS
installed. Outside of that then I don't think so. If you are a single user
with a single user LAN then don't rely on NTFS for security. Anybody who
gets physical access to your machine can crack your administrator password
pretty easily. If you want to secure files so that no one can ever get at
them without your permission then use something with DES, or better yet
Blowfish encryption. http://www.freepctech.com/rode/022.shtml
Maybe NTFS is more stable then FAT32 for huge file systems, that are up
24/7 for years on end, but not so a home user will ever notice. Here is the
big reason I don't recommend you do it. If you install NTFS you will take a
performance hit. Why? Because the extra security checks requires two extra
functions be performed every time a file is accessed. If you don't need the
administrative security capability, then why take the performance hit?
Fewer utilities will work on a NTFS partition. This is why SystemWorks is
slower for you. In order to control stability, NT4, Win2K, XP will not
allow software to directly access hardware. Add the security checks of NTFS
and you will have even slower, less capable disk utilities.
NTFS allows you to do compression on the fly but with todays cheap huge
hard drives this is a meaningless tool. Another negative is that you will
not be able to access the partition from a DOS boot disk. This means that
when things go wrong they can get terminal really fast, and if you have
data stored on the drive you will need to access it with another OS that
supports NTFS.
If you are not administering a multi user LAN, where access security is an
issue, then stay with FAT32, it is faster and easier to deal with. Unless
of course you just want the novelty of a NTFS partition, or you want to
learn about it.
Rode
The NOSPIN Group
At 07:30 PM 2/22/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>I have now been running WinXP for about 3 months, and I am quite
>pleased. Faster loading, no BSOD, and what appears to be incredible stability.
>What experiences have people had switching from FAT32 to NTFS?
>What if any down side(s) is/are there?
>What if any advantages are there to "leaving well enough alone?"
>I have heard arguments that each is faster/slower than the other. Comments?
>I have found that Norton SystemWorks 2002 disk defrag (an other programs
>I've tried) run slower than molasses when compared to running it on my
>98SE machines with FAT32. Any improvement with NTFS?
>Ed Nottingham
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