Windows can support both FAT32 and NTFS file systems. FAT32 is better than compatibility and NTFS is better than system security. On the premise of satisfying applications, how can we set up a file system to fully utilize the characteristics of Windows? Before discussing this issue, let’s take a look at the characteristics of the two file systems FAT32 and NTFS.
FAT32 file system
Before the launch of the FAT32 file system, the file system used by PCs was FAT16. Systems such as MS-DOS, Win 95 and other systems use the FAT16 file system. Under Win 9X, the maximum partition supported by FAT16 is 2GB. We know that computers store information in an area called "clusters" on the hard disk. The smaller the cluster used, the more efficient it is to save information. In the case of FAT16, the larger the partition, the larger the cluster, the lower the storage efficiency, which will inevitably lead to waste of storage space. And with the continuous improvement of computer hardware and applications, the FAT16 file system can no longer adapt to the system requirements well. In this case, the enhanced file system FAT32 was introduced. Compared with FAT16, FAT32 mainly has the following characteristics:
1. Compared with FAT16, the biggest advantage of FAT32 is that it can support a disk size of 2TB (2047GB), but cannot support partitions less than 512MB. The Win 2000 based on FAT32 can support a maximum partition of 32GB; while the Win 2000 based on FAT16 supports a maximum partition of 4GB.
2. Due to the use of smaller clusters, the FAT32 file system can save information more efficiently. For example, both partitions are 2GB in size, one partition uses the FAT16 file system and the other partition uses the FAT32 file system. The cluster size of the partition using FAT16 is 32KB, while the cluster size of the FAT32 partition is only 4KB. In this way, the storage efficiency of FAT32 is much higher than that of FAT16, and can usually be improved by 15%.
3. The FAT32 file system can relocate the root directory and use the backup copy of FAT. In addition, the startup record of the FAT32 partition is included in a structure containing critical data, reducing the possibility of computer system crash.
NTFS file system
NTFS file system is a security-based file system and is a unique file system structure adopted by Windows NT. It is an advanced file system that protects files and directory data while taking care of saving storage resources and reducing disk usage. The very widely used Windows NT 4.0 uses the NTFS 4.0 file system. I believe that the powerful system security it brings will definitely leave a deep impression on the majority of users. Win 2000 adopts an updated version of NTFS file system - NTFS 5.0. Its introduction allows users to operate and manage computers as conveniently and quickly as Win 9X, but also enjoy the system security brought by NTFS.
The characteristics of NTFS 5.0 are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. The partition (called volume if dynamic disk is used) that NTFS can support can reach 2TB. The FAT32 supports partition size up to 32GB in Win 2000.
2. NTFS is a recoverable file system. On NTFS partitions, users rarely need to run disk fixes. NTFS ensures partition consistency by using standard thing processing logs and recovery techniques. When a system failure event occurs, NTFS uses log files and checkpoint information to automatically restore file system consistency.
3. NTFS supports compression of partitions, folders and files. Any Windows-based application does not need to decompress the compressed files on the NTFS partition in advance when reading and writing compressed files on the NTFS partition. When reading the files, the files will be automatically decompressed; when the files are closed or saved, the files will be automatically compressed.
4. NTFS uses smaller clusters to manage disk space more efficiently. In the case of the FAT32 file system of Win 2000, the size of the cluster is 4KB when the partition size is 2GB to 8GB; the size of the cluster is 8KB when the partition size is 8GB to 16GB; the size of the cluster is 16GB to 32GB, the size of the cluster is 16KB. For Win 2000's NTFS file system, when the partition size is less than 2GB, the cluster size is smaller than the corresponding FAT32 cluster; when the partition size is more than 2GB (2GB~2TB), the cluster size is 4KB. In contrast, NTFS can manage disk space more efficiently than FAT32, minimizing the waste of disk space.
5. On the NTFS partition, you can set access permissions for shared resources, folders, and files. The setting of licenses includes two aspects: one is which groups or users are allowed to access folders, files and shared resources; the other is what level of access can the group or users obtaining access permissions. The access permission settings are not only applicable to users of local computers, but also to network users who access files through shared folders on the network. Compared to accessing folders or files under the FAT32 file system, it is much more secure. In addition, in Win 2000, which adopts NTFS format, the audit strategy can be used to audit folders, files and active directory objects. The audit results are recorded in the security log. Through the security log, you can view which groups or users have performed what level of operations on folders, files or active directory objects, so as to discover illegal access that the system may face. By taking corresponding measures, this security risk will be minimized. These cannot be implemented under the FAT32 file system.
6. Disk quota management can be performed under the NTFS file system of Win 2000. Disk quota means that administrators can limit the disk space that users can use, and each user can only use disk space within the maximum quota range. After setting the disk quota, each user's disk usage can be tracked and controlled. Through monitoring, users who exceed the quota alarm threshold and quota limit can be identified, and corresponding measures can be taken. The provision of disk quota management functions allows administrators to allocate storage resources to users conveniently and reasonably, avoiding system crashes caused by out-of-control disk space use, and improving system security.
7. NTFS uses a "change" log to track changes in the log file.
Tips (suggestions for selecting FAT32 and NTFS)
In terms of system security, the NTFS file system has many characteristics that the FAT32 file system does not have, and the NTFS-based Win 2000 runs faster than the FAT32-based Win 2000; and in terms of compatibility with Win 9X, FAT32 is better than NTFS. Therefore, when deciding what file system to use in Win 2000, we should start from the following points:
1. Is the computer a single Win 2000 system or a multi-boot Win 2000 system?
2. Number and capacity of locally installed disks;
3. Whether there are security considerations, etc.
Based on the above considerations, if you want to use partitions larger than 32GB in Win 2000, you can only choose the NTFS format. If the computer is used as a stand-alone computer, there is no need to consider security issues and pay more attention to compatibility with Win 9X, then FAT32 is the best choice. If the computer pursues system security as a network workstation or more and can run in a single Win 2000 mode, it is strongly recommended that all partitions adopt NTFS format; if it is to be compatible with previous applications and needs to install Win 9X or other operating systems, it is recommended to make a multi-boot system, which requires more than two partitions, one partition adopts NTFS format, and the other partition adopts FAT32 format. At the same time, in order to obtain the fastest running speed, it is recommended to place the system files of Win 2000 on the NTFS partition, and other personal files are placed in the FAT32 partition.
Is NTFS suitable for you?
Whether to choose to convert FAT32 to NTFS in a multi-operating system should be decided based on your own situation. If it focuses on performance and security, then FAT32 can be converted to NTFS; if it focuses on operability and compatibility, FAT32 should be kept without conversion, because there are more operating systems that support FAT32. NTFS is not compatible with Windows Me and previous Windows versions. It is recommended to use FAT32 for systems other than Windows XP/2003.
Convert FAT32 to NTFS
In Windows 2000/XP, you can type "convert E:/FS NTFS" in the command prompt state (assuming that the E disk used FAT32) and after pressing, the E disk will be automatically converted to the NTFS file system the next time you restart. It is best to organize disk fragmentation during conversion to speed up the conversion speed and back up the data to other partitions that are not converted.
Convert NTFS to FAT32
Converting NTFS to FAT32 is relatively complicated. Without the need for old files, we can use the Windows 2000/XP installation disc to complete the conversion. During installation, select "Format disk partition with FAT file system". If you need to save the original file, you can use Partition Magic For DOS to convert it. However, this conversion is slower and data is easily lost. Therefore, it is highly recommended to back up the data before conversion.
Many conversion problems
If the current disk partition has already adopted the NTFS file system and has saved many information, including encrypted files or folders, when converted to FAT32, the encrypted file will be inaccessible. Moreover, because the file naming methods used by the two file systems are different, the file name will have problems after conversion.
Should I choose the NTFS file system?
When Windows 9X was popular, there was already a Windows NT system. Since Windows NT system was mostly used for commercial platforms, Windows 9X is generally installed on home computers. When Windows 2000 was launched, it was because of its huge size and many applications and some operating methods that were completely different from Windows 9X, so ordinary users had never been exposed to Windows 2000, and of course they had never used the NTFS file system. Of course, NT and NT systems were released very early, but few people also care about them because they are not suitable for household use, so I won’t say much here. The launch of XP is refreshing, and more and more people have installed XP, but it has also caused a problem they must face, that is, the title of this post "Would you like NTFS file system?"
On computers running Windows 2000/XP, NTFS is the recommended file system for the system, NTFS is the file system that is easiest to handle large-capacity hard disks, and the NTFS file system can provide various new functions of the directory and other important security functions. When using the NTFS file system to format the partition, there will be less fragmentation in the partition and the performance will be higher.
One thing to note is that the previous Windows systems could not directly access the NTFS partition. I heard that there are patches, but it is not omnipotent. So, if you are not willing to give up on the Windows system, this article may be of no use to you.
Advantages of NTFS partitioning
Since Windows 2000, Microsoft has recommended that everyone use the NTFS disk format, and the XP launched later must be combined with this disk format to maximize its performance advantages. Not only because of Microsoft's promotion, NTFS's disk format is gradually being accepted by users due to its own technological advantages and the current development trend of hardware and networks.
1. The impact of large hard drives.
The capacity of hard drives is growing in multiples, doubling or even more every six months, but the price is decreasing. This partitioning method based on the traditional FAT file system will gradually reflect its inherent shortcomings - let's first look at FAT32. FAT32 is an enhanced version of the FAT file system and can be used on drives with a capacity of 512MB to 2TB. Although, in the FAT32 format, if the partition space is divided too large, due to the relatively large cluster of its disks, it will cause great waste of space utilization when storing multiple small files.
Relatively speaking, the NTFS disk format cluster is quite thin, so it can effectively utilize disk space and is not prone to fragmentation. In addition, the NTFS disk format is also advantageous than the FAT system when processing a single huge file, such as video capture and editing. With the development of massive hard disks, it will become increasingly necessary to use NTFS partition formats - you don't want to divide the number of partitions with a 24-letter disk letter to accommodate partition capacity, right? Therefore, it makes sense for Microsoft to recommend using NTFS instead of FAT32 file system to format partitions larger than 32GB.
2. The impact of the new generation of Windows operating systems
As time goes by, Microsoft will likely abandon the installation and maintenance of the operating system compatible with DOS, that is, after the CD is booted, it will directly use a new direct graphical interface to install the next generation of Windows. This can avoid the negative impact of the DOS mode memory configuration environment on installation of Windows, and it can also invalidate many programs that crack its activation settings (memory configuration in the DOS environment is more complicated for novices, and many people fail to install XP in addition to hardware compatibility issues, which is due to this reason); at the same time, for end users, the new installation mode can better analyze the user's hardware system during installation, providing more friendly prompts and stronger fault resolution functions. If you use a graphical interface to directly manage installation tasks, based on the reasons described in the first point, Windows may require users to use NTFS to format the partitions of the new generation of massive hard disks with more than 32G before continuing to install. It is also possible to forcefully promote the NTFS disk format by removing support for the FAT system in the new operating system.
3. User security and management problems caused by networking and multi-PC connections
In the future, computers will have an irreversible trend for online work and entertainment. With the further popularization of the Internet around the world, the security and management of online computers are becoming increasingly prominent, and many people have more than one computer in their homes due to upgrades. Only by using NTFS can the security performance and manageability of Windows systems be truly guaranteed. Whether it is accessing INTERNET or the user establishing a LAN at home by himself, NTFS will allow users to more flexibly configure and manage computer resources. There are already many information on NTFS's disk quota, user permissions, personal file encryption and other functions, as well as network applications, and the advantages of network applications, and will not be repeated here.
In addition, NTFS supports the POSIX standard based on UNIX services and is also very portable. This ensures its compatibility with other network platforms.
Of course, the premise of all this is that Windows or an operating system that occupies a monopoly position. Judging from the current situation, it is still no problem for Microsoft to maintain its leading position in the software industry. Massive hard drives with a capacity of more than 500G may appear at the end of next year or the beginning of the year after, which is one of the most powerful driving forces to promote the NTFS disk format to become a mainstream partition format.
From the above points, we can see that for home PCs, the biggest benefit of using NTFS is the first point, that is, NTFS has better support and utilization for large hard disks, and the third point is mainly for commercial users. Here I would like to say to those entry-level users. If you use NTFS and don’t have a good understanding of NTFS’s disk quota, user permissions, personal file encryption and other functions, it is best not to set the permissions of the directory at will, otherwise there may be unexpected consequences.
Count the four advantages of NTFS
1. File system with error warning
In the NTFS partition, the first 16 sectors are partition boot sectors, which store the partition boot code, followed by the main file table (Master File Table, hereinafter referred to as MFT). However, if the disk sector it is located happens to be damaged, the NTFS file system will intelligently switch the MFT to other sectors of the hard disk, ensuring the normal use of the file system, that is, ensuring the normal operation of Windows. The previous FAT (file allocation table) of FAT16 and FAT32 can only be fixed behind the partition boot sector. Once the sector is damaged, the entire file system will be paralyzed.
But this smart mobile MFT approach is certainly not perfect. If an error occurs in the partition boot code pointing to the MFT, the NTFS file system will not know where to look for the MFT, and will report error messages such as "disk is not formatted". In order to avoid such problems, the partition boot code will contain a verification program, which is specifically responsible for error detection.
2. File reading speed is more efficient!
I'm afraid many people have heard that NTFS file system has many new features in terms of security, but do you know: NTFS has also improved file processing speed compared to FAT32?
Readers who know a little about DOS must be familiar with the various properties of files: read-only, hidden, system, etc. In the NTFS file system, these properties still exist, but are very different. Here, everything is a property, and even the content of the file is also a property. The list of these properties is not fixed and can be increased at any time, which is why you will see on the NTFS partition that the file has more properties.
File attributes in NTFS file system can be divided into two types: permanent attributes and non-resident attributes. Resident attributes are directly saved in MFT. For example, file names and related time information (such as creation time, modification time, etc.) will always belong to permanent attributes. Resident attributes are saved outside MFT, but a complex indexing method will be used to indicate. If a file or folder is less than 1500 bytes (in fact, there are quite a few files or folders of this size on our computer), then all their properties, including content, will be permanently resident in MFT, which is loaded into memory as soon as Windows starts. In this way, when you view these files or folders, their contents are actually already cached, which naturally greatly improves the access speed of files and folders.
Tips
Why is FAT not as efficient as NTFS
The file allocation table of the FAT file system can only list the name and starting cluster of each file, and does not indicate whether the file exists. It needs to be judged by the records of the folder where it is located, and the folder entrance is contained in the index of the file allocation table. Therefore, when accessing a file, you must first read the file allocation table to determine that the file already exists, and then read the file allocation table again to find the first cluster of the file. Then you can find all the storage clusters of the file through chain search, and you can only access it after final determination.
3. Disk self-healing function
NTFS uses a "self-healing" system to automatically detect and repair logical and physical errors on hard drives. In the FAT16 and FAT32 era, we need to use the Scandisk program to mark bad sectors on the disk, but when an error is found, the data is often written on the bad sectors, and the loss has been caused.
This is not the case with the NTFS file system. Every time it reads and writes, it checks whether the sector is correct or not. When an error is found during reading, NTFS will report this error; when an error is found when writing a file to disk, NTFS will intelligently change the data in a good location, and the operation will not be affected in any way. In both cases, NTFS will be marked on the bad sectors in case of future use. This working mode allows disk errors to be detected earlier and avoid catastrophic accidents.
Some people find that when converting disks to NTFS file systems, it is difficult to find disk errors with disk scanners. After the previous introduction, do you know why this is?
4. Event logging function of "Disaster Prevention and Relief"
In the NTFS file system, any operation can be regarded as an "event". For example, copying a file from disk C to disk D, the entire copying process is an event. The event log always supervises the entire operation, and when it discovers the complete file on the target location, disk D, a "completed" mark will be recorded. If the power is out of order in the middle of the copy, "Completed" will not be recorded in the event log, and NTFS can re-complete the previous event after an incoming call. The function of the event log is not that it can recover the losses, but that it supervises all events, so that the system will always know which tasks have been completed and those tasks have not been completed yet, ensuring that the system will not be disordered due to sudden events such as power outages, and minimize destructiveness.
5. Do I need any additional features?
In fact, NTFS also provides functions such as disk compression, data encryption, disk quota (right-click the partition in "My Computer" and "Properties" in parallel, and enter the "Quota" tab to set), dynamic disk management, etc. These functions are introduced more in many newspapers and magazines, and will not be introduced in detail here.
NTFS provides different access control, privacy and security management functions for different users. If your system is in a stand-alone environment, such as a home computer, then these functions do not mean much to you.
Tips
NTFS converted from FAT, performance discount
If the partition is converted from FAT32 to NTFS file system (using the command "CONVERT drive letter /FS:NTFS"), not only will the MFT easily cause disk fragmentation, but even worse, the disk defragmentation tool often cannot organize the MFTs in these partitions, which seriously affects system performance. Therefore, it is recommended to format the partition directly into an NTFS file system.
7 wonderful questions and answers in NTFS format
1. What is NTFS?
If you want to understand NTFS, we should first understand FAT. FAT (File Allocation Table) means "file allocation table". For us, its significance lies in the management of hard disk partitions. FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS are the three most common file systems.
FAT16: The DOS and Windows 95 we used to use the FAT16 file system, and the commonly used Windows 98/2000/XP and other systems support the FAT16 file system. It can manage partitions as large as 2GB, but each partition can only have up to 65,525 clusters (clusters are the configuration units of disk space). As the capacity of the hard disk or partition increases, the space occupied by each cluster will become larger and larger, resulting in waste of hard disk space.
FAT32: With the emergence of large-capacity hard drives, FAT32 has become popular since Windows 98. It is an enhanced version of FAT16 and can support partitions as large as 2TB (2048GB). FAT32 uses smaller clusters than FAT16, thus effectively saving hard disk space.
NTFS: A disk format specially designed for network and disk quotas, file encryption and other management security features supported by Microsoft's Windows NT kernel series operating systems. With the popularity of Windows 2000/XP with NT as the core, many individual users have begun to use NTFS. NTFS also stores data files in clusters, but the size of the cluster in NTFS does not depend on the size of the disk or partition. The reduction in cluster size not only reduces the waste of disk space, but also reduces the possibility of disk fragmentation. NTFS supports file encryption management functions, which can provide users with higher-level security guarantees.
2. What system can support NTFS file system?
Only Windows NT/2000/XP can recognize NTFS systems. Operating systems such as Windows 9x/Me and DOS cannot support and recognize disks in the NTFS format. Since the DOS system does not support NTFS system, it is best not to make the C: disk as an NTFS system, so that it is easy to repair it under the DOS system after the system crashes.
Operating systems supported by file system
fat16 windows 95/98/me/nt/2000/xp unix，linux，dos
fat32 windows 95/98/me/2000/xp
ntfs windows nt/2000/xp
3. Do I need NTFS?
Windows 2000/XP is backward compatible on the file system. It can support FAT16/FAT32 and NTFS well. Among them, NTFS is a Windows NT/2000/XP dedicated format. It can make more efficient use of disk space, support file-level compression, and have better file security. If you only install Windows 2000/XP, it is recommended to choose the NTFS file system. If the multi-boot system is used, the system disk (C disk) must be FAT16 or FAT32, otherwise multi-boot is not supported. Of course, the file system of other partitions can be NTFS.
4. How to convert FAT partition to NTFS?
Windows 2000/XP provides partition format conversion tool "". It is a DOS command line program included in Windows 2000. Through this tool, you can convert FAT to NTFS directly without destroying the FAT file system. Its usage is very simple. First, switch to the DOS command line window in the Windows 2000 environment, and type: D:>convert at the prompt. The drive letter to be converted /FS:NTFS. If the system E disk was originally FAT16/32, it now needs to be converted to NTFS. You can use the following format: D:>convert e: /FS:NTFS. All conversions will be completed after the system restarts.
In addition, you can also use specialized conversion tools, such as the famous hard disk lossless partitioning tool Partition Magic, which is also very easy to convert disk file formats. First, select the partition to be converted from the disk partition list in the interface. Select the "Convert Partition" button from the interface button bar, or select the "Convert" command from the "Operations" drop-down menu of the interface menu bar. Activate the function interface. Select the conversion output to "NTFS" in the interface, and then click the "OK" button to return to the main interface of the program. Click "Apply" in the lower right corner of the interface to add settings. After that, the system will restart and complete the partition format conversion operation.
5. Although NTFS format partition is superior, how to retrieve unexpectedly lost files under this partition?
You can use specialized software such as Final Data for NTFS, or Get Data Back for NTFS. The file recovery effect of these two software is good. If there is no file operation after the file is deleted, the recovery rate is close to 100%. So don't wait until the file is deleted before installing this software. It is best to install it with the Windows system and perform the recovery operation immediately after the file is deleted accidentally. Generally, you can restore the deleted files back.
6. My Windows
2000/XP is installed in C disk (NTFS format). If you cannot enter C disk in DOS state, what should you do when Windows crashes? You can use the Windows 2000/XP installation CD boot to repair Windows, or create a Windows 2000/XP installation boot emergency disk. Note: The Windows 2000 installation disk production program is in the program's installation CD, while the Windows XP emergency disk production is independently provided and needs to be downloaded from Microsoft's website.
7. Final Data for NTFS or Get Data Back for
Can NTFS fix unexpectedly formatted hard disks?
Can. Both software can recover formatted deleted data (except for low-level formatting). Regular formatting only deletes data information, while low-level formatting deletes all data areas. When the hard disk technology is not as developed as it is now, the disk surface is easily worn. Hard disk users often use low-level formatting for frequently occurring read errors. To repair a formatted hard disk, you can only remove the hard disk, install it on another computer, and then perform file repair operations. Final Data can even fix hard drives damaged by CIH viruses.
FAT32 file system
Before the launch of the FAT32 file system, the file system used by PCs was FAT16. Systems such as MS-DOS, Win 95 and other systems use the FAT16 file system. Under Win 9X, the maximum partition supported by FAT16 is 2GB. We know that computers store information in an area called "clusters" on the hard disk. The smaller the cluster used, the more efficient it is to save information. In the case of FAT16, the larger the partition, the larger the cluster, the lower the storage efficiency, which will inevitably lead to waste of storage space. And with the continuous improvement of computer hardware and applications, the FAT16 file system can no longer adapt to the system requirements well. In this case, the enhanced file system FAT32 was introduced. Compared with FAT16, FAT32 mainly has the following characteristics:
1. Compared with FAT16, the biggest advantage of FAT32 is that it can support a disk size of 2TB (2047GB), but cannot support partitions less than 512MB. The Win 2000 based on FAT32 can support a maximum partition of 32GB; while the Win 2000 based on FAT16 supports a maximum partition of 4GB.
2. Due to the use of smaller clusters, the FAT32 file system can save information more efficiently. For example, both partitions are 2GB in size, one partition uses the FAT16 file system and the other partition uses the FAT32 file system. The cluster size of the partition using FAT16 is 32KB, while the cluster size of the FAT32 partition is only 4KB. In this way, the storage efficiency of FAT32 is much higher than that of FAT16, and can usually be improved by 15%.
3. The FAT32 file system can relocate the root directory and use the backup copy of FAT. In addition, the startup record of the FAT32 partition is included in a structure containing critical data, reducing the possibility of computer system crash.
NTFS file system
NTFS file system is a security-based file system and is a unique file system structure adopted by Windows NT. It is an advanced file system that protects files and directory data while taking care of saving storage resources and reducing disk usage. The very widely used Windows NT 4.0 uses the NTFS 4.0 file system. I believe that the powerful system security it brings will definitely leave a deep impression on the majority of users. Win 2000 adopts an updated version of NTFS file system - NTFS 5.0. Its introduction allows users to operate and manage computers as conveniently and quickly as Win 9X, but also enjoy the system security brought by NTFS.
The characteristics of NTFS 5.0 are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
1. The partition (called volume if dynamic disk is used) that NTFS can support can reach 2TB. The FAT32 supports partition size up to 32GB in Win 2000.
2. NTFS is a recoverable file system. On NTFS partitions, users rarely need to run disk fixes. NTFS ensures partition consistency by using standard thing processing logs and recovery techniques. When a system failure event occurs, NTFS uses log files and checkpoint information to automatically restore file system consistency.
3. NTFS supports compression of partitions, folders and files. Any Windows-based application does not need to decompress the compressed files on the NTFS partition in advance when reading and writing compressed files on the NTFS partition. When reading the files, the files will be automatically decompressed; when the files are closed or saved, the files will be automatically compressed.
4. NTFS uses smaller clusters to manage disk space more efficiently. In the case of the FAT32 file system of Win 2000, the size of the cluster is 4KB when the partition size is 2GB to 8GB; the size of the cluster is 8KB when the partition size is 8GB to 16GB; the size of the cluster is 16GB to 32GB, the size of the cluster is 16KB. For Win 2000's NTFS file system, when the partition size is less than 2GB, the cluster size is smaller than the corresponding FAT32 cluster; when the partition size is more than 2GB (2GB~2TB), the cluster size is 4KB. In contrast, NTFS can manage disk space more efficiently than FAT32, minimizing the waste of disk space.
5. On the NTFS partition, you can set access permissions for shared resources, folders, and files. The setting of licenses includes two aspects: one is which groups or users are allowed to access folders, files and shared resources; the other is what level of access can the group or users obtaining access permissions. The access permission settings are not only applicable to users of local computers, but also to network users who access files through shared folders on the network. Compared to accessing folders or files under the FAT32 file system, it is much more secure. In addition, in Win 2000, which adopts NTFS format, the audit strategy can be used to audit folders, files and active directory objects. The audit results are recorded in the security log. Through the security log, you can view which groups or users have performed what level of operations on folders, files or active directory objects, so as to discover illegal access that the system may face. By taking corresponding measures, this security risk will be minimized. These cannot be implemented under the FAT32 file system.
6. Disk quota management can be performed under the NTFS file system of Win 2000. Disk quota means that administrators can limit the disk space that users can use, and each user can only use disk space within the maximum quota range. After setting the disk quota, each user's disk usage can be tracked and controlled. Through monitoring, users who exceed the quota alarm threshold and quota limit can be identified, and corresponding measures can be taken. The provision of disk quota management functions allows administrators to allocate storage resources to users conveniently and reasonably, avoiding system crashes caused by out-of-control disk space use, and improving system security.
7. NTFS uses a "change" log to track changes in the log file.
Tips (suggestions for selecting FAT32 and NTFS)
In terms of system security, the NTFS file system has many characteristics that the FAT32 file system does not have, and the NTFS-based Win 2000 runs faster than the FAT32-based Win 2000; and in terms of compatibility with Win 9X, FAT32 is better than NTFS. Therefore, when deciding what file system to use in Win 2000, we should start from the following points:
1. Is the computer a single Win 2000 system or a multi-boot Win 2000 system?
2. Number and capacity of locally installed disks;
3. Whether there are security considerations, etc.
Based on the above considerations, if you want to use partitions larger than 32GB in Win 2000, you can only choose the NTFS format. If the computer is used as a stand-alone computer, there is no need to consider security issues and pay more attention to compatibility with Win 9X, then FAT32 is the best choice. If the computer pursues system security as a network workstation or more and can run in a single Win 2000 mode, it is strongly recommended that all partitions adopt NTFS format; if it is to be compatible with previous applications and needs to install Win 9X or other operating systems, it is recommended to make a multi-boot system, which requires more than two partitions, one partition adopts NTFS format, and the other partition adopts FAT32 format. At the same time, in order to obtain the fastest running speed, it is recommended to place the system files of Win 2000 on the NTFS partition, and other personal files are placed in the FAT32 partition.
Is NTFS suitable for you?
Whether to choose to convert FAT32 to NTFS in a multi-operating system should be decided based on your own situation. If it focuses on performance and security, then FAT32 can be converted to NTFS; if it focuses on operability and compatibility, FAT32 should be kept without conversion, because there are more operating systems that support FAT32. NTFS is not compatible with Windows Me and previous Windows versions. It is recommended to use FAT32 for systems other than Windows XP/2003.
Convert FAT32 to NTFS
In Windows 2000/XP, you can type "convert E:/FS NTFS" in the command prompt state (assuming that the E disk used FAT32) and after pressing, the E disk will be automatically converted to the NTFS file system the next time you restart. It is best to organize disk fragmentation during conversion to speed up the conversion speed and back up the data to other partitions that are not converted.
Convert NTFS to FAT32
Converting NTFS to FAT32 is relatively complicated. Without the need for old files, we can use the Windows 2000/XP installation disc to complete the conversion. During installation, select "Format disk partition with FAT file system". If you need to save the original file, you can use Partition Magic For DOS to convert it. However, this conversion is slower and data is easily lost. Therefore, it is highly recommended to back up the data before conversion.
Many conversion problems
If the current disk partition has already adopted the NTFS file system and has saved many information, including encrypted files or folders, when converted to FAT32, the encrypted file will be inaccessible. Moreover, because the file naming methods used by the two file systems are different, the file name will have problems after conversion.
Should I choose the NTFS file system?
When Windows 9X was popular, there was already a Windows NT system. Since Windows NT system was mostly used for commercial platforms, Windows 9X is generally installed on home computers. When Windows 2000 was launched, it was because of its huge size and many applications and some operating methods that were completely different from Windows 9X, so ordinary users had never been exposed to Windows 2000, and of course they had never used the NTFS file system. Of course, NT and NT systems were released very early, but few people also care about them because they are not suitable for household use, so I won’t say much here. The launch of XP is refreshing, and more and more people have installed XP, but it has also caused a problem they must face, that is, the title of this post "Would you like NTFS file system?"
On computers running Windows 2000/XP, NTFS is the recommended file system for the system, NTFS is the file system that is easiest to handle large-capacity hard disks, and the NTFS file system can provide various new functions of the directory and other important security functions. When using the NTFS file system to format the partition, there will be less fragmentation in the partition and the performance will be higher.
One thing to note is that the previous Windows systems could not directly access the NTFS partition. I heard that there are patches, but it is not omnipotent. So, if you are not willing to give up on the Windows system, this article may be of no use to you.
Advantages of NTFS partitioning
Since Windows 2000, Microsoft has recommended that everyone use the NTFS disk format, and the XP launched later must be combined with this disk format to maximize its performance advantages. Not only because of Microsoft's promotion, NTFS's disk format is gradually being accepted by users due to its own technological advantages and the current development trend of hardware and networks.
1. The impact of large hard drives.
The capacity of hard drives is growing in multiples, doubling or even more every six months, but the price is decreasing. This partitioning method based on the traditional FAT file system will gradually reflect its inherent shortcomings - let's first look at FAT32. FAT32 is an enhanced version of the FAT file system and can be used on drives with a capacity of 512MB to 2TB. Although, in the FAT32 format, if the partition space is divided too large, due to the relatively large cluster of its disks, it will cause great waste of space utilization when storing multiple small files.
Relatively speaking, the NTFS disk format cluster is quite thin, so it can effectively utilize disk space and is not prone to fragmentation. In addition, the NTFS disk format is also advantageous than the FAT system when processing a single huge file, such as video capture and editing. With the development of massive hard disks, it will become increasingly necessary to use NTFS partition formats - you don't want to divide the number of partitions with a 24-letter disk letter to accommodate partition capacity, right? Therefore, it makes sense for Microsoft to recommend using NTFS instead of FAT32 file system to format partitions larger than 32GB.
2. The impact of the new generation of Windows operating systems
As time goes by, Microsoft will likely abandon the installation and maintenance of the operating system compatible with DOS, that is, after the CD is booted, it will directly use a new direct graphical interface to install the next generation of Windows. This can avoid the negative impact of the DOS mode memory configuration environment on installation of Windows, and it can also invalidate many programs that crack its activation settings (memory configuration in the DOS environment is more complicated for novices, and many people fail to install XP in addition to hardware compatibility issues, which is due to this reason); at the same time, for end users, the new installation mode can better analyze the user's hardware system during installation, providing more friendly prompts and stronger fault resolution functions. If you use a graphical interface to directly manage installation tasks, based on the reasons described in the first point, Windows may require users to use NTFS to format the partitions of the new generation of massive hard disks with more than 32G before continuing to install. It is also possible to forcefully promote the NTFS disk format by removing support for the FAT system in the new operating system.
3. User security and management problems caused by networking and multi-PC connections
In the future, computers will have an irreversible trend for online work and entertainment. With the further popularization of the Internet around the world, the security and management of online computers are becoming increasingly prominent, and many people have more than one computer in their homes due to upgrades. Only by using NTFS can the security performance and manageability of Windows systems be truly guaranteed. Whether it is accessing INTERNET or the user establishing a LAN at home by himself, NTFS will allow users to more flexibly configure and manage computer resources. There are already many information on NTFS's disk quota, user permissions, personal file encryption and other functions, as well as network applications, and the advantages of network applications, and will not be repeated here.
In addition, NTFS supports the POSIX standard based on UNIX services and is also very portable. This ensures its compatibility with other network platforms.
Of course, the premise of all this is that Windows or an operating system that occupies a monopoly position. Judging from the current situation, it is still no problem for Microsoft to maintain its leading position in the software industry. Massive hard drives with a capacity of more than 500G may appear at the end of next year or the beginning of the year after, which is one of the most powerful driving forces to promote the NTFS disk format to become a mainstream partition format.
From the above points, we can see that for home PCs, the biggest benefit of using NTFS is the first point, that is, NTFS has better support and utilization for large hard disks, and the third point is mainly for commercial users. Here I would like to say to those entry-level users. If you use NTFS and don’t have a good understanding of NTFS’s disk quota, user permissions, personal file encryption and other functions, it is best not to set the permissions of the directory at will, otherwise there may be unexpected consequences.
Count the four advantages of NTFS
1. File system with error warning
In the NTFS partition, the first 16 sectors are partition boot sectors, which store the partition boot code, followed by the main file table (Master File Table, hereinafter referred to as MFT). However, if the disk sector it is located happens to be damaged, the NTFS file system will intelligently switch the MFT to other sectors of the hard disk, ensuring the normal use of the file system, that is, ensuring the normal operation of Windows. The previous FAT (file allocation table) of FAT16 and FAT32 can only be fixed behind the partition boot sector. Once the sector is damaged, the entire file system will be paralyzed.
But this smart mobile MFT approach is certainly not perfect. If an error occurs in the partition boot code pointing to the MFT, the NTFS file system will not know where to look for the MFT, and will report error messages such as "disk is not formatted". In order to avoid such problems, the partition boot code will contain a verification program, which is specifically responsible for error detection.
2. File reading speed is more efficient!
I'm afraid many people have heard that NTFS file system has many new features in terms of security, but do you know: NTFS has also improved file processing speed compared to FAT32?
Readers who know a little about DOS must be familiar with the various properties of files: read-only, hidden, system, etc. In the NTFS file system, these properties still exist, but are very different. Here, everything is a property, and even the content of the file is also a property. The list of these properties is not fixed and can be increased at any time, which is why you will see on the NTFS partition that the file has more properties.
File attributes in NTFS file system can be divided into two types: permanent attributes and non-resident attributes. Resident attributes are directly saved in MFT. For example, file names and related time information (such as creation time, modification time, etc.) will always belong to permanent attributes. Resident attributes are saved outside MFT, but a complex indexing method will be used to indicate. If a file or folder is less than 1500 bytes (in fact, there are quite a few files or folders of this size on our computer), then all their properties, including content, will be permanently resident in MFT, which is loaded into memory as soon as Windows starts. In this way, when you view these files or folders, their contents are actually already cached, which naturally greatly improves the access speed of files and folders.
Tips
Why is FAT not as efficient as NTFS
The file allocation table of the FAT file system can only list the name and starting cluster of each file, and does not indicate whether the file exists. It needs to be judged by the records of the folder where it is located, and the folder entrance is contained in the index of the file allocation table. Therefore, when accessing a file, you must first read the file allocation table to determine that the file already exists, and then read the file allocation table again to find the first cluster of the file. Then you can find all the storage clusters of the file through chain search, and you can only access it after final determination.
3. Disk self-healing function
NTFS uses a "self-healing" system to automatically detect and repair logical and physical errors on hard drives. In the FAT16 and FAT32 era, we need to use the Scandisk program to mark bad sectors on the disk, but when an error is found, the data is often written on the bad sectors, and the loss has been caused.
This is not the case with the NTFS file system. Every time it reads and writes, it checks whether the sector is correct or not. When an error is found during reading, NTFS will report this error; when an error is found when writing a file to disk, NTFS will intelligently change the data in a good location, and the operation will not be affected in any way. In both cases, NTFS will be marked on the bad sectors in case of future use. This working mode allows disk errors to be detected earlier and avoid catastrophic accidents.
Some people find that when converting disks to NTFS file systems, it is difficult to find disk errors with disk scanners. After the previous introduction, do you know why this is?
4. Event logging function of "Disaster Prevention and Relief"
In the NTFS file system, any operation can be regarded as an "event". For example, copying a file from disk C to disk D, the entire copying process is an event. The event log always supervises the entire operation, and when it discovers the complete file on the target location, disk D, a "completed" mark will be recorded. If the power is out of order in the middle of the copy, "Completed" will not be recorded in the event log, and NTFS can re-complete the previous event after an incoming call. The function of the event log is not that it can recover the losses, but that it supervises all events, so that the system will always know which tasks have been completed and those tasks have not been completed yet, ensuring that the system will not be disordered due to sudden events such as power outages, and minimize destructiveness.
5. Do I need any additional features?
In fact, NTFS also provides functions such as disk compression, data encryption, disk quota (right-click the partition in "My Computer" and "Properties" in parallel, and enter the "Quota" tab to set), dynamic disk management, etc. These functions are introduced more in many newspapers and magazines, and will not be introduced in detail here.
NTFS provides different access control, privacy and security management functions for different users. If your system is in a stand-alone environment, such as a home computer, then these functions do not mean much to you.
Tips
NTFS converted from FAT, performance discount
If the partition is converted from FAT32 to NTFS file system (using the command "CONVERT drive letter /FS:NTFS"), not only will the MFT easily cause disk fragmentation, but even worse, the disk defragmentation tool often cannot organize the MFTs in these partitions, which seriously affects system performance. Therefore, it is recommended to format the partition directly into an NTFS file system.
7 wonderful questions and answers in NTFS format
1. What is NTFS?
If you want to understand NTFS, we should first understand FAT. FAT (File Allocation Table) means "file allocation table". For us, its significance lies in the management of hard disk partitions. FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS are the three most common file systems.
FAT16: The DOS and Windows 95 we used to use the FAT16 file system, and the commonly used Windows 98/2000/XP and other systems support the FAT16 file system. It can manage partitions as large as 2GB, but each partition can only have up to 65,525 clusters (clusters are the configuration units of disk space). As the capacity of the hard disk or partition increases, the space occupied by each cluster will become larger and larger, resulting in waste of hard disk space.
FAT32: With the emergence of large-capacity hard drives, FAT32 has become popular since Windows 98. It is an enhanced version of FAT16 and can support partitions as large as 2TB (2048GB). FAT32 uses smaller clusters than FAT16, thus effectively saving hard disk space.
NTFS: A disk format specially designed for network and disk quotas, file encryption and other management security features supported by Microsoft's Windows NT kernel series operating systems. With the popularity of Windows 2000/XP with NT as the core, many individual users have begun to use NTFS. NTFS also stores data files in clusters, but the size of the cluster in NTFS does not depend on the size of the disk or partition. The reduction in cluster size not only reduces the waste of disk space, but also reduces the possibility of disk fragmentation. NTFS supports file encryption management functions, which can provide users with higher-level security guarantees.
2. What system can support NTFS file system?
Only Windows NT/2000/XP can recognize NTFS systems. Operating systems such as Windows 9x/Me and DOS cannot support and recognize disks in the NTFS format. Since the DOS system does not support NTFS system, it is best not to make the C: disk as an NTFS system, so that it is easy to repair it under the DOS system after the system crashes.
Operating systems supported by file system
fat16 windows 95/98/me/nt/2000/xp unix，linux，dos
fat32 windows 95/98/me/2000/xp
ntfs windows nt/2000/xp
3. Do I need NTFS?
Windows 2000/XP is backward compatible on the file system. It can support FAT16/FAT32 and NTFS well. Among them, NTFS is a Windows NT/2000/XP dedicated format. It can make more efficient use of disk space, support file-level compression, and have better file security. If you only install Windows 2000/XP, it is recommended to choose the NTFS file system. If the multi-boot system is used, the system disk (C disk) must be FAT16 or FAT32, otherwise multi-boot is not supported. Of course, the file system of other partitions can be NTFS.
4. How to convert FAT partition to NTFS?
Windows 2000/XP provides partition format conversion tool "". It is a DOS command line program included in Windows 2000. Through this tool, you can convert FAT to NTFS directly without destroying the FAT file system. Its usage is very simple. First, switch to the DOS command line window in the Windows 2000 environment, and type: D:>convert at the prompt. The drive letter to be converted /FS:NTFS. If the system E disk was originally FAT16/32, it now needs to be converted to NTFS. You can use the following format: D:>convert e: /FS:NTFS. All conversions will be completed after the system restarts.
In addition, you can also use specialized conversion tools, such as the famous hard disk lossless partitioning tool Partition Magic, which is also very easy to convert disk file formats. First, select the partition to be converted from the disk partition list in the interface. Select the "Convert Partition" button from the interface button bar, or select the "Convert" command from the "Operations" drop-down menu of the interface menu bar. Activate the function interface. Select the conversion output to "NTFS" in the interface, and then click the "OK" button to return to the main interface of the program. Click "Apply" in the lower right corner of the interface to add settings. After that, the system will restart and complete the partition format conversion operation.
5. Although NTFS format partition is superior, how to retrieve unexpectedly lost files under this partition?
You can use specialized software such as Final Data for NTFS, or Get Data Back for NTFS. The file recovery effect of these two software is good. If there is no file operation after the file is deleted, the recovery rate is close to 100%. So don't wait until the file is deleted before installing this software. It is best to install it with the Windows system and perform the recovery operation immediately after the file is deleted accidentally. Generally, you can restore the deleted files back.
6. My Windows
2000/XP is installed in C disk (NTFS format). If you cannot enter C disk in DOS state, what should you do when Windows crashes? You can use the Windows 2000/XP installation CD boot to repair Windows, or create a Windows 2000/XP installation boot emergency disk. Note: The Windows 2000 installation disk production program is in the program's installation CD, while the Windows XP emergency disk production is independently provided and needs to be downloaded from Microsoft's website.
7. Final Data for NTFS or Get Data Back for
Can NTFS fix unexpectedly formatted hard disks?
Can. Both software can recover formatted deleted data (except for low-level formatting). Regular formatting only deletes data information, while low-level formatting deletes all data areas. When the hard disk technology is not as developed as it is now, the disk surface is easily worn. Hard disk users often use low-level formatting for frequently occurring read errors. To repair a formatted hard disk, you can only remove the hard disk, install it on another computer, and then perform file repair operations. Final Data can even fix hard drives damaged by CIH viruses.