Should Windows XP be installed on FAT32 or NTFS?

Question

I am running my XP on FAT32. Is this better than NTFS? I read that NTFS is more secure but since I am running Firefox I have had no problems with viruses.

Answer 1

First of all, Firefox will do nothing to protect you from a virus. It may protect you from certain browser hijacks and malicious scripts designed for IE but it offers no virus protection whatsoever. If you are not using anti-virus software, I strongly recommend NOD32 because it detects new viruses and does not slow your machine down like Norton or McAfee products.

With regards to FAT32 or NTFS, it depends on how you define 'better' but in most cases NTFS is best for Windows XP.

The benefits of NTFS:
1) encryption (if someone gets their hands on your computer or HDD, they will not be able to read it without your password unless they are very skilled and determined)
2) can handle large volumes (up to 2TB)
3) file compression
4) can handle large files (limited only by HDD volume)
5) faster with larger volumes

NTFS also has recoverability and better fault tolerance.

The limitations of FAT:
1) unencrypted (anyone with access to your computer or HDD has access to all the files on your system)
2) can only handle volumes up to 32GB
3) no file compression
4) can only handle files up to 4GB minus 2 bytes
5) slower with larger volumes

FAT does have a benefit, though. It is much faster for smaller volumes.

For this reason, when some people create a separate paging file on another physical HDD in an attempt to increase WindowsXP's performance, they may use FAT. Since a few GB is more than enough for a paging file, FAT is faster.

Unfortunately, as I stated above, FAT is unencrypted so any documents you opened recently may be in the paging file and thus exposed to prying eyes.

Personally, I would not take the risk. I keep all my partitions (even paging files) in NTFS.

Answer 2

Windows XP is able to run ok on FAT32. However, FAT32 provides very little security, such that a user with access to a drive using FAT32 has access to the files on that drive. The NTFS file system was introduced with first version of Windows NT, and is a completely different file system from FAT (16 or 32). Several advantages of NTFS includes greater (and increased) security, and better file–by–file compression, quotas, and even encryption. NTFS allows the use of NTFS Permissions. It's much more difficult to implement, but folder and file access can be controlled individually, down to an an extreme degree if necessary. It is the default file system for new installations of Windows XP. I assumed that you upgraded from a previous version of windows OS (FAT32), so you were probably asked if you want to convert your existing file systems to NTFS. If you've already upgraded to Windows XP and didn't do the conversion then, you can convert FAT16 or FAT32 volumes to NTFS at any point. Just remember that you can't easily go back to FAT or FAT32 (without reformatting the drive or partition), not that I think you'll want to. For most users running Windows XP, NTFS is the obvious choice. It's more powerful and offers security advantages not found in the other file systems.

(BTW, I am running all of my Windows XP computers on NTFS.)

Answer 3

Depending on what you use it for....... Even though it is irrelevant with the newest technology, FAT32 runs games faster than NTFS. But NTFS is the way to go now. It supports bigger hard drives.

Answer 4

FAT and NTFS have nothing to do with internet or computer security. They have to do with how information is stored on the computer and how stable it is.

FAT32 is an old method that is not very efficient and is less stable. You definitely want to use NTFS, unless you have a very good reason to use FAT32.

Answer 5

NTFS is the file system of choice for XP. And Firefox has nothing to do with your susceptibility to viruses, so don't get a false sense of security.

Answer 6

it is up to you.
NTFS provides security and encoding measures so that you have a more protected hard drive.
FAT32 doesn't provide these, but if the hd gets hosed - you can do a recovery an move stuff files around off of the bad spots - so you can recover data. NTFS doesn't allow you to do that.

Answer 7

NO NO! FAT32 is unstable NTFS is stronger

Answer 8

I agree with x cybernet x, I'd go for NTFS