[Question] Format NTFS vs. format FAT32 and then convert to NTFS

[Alpaca Portrait]

I was wondering what differences there were (if any) between formatting a partition/drive with NTFS vs. formatting it with FAT32 and then later converting it to NTFS. Thanks.

[tap52384]

I personally do not know the difference, but I would imagine that it would never be as good as originally formatting with NTFS, just like an upgrade of windows isn't as good as starting fresh.

[Idontwantspam]

Why not just start with NTFS?

[Alpaca Portrait]

Why not just start with NTFS?

It's not about that, I just want to know if there's a difference between the two. Edited July 8, 2007 by Alpaca Portrait

[Idontwantspam]

Well there's lots of differences between the two formats; you can find out ore about those by searching the web or these forums. But as for the difference between an original and a converted format, I dunno.

[uid0]

You wont have NTFS security set up if converting from FAT:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/237399/

[Alpaca Portrait]

Interesting. Thanks.

[Griefage]

if you don't start with ntfs you won't have dynamic disk support.

Windows XP Professional supports two types of disk storage: basic and dynamic. Basic disk storage uses partition-oriented disks. A basic disk contains basic volumes (primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical drives).

Dynamic disk storage uses volume-oriented disks, and includes features that basic disks do not, such as the ability to create volumes that span multiple disks (spanned and striped volumes).

[Stoic Joker]

This MS KB article should cover it: NTFS Preinstallation and Windows XP