An improved file system

The File Allocation Table (FAT) system of keeping track of the contents of a disk dates back to the days when computers didn't have hard disks! While methods have been found to improve it to cope with the ever increasing size of hard disks, it is rapidly running out of steam.

To take its place Microsoft came up with New Technology File System (NTFS). This handles today's hard disks better and has several other advantages, including greater security, less wasted space and file compression. See http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prkc_fil_duwx.asp Windows XP includes a tool for converting FAT32 to NTFS and you should make the conversion if you want to optimise your system.

The main disadvantage of NTFS is that it is not backwards compatible. Earlier versions of Windows, such as Windows 95, 98 and ME (these versions are often referred to as Windows 9x), will tell you that the disk is not formatted, or won't even see the disk. If you are using a dual boot system with these versions of Windows, you will either have to create a shared FAT32 partition where data can be interchanged between NT/2000/XP and 9x, or format your NT/2000/XP partition as FAT32 so that Windows 98 can read it.

Even NTFS is running out of steam and the next version of Windows will see the introduction of yet another file system with further backwards compatibility problems, no doubt.