# OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
**Category:** [Yahoo Archive](https://www.epiusers.help/c/yahoo-archive/9)
**Created:** 2001-01-30 12:22 UTC
**Views:** 435
**Replies:** 9
**URL:** https://www.epiusers.help/t/off-topic-format-nt-as-fat-or-ntfs/2098
---
## Post #1 by @system
This is the way I was taught also...by MCSE instructor.
Lydia
-----Original Message-----
From: Katharine Barry [mailto:
kbarry@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 8:59 AM
To: Vantage @ Yahoo Groups
Subject: FW: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Barry [mailto:
mbarry@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 8:48 AM
To:
kbarry@...
Subject: RE: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
Ok, so here's the official word from Microsoft on the matter. In summary:
Use FAT for a very small (Read NT System Files Only) partition because FAT
can be read in the event of disaster recover. Put everything else on NTFS.
See below for details:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/deploy/fat.asp
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Konecny [mailto:
jkonecn@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 7:40 AM
To:
vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
I always use NTFS on both.
Troy Funte wrote:
>
> Do you format both partitions as NTFS, or do you leave one of them as
FAT?
>
> Troy Funte
> Liberty Electronics
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joe Konecny
> To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:35 AM
> Subject: Re: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
>
> Make sure you use two partitions. One for the operating system
> and one for data/programs. This makes upgrading drives very easy
> in the future.
>
> Paul Siebers wrote:
> >
> > Troy,
> >
> > NTFS is more secure, and stores data more efficiently. This results
in a
> > larger capacity for storage on your drive. I recommend it...
> >
> > Paul
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Troy Funte [mailto:tfunte@...]
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:24 AM
> > To: Vantage
> > Subject: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
> >
> > When configuring an NT workstation (used to be a Win98) do you
typically
> > format the drive as FAT or NTFS when asked by the NT installation
process.
> >
> > Troy Funte
> > Liberty Electronics
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >
> >
> >
> >
<
http://rd.yahoo.com/M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmail/S=1700007
> > 183:N/A=567146/R=1/*http://domains.yahoo.com>
> >
<
http://rd.yahoo.com/M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmail/S=1700007
> > 183:N/A=567146/R=2/*http://domains.yahoo.com>
> >
> > www.
> >
> >
<
http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=176325.1307935.29003151248727/D=egroupmai
> > l/S=1700007183:N/A=567146/rand=501761615>
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> www.
>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
Personalize your company´s name. Choose the domain name below
and press SEARCH!
www.
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.comWhen configuring an NT workstation (used to be a Win98) do you typically format the drive as FAT or NTFS when asked by the NT installation process.
Troy Funte
Liberty Electronics
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
---
## Post #3 by @system
---
## Post #4 by @system
---
## Post #5 by @system
Troy,
NT4.0 can only read and write in NTFS when first loaded from the CD. There
is a patch for NT4 to be able to read and write FAT32 but it is not on the
installation CD so you will need to format it in NTFS and then if you want
another partition or drive to be FAT32 you must install the patch. The
patch is available on the microsoft web site (If they arent being hacked
today), if you cant find it let me know and I can send it to you.
Jim MacMillan
System Administrator
Sales/Marketing
Scientific Dimensions
800-523-6180
jimmac@...I you want file level security and improved error handling, go with NTFS.
The only reason I can think to go FAT is if you have old software that
requires it (not to common) or you are planning on running dual Operating
Systems on this workstation. In other words, on a clean install I would go
with NTFS basically every time.
Aaron Hoyt
System Administrator
Design Standards Corp.
PO Box 1620
Charlestown, NH 03603
Tel 603-826-7744
<mailto:
Aaron@...>
-----Original Message-----
From: Troy Funte [mailto:
tfunte@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:24 AM
To: Vantage
Subject: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
When configuring an NT workstation (used to be a Win98) do you typically
format the drive as FAT or NTFS when asked by the NT installation process.
Troy Funte
Liberty Electronics
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.comTroy:
You're gonna get different opinions here. Depends on how you are gonna us
NT once it's running. I typically create a 500 to 750 mb partition for the
NT operating system. During the installation I format this as FAT and load
NT to that partition. That's about all I put there, too. Then once NT is
up and running I'll create other partitions and format them as NTFS. That's
where I'll put all the applications, etc. That way if I ever want to dual
boot with something else I can while at the same time taking advantage of
NT's security, etc on the NTFS partitions.
HTH
Terry L. Williams I.S. Manager Chipsco, Inc. 9936 Liberty St. Ext.
Meadville, PA 16335 814-333-6331 x236 fax: 814-337-2548
tlw@...
www.chipsco.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Troy Funte [mailto:
tfunte@...]
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:24 AM
To: Vantage
Subject: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
When configuring an NT workstation (used to be a Win98) do you typically
format the drive as FAT or NTFS when asked by the NT installation process.
Troy Funte
Liberty Electronics
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.comDo you format both partitions as NTFS, or do you leave one of them as FAT?
Troy Funte
Liberty Electronics
----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Konecny
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:35 AM
Subject: Re: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
Make sure you use two partitions. One for the operating system
and one for data/programs. This makes upgrading drives very easy
in the future.
Paul Siebers wrote:
>
> Troy,
>
> NTFS is more secure, and stores data more efficiently. This results in a
> larger capacity for storage on your drive. I recommend it...
>
> Paul
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Troy Funte [mailto:tfunte@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:24 AM
> To: Vantage
> Subject: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
>
> When configuring an NT workstation (used to be a Win98) do you typically
> format the drive as FAT or NTFS when asked by the NT installation process.
>
> Troy Funte
> Liberty Electronics
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
>
>
> <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmail/S=1700007
> 183:N/A=567146/R=1/*http://domains.yahoo.com>
> <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmail/S=1700007
> 183:N/A=567146/R=2/*http://domains.yahoo.com>
>
> www.
>
> <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmai
> l/S=1700007183:N/A=567146/rand=501761615>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
www.
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I always use NTFS on both.
Troy Funte wrote:
>
> Do you format both partitions as NTFS, or do you leave one of them as FAT?
>
> Troy Funte
> Liberty Electronics
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joe Konecny
> To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:35 AM
> Subject: Re: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
>
> Make sure you use two partitions. One for the operating system
> and one for data/programs. This makes upgrading drives very easy
> in the future.
>
> Paul Siebers wrote:
> >
> > Troy,
> >
> > NTFS is more secure, and stores data more efficiently. This results in a
> > larger capacity for storage on your drive. I recommend it...
> >
> > Paul
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Troy Funte [mailto:tfunte@...]
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 9:24 AM
> > To: Vantage
> > Subject: [Vantage] OFF TOPIC - format NT as FAT or NTFS?
> >
> > When configuring an NT workstation (used to be a Win98) do you typically
> > format the drive as FAT or NTFS when asked by the NT installation process.
> >
> > Troy Funte
> > Liberty Electronics
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >
> >
> >
> > <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmail/S=1700007
> > 183:N/A=567146/R=1/*http://domains.yahoo.com>
> > <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmail/S=1700007
> > 183:N/A=567146/R=2/*http://domains.yahoo.com>
> >
> > www.
> >
> > <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=176325.1307935.2900315.1248727/D=egroupmai
> > l/S=1700007183:N/A=567146/rand=501761615>
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
> www.
>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> vantage-unsubscribe@egroups.com
The advantage to the system drive of a workstation being FAT is that if it
won't boot for some reason, you can still start it from a Windows 9x boot
disk and be able to read the FAT partition and fix the problem. Of course
the disadvantage is the same. Its a security trade-off. It depends on
whether you store secure data on your workstations or not.
Of course, there are DOS tools that will read NTFS partitions (NTFS-DOS, for
one), but I have found them to be very difficult to operate reliably.
Brian
> Do you format both partitions as NTFS, or do you leave one
> of them as FAT?