Windows XP Pro with FAT32?

[JacksonVFR]

I will finally be ordering a new custom computer soon with a blank 80 GB Maxtor hard-drive which I would like to install Windows XP Pro on. I would like to also add my current (and nearly FULL) partitioned hard-drive to the new system (also an 80 GB Maxtor).

I have several questions revolving around NTFS and FAT32:

1) Will my current paritioned hard-drive (running Windows 98 first edition now, which I will format clean before installing it into my new system) be compatable with XP Pro even though it's FAT32? Will it still have the supposed "stability" of XP Pro?

2) If NTFS will have better stability, then would I be ok if I simply formated my new hard-drive to NTFS and left my current at FAT32? In other words, is this "improved stability" still available if I'm accessing my FAT32 drive with my OS installed on an NTFS formatted drive?

3) My current hard-drive has one parition in FAT32 that consists of 40 GB. I read somewhere that XP Pro will not parition FAT32 drives over 32 GB. Will it read my over-sized one though?

Thank you and excuse my ignorance of this. I'm not too savvy when it comes to these terms, but I've tried to familiarize myself with them.

 

[franklin97355]

If you are going to format it just format it as NTFS.

 

[JacksonVFR]

Thanks for the input and opinion, but I would really like to get some of my specific questions answered if anybody can.

Also, I really would rather not just jump into formatting everything as NTFS for two reasons:

1) Once you go NTFS, I hear it's difficult to return to FAT32.

2) I would rather not go through the work of backing up nearly 80 full GB of information on my current hard-drive. I seriously, would just go with Windows 98SE if I had to go through that trouble.

But please don't try pursuading me, just please, if anybody can answer my specific questions in the first post. Thanks!

 

[linney]

98 (also DOS) will have a devil of a job reading any NTFS partition. XP will have no problems with either FAT32 or NTFS partitions and one of any size too. There are some third party programs with drivers that allow 98 to read and write to NTFS partitions, and whereas they work well in most situations I have never found them to be a 100% reliable solution.



Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314463

HOW TO: Create a Multiple-Boot System in Windows XP(Q306559)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q306/5/59.asp

http://www.ntfs.com

 

[kutz13]

Q1. & Q2. The supposed 'stability' of XP comes mainly from the changes to the operating system as opposed to the disk format. Although there are more benefits available to NTFS users, such as more efficient use of disk space.
Q3. Early versions of fdisk had a limitation of 32Gb, although I believe that this was addressed in 98SE. Certainly I have partitioned many drives over 80Gb before.

You're right in that once you've made the conversion to NTFS you are unable to go back to FAT32, and in the hundreds of drives I have converted I have never needed to rely once on a backup.

If you have doubts about NTFS just stay with FAT32. You'll be missing out on some functionality and enhancements though.

 

[franklin97355]

Sorry, thought you said you were going to format your current drive. Then you would want to use NTFS if you are not formatting..NEVER MIND.

 

[lamar225]

Maxtor drive software that comes with the drive will help you alot, you can use the diffrent settings. Anyway your drive will be empty go ahead and try it, it wont blow up