Reformat Fat 32 or NTFS Question

I would recommend NTFS. With Windows XP you are limited to a maximum of a 32GB parition if you want to format FAT32.

If you didn't change anything in the computer (swap harddrive or so), then you shouldn't have to go into the chassis to reinstall Windows.

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@doodbrie wrote:

Hi

Optiplex GX1, AO7, Pentium1100 ,256ram, XP Pro, Geforce Graphics Card

 

I want to reformat my Hard Drive but am confused, which option do I use Fat 32 or NTFS?

My hard Drive is a Maxtor 40 GIG.

Also how do I set the Jumpers on the Mother board?

 

Regards

doodbrie

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WIN2000/XP enforce a 32 gig format limit.

I always recommend booting a WIN98SE startup disk and format with FAT32 and command.com

Then install XP. That way you have Dual boot and recovery from crash whereas with NTFS you do not.
You also need boot fat32 for bios updates and a few other things that I wont get into.


The FAT32 on-disk format and features on Windows XP Professional are similar to those on Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98, and Windows Me.

The size of a FAT32 cluster is determined by the system and can range in size from 1 sector (512 bytes) to 128 sectors (64 KB), incremented in powers of 2.

Note

Using 64-KB clusters in FAT32 can lead to compatibility problems with certain programs. The maximum cluster size recommended for a FAT32 volume is 32 KB.
Because FAT32 requires 4 bytes to store cluster values, many internal and on-disk data structures have been revised or expanded. Most programs are unaffected by these changes; however, disk tools that read the on-disk format must be updated to support FAT32.

The most significant difference between FAT16 and FAT32 is the maximum number of clusters supported, which in turn affects a volume's maximum size and storage efficiency. FAT32 breaks the 4-GB volume limitation of FAT16 by extending the maximum number of clusters.

Due to the greater number of available clusters within FAT32, each cluster can be made smaller for a particular volume, increasing the efficiency of data storage. For example, FAT16 volumes between 2 and 4 GB use a 64-KB cluster, whereas FAT32 volumes between 16 GB and 32 GB use a 16-KB cluster.

Note

The 127.5-GB limit on FAT32 volumes imposed in Windows 98 no longer applies to Windows Me. In Windows Me, using a cluster size of 32 KB, a FAT32 volume can theoretically be about 8 terabytes. However, the 32-bit fields in the partition table (and in the FAT32 boot sector) limit the size of an individual volume (regardless of file system) on a basic MBR disk using a sector size of 512 bytes to approximately 2 terabytes.

Although Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional can mount FAT32 volumes of any size, Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional can format FAT32 volumes up to 32 GB only. Win2000 will not install on a WINDOWS ME created FAT32 partition.

WIN98 and WIN98SE have a visual limit of 60 gigs.   The bios will show maximally 65535 megs in CMOS.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=263045

This is cosmetic but can be patched.
WINME doesnt have this problem.

FDISK Cannot create partitions larger than 512 GIGS.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=280737

Systems without 48 bit lba have other issues with partitions larger than 127 gigs.

ALL VERSIONS OF WINDOWS by default without Service packs or the INTEL APPLICATION ACCELERATOR do not support 48 bit lba. 

 

There are updated fdisk.exe and format.com files for this problem .

Too remove ntfs , do a google seach for Delpart , it removes them .

As for recommending someone to move from fat32 to ntfs , it comes down to what the person dose on their pc .

If its games , and most programs , you'll run into a lot of problems under ntfs , simply because of the security features it has .

If you read the fine print of almost any game or program , you'll see most developers have fat32 in mind , and not ntfs , so play it safe ...

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To create and install any os on fat32 formatted drive , do not use the os tools , always do this from a boot floppy , and have the updated , fdisk.exe , format.com , and delpart on another floppy ready to go .

Once partitioned , and formatted , you can then simple install the os and go ...

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@pxe fixer wrote:

There are updated fdisk.exe and format.com files for this problem .Too remove ntfs , do a google seach for Delpart , it removes them .As for recommending someone to move from fat32 to ntfs , it comes down to what the person dose on their pc .If its games , and most programs , you'll run into a lot of problems under ntfs , simply because of the security features it has .

If you read the fine print of almost any game or program , you'll see most developers have fat32 in mind , and not ntfs , so play it safe ...

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To create and install any os on fat32 formatted drive , do not use the os tools , always do this from a boot floppy , and have the updated , fdisk.exe , format.com , and delpart on another floppy ready to go .

Once partitioned , and formatted , you can then simple install the os and go ...

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Never ceases to amaze me that people make things up.  I mentioned the FDISK patch above. However there is no such thing as an updated format.  You pulled that from thin air and its BOGUS.  You do not need delpart if you have FDISK.  You just tell FDISK to remove NON DOS PARTITION and VIOLA no more ntfs.  You can also remove partitions using Debug. There is a KB article that describes this on both DELL and microsoft sites.

The fdisk patch is for WIN98 or WIN98SE.  Windows ME doesnt need any such patch.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=263044

Date      Time     Size    File name  Operating System
  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  05/19/00  10:30am  64,428  Fdisk.exe  Windows 98
  05/18/00   8:35am  64,460  Fdisk.exe  Windows 98 Second Edition

Removing partitions with Debug

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=106419

One of the main reasons I use FAT32 is that I dual boot Command.com or XP.  It also gives me a way to ghost only the data portion of the drive.

 

 

 

 

Its obvious that some people are less "all knowing" than they endure onto others .

There is an updated format.com file , but it has since been removed due too ms nolonger supporting older os's other than xp with sp1 installed .

This file is always available from my service , I did not "pull it from thin air" , as you say .

Ms also removed all older ftp services , since switching on the new service , which requires an authentic lisenced xp , registered to recieve all updates .

As for debug , just who actually use's it now ? ... and how many "techs" know how to use it correctly .

Delpart vs Debug

Delpart is atleast "graphical" so that newbies can see what they are doing , and with one inclusion ... the ability to remove "only" the chosen partition (boot info) , leaving others behind , should this be the intended requirement's of the end user .

Some users may have more than 2 non dos partitions , esspecially those who duel boot between windows and linux . The user is informed by delpart what each partition holds by name so they can make an informed decision of available choices .

Your (ms) debug dosent .

 

 

"There is an updated format.com file , but it has since been removed due too ms nolonger supporting older os's other than xp with sp1 installed ."

Both these statements are wrong.  :smileymad:  There cannot be something that was removed if it Never existed.

There is an FDISK Patch.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=263044

There is NOT a format patch.  Saying it does not make it so.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=263045
This is a display (or cosmetic) issue only; the drive is formatted to its full size.
The initial, incorrect size that Format reports is drivesize - 64 GB. For example, if a partition or logical drive is 70.3 GB (75,484,122,112 bytes) in size, Format initially reports the drive as being 6.3 GB (6,764,579,840 bytes) in size.  80 gig drives report as being 12 gigs etc.

APPLIES TO
• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
• Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

WIN98 and WIN98SE and WINME is still Supported.  NT Workstation, MSDOS, WIN31, WFW31, WIN95 is end of life.

Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition support was scheduled to end on January 16, 2004. The continual evaluation of the Support Lifecycle policy revealed, however, that customers in the smaller and the emerging markets needed additional time to upgrade their product. Therefore, Microsoft will continue to support Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me through June 30, 2006.