I was wondering whether it is a good idea to modify my C drive from the FAT32 format to NTFS. I have an idea how this can be accomplished, but I want to be sure it is totally safe. Are there any drawbacks to NTFS?

The reason I ask is because I just purchased a new toy, something which will allow me to transfer video game footage from my TV to my laptop. With this device, FAT32 appears to optimize disk space too inefficiently to be practical.

NTFS is more efficient, secure and reliable than Fat32 and can be used on larger drives. If it has a drawback compared to fat32 it's in being more secure. You can't fire up an NTFS drive with a simple 98 boot disk and poke around. It's more difficult, if even possible, to take an NTFS boot (c:) drive out of one PC, put it in another, fire it up, and expect it to run. Probably something you don't intend to do. For a non-hacker/tech, NTFS is probably the way you want to go. Bring a book, the conversion takes a while and a half. And of course, if you have stuff on the PC that real important to you, Back it up first.

Yeah. What rjodea said. NTFS is more efficient, and being honest, really the big draw of NTFS is encryption. Then again, compared to Fat32, NTFS is the format of choice these days.

Fat32 has a file size limit of 4gb. I see that as the biggest reason to convert to NTFS. Here's how to easily convert to NTFS:


"To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt

Open Command Prompt. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.

In the command prompt window, type: convert drive_letter: /fs:ntfs

For example, typing convert D: /fs:ntfs would format drive D: with the ntfs format. You can convert FAT or FAT32 volumes to NTFS with this command."

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb456984.aspx

XP uses NTSF. Previous versions used FAT 32. Format based on the OS you are using.

Ok, thanks to everyone for the help.

The earliest versions were using FAT32, as many people were upgrading their Win98 or 2000s and didn't want to format their hard drive..it was only a suggestion back then to switch to NTFS, As I remember, I couldn't care less about my junk stuff, just formatted the damn thing..I was happy to be rid of win98SE, which I still have, also Win95 and Win 3.1 in my drawer somewhere.

I am glad that some new Linux is compatible with a form like NTFS. It used to be at one time if you were using Windows you used the FAT16 or FAT32 and the same for some Linux distros. But with the newer Linux you can have it beside your XP. At least with Ubuntu you can.

What operatingsystem arte you using? The last few from Microsoft used NTFS. Just curious cause if your equipment is old enought to have been done in FAT32 it may not meet system requirements. If this is just a partion or extrenal HDD keep in mind that Mac OsX and most linus distros wont read of see NTFS partitions

Blaze1978,
The ntfs is more efficient than fat32.

Dweeb2,
GNU linux is able to read and write to ntfs.
Has read ntfs for quite some time.

RainbowTrout,
When I started playing with linux in 1997, I had it 'beside' a windows install (multi boot). One doesn't have to have a 'newer linux' to do so.

Cheers

Not sure if anyone mention this either but there is a built in Windows convertion tool for converting from FAT to NFTS I forget the command I only used it once and not sure which version of Windows have it, I normally just do a reformat start from a clean slate.

More on topic though I would suggest NFTS over the others for standard workstations and computers, I use FAT32 when I format my thumb drive for installing Windows 7 installs etc...

NFTS system for storing files is better, faster and more secure but takes up more space basically upgraded version of FAT32 if you will.

FAT32 only thing I see good about it is less space it takes on hard drive, reason I use it on my thumb drives.

switch to linux, use xfs, ext4, or some other amazing filesystem not supported by Windows/OS X ;]