external hardrive formate

ANNR · 12-31-2006, 09:20 AM

i got a 320GB external hardrive thats in fat32 formate. is it better to leave it as fat32 or is it gona be better if i formate it to NTFS? if NTFS is better should i go a low level formate? or just regular formate to NTFS?

thanks

heyman421 · 12-31-2006, 10:00 AM

what's the drive for?

if it's just for extra storage, leave it fat32, it's a bit faster

ntfs has the advantage of being 'more reliable' at the cost of speed

and a low level format doesn't erase or reformat the drive, it rebuilds the headers, and paging sectors of the disk, for when a drive becomes unreadable for any reason

**Cromewell** · 12-31-2006, 10:00 AM

Usually NTFS is better. I'd just run a fat->ntfs conversion (almost formating but you usually keep the files that are already on it)

ANNR · 12-31-2006, 07:33 PM

thanks guys.

12-31-2006, 09:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
ANNR Platinum Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 879	external hardrive formate i got a 320GB external hardrive thats in fat32 formate. is it better to leave it as fat32 or is it gona be better if i formate it to NTFS? if NTFS is better should i go a low level formate? or just regular formate to NTFS? thanks __________________ Vista Ultimate x64 Antec 900 Q6600 Zotac 8800GTs 2x2GB Dual DDR800 SEAGATE ST3500320AS 500GB 2x500GB WD Slave 27" LCD

12-31-2006, 10:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
Cromewell Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Canada Age: 26 Posts: 11,804	Usually NTFS is better. I'd just run a fat->ntfs conversion (almost formating but you usually keep the files that are already on it) __________________ You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in command here. www.userfriendly.org

12-31-2006, 07:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
ANNR Platinum Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 879	thanks guys. __________________ Vista Ultimate x64 Antec 900 Q6600 Zotac 8800GTs 2x2GB Dual DDR800 SEAGATE ST3500320AS 500GB 2x500GB WD Slave 27" LCD

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12-31-2006, 10:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
heyman421 banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 2,349	what's the drive for? if it's just for extra storage, leave it fat32, it's a bit faster ntfs has the advantage of being 'more reliable' at the cost of speed and a low level format doesn't erase or reformat the drive, it rebuilds the headers, and paging sectors of the disk, for when a drive becomes unreadable for any reason