Choosing a File System | Introducing Microsoft Windows Server(TM) 2003

You can choose among three file systems for an installation partition: NTFS, FAT, and FAT32. NTFS is strongly recommended in most situations. You can use important features such as Active Directory and domain-based security only by choosing NTFS as your file system.

Note

On GPT disks, which are available only on Itanium-based computers, it's strongly recommended that you use NTFS for the installation partition. However, if you have an Itanium-based computer and you see that it has a small FAT partition of 100 MB or more, do not delete or reformat this partition. The partition is required for the loading of the operating system.

Table 15-3 describes a number of installation scenarios for x86-based computers (the last two scenarios are fairly uncommon) and provides file system guidelines for each one:

Table 15-3. File Systems for Scenarios

Scenario	File System
The computer currently uses NTFS only (no FAT or FAT32).	Continue to use NTFS. No additional information about file systems is needed.
The computer is x86-based and has one or more FAT or FAT32 partitions; and the computer contains only one operating system, or the operating systems on the computer include Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a product in the Windows Server 2003 family but no other operating systems.	If the computer is Itanium-based, see the important note earlier in this section. Consider reformatting or converting partitions so that all partitions use NTFS.
The computer will contain multiple operating systems, one of which is MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me.	For any partition that must be accessible from MS-DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me, use FAT (or, when appropriate, FAT32).
The computer will contain multiple operating systems, one of which is Windows NT.	Read "File System Compatibility" earlier in this chapter.

The sections that follow provide information about reformatting or converting a FAT or FAT32 partition to use NTFS, as well as additional background information about NTFS, FAT, and FAT32.

Reformatting or Converting to NTFS

If you have a FAT or FAT32 partition on which you want to install a product in the Windows Server 2003 family, and you want to use NTFS instead, you have two choices:

You can convert the FAT or FAT32 partition to NTFS. This leaves files intact, although the partition might have somewhat more fragmentation and slower performance than a partition formatted with NTFS. However, it is still advantageous to use NTFS, regardless of whether the partition was formatted with NTFS or converted.

If you install a product in the Windows Server 2003 family on a FAT or FAT32 partition, you are offered the option to convert the partition to NTFS. You can also convert a FAT or FAT32 partition after Setup by using Convert.exe. For more information about Convert.exe, after completing Setup, type help convert at the command prompt.
You can reformat the partition with NTFS. This erases all files on the partition but results in less fragmentation and better performance than with a converted partition.

Note

If you have an Itanium-based computer and you see that it has a small FAT partition of 100 MB or more, do not delete or reformat this partition. The partition is required for loading the operating system.

If you format a partition during Setup, the file system choices are listed as NTFS and FAT. Table 15-4 provides information about the relationship between partition size and file system choices during Setup.

Table 15-4. Formatting Partitions during Setup

Partition State	Setup Choices
Unformatted, less than 2 GB.	Setup offers NTFS or FAT. Setup uses the format chosen .
Unformatted, 2 GB or larger, up to a maximum of 32 GB.	Setup offers NTFS or FAT. If FAT is chosen, Setup uses FAT32.
Unformatted, larger than 32 GB.	Setup allows only NTFS.
Previously formatted with FAT32 and larger than 32 GB. (Partition created with Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me.)	No formatting needed, even though an unformatted partition of this size, when formatted during or after Setup for a product in the Windows Server 2003 family, would have to use NTFS. In other words, previously formatted FAT32 partitions of this size continue to be supported by the Windows Server 2003 family.

If you format a partition during Setup, you can choose between a quick format and a full format:

Quick format.

Quick format creates the file system structure on the disk without verifying the integrity of every sector. Choose this method for any disk that has no bad sectors and no history of file-corruption problems that might be related to bad sectors.
Full format.

A full format identifies and tracks bad sectors so that they are not used for storing data. Choose this method for any disk that has bad sectors or has a history of file-corruption problems that might be related to bad sectors.

NTFS Compared with FAT and FAT32

NTFS has always been a more powerful file system than FAT and FAT32. Windows 2000, Windows XP, and the Windows Server 2003 family include a new version of NTFS, with support for a variety of features, including Active Directory, which is needed for domains, user accounts, and other important security features.

FAT and FAT32 are similar to each other except that FAT32 is designed for larger disks than FAT. The file system that works most easily with large disks is NTFS. Note that file system choices have no effect on access to files across the network. For example, using NTFS on all partitions on a server does not affect clients connecting across a network to shared folders or shared files on that server, even if those clients run an earlier operating system such as Windows 98 or Windows NT. The following list describes the compatibility and sizes of each file system with various operating systems:

NTFS.

A computer running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a product in the Windows Server 2003 family can access files on a local NTFS partition. A computer running Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5 or later might be able to access some files. Other operating systems allow no local access. The recommended minimum volume size is approximately 10 MB. The maximum volume and partition sizes start at 2 terabytes (TB) and range upward. For example, a dynamic disk formatted with a standard allocation unit size (4 KB) can have partitions of 16 TB minus 4 KB. The maximum file size is potentially 16 TB minus 64 KB, although files cannot be larger than the volume or partition they are located on.
FAT.

Access to files on a local partition is available through MS-DOS, all versions of Windows, and OS/2. Volumes can be from floppy-disk size up to 4 GB. The maximum file size is 2 GB.
FAT32.

Access to files on a local partition is available only through Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and products in the Windows Server 2003 family. Volumes from 512 MB to 2 TB can be written to or read using products in the Windows Server 2003 family. Volumes up to 32 GB can be formatted as FAT32 using products in the Windows Server 2003 family. The maximum file size is 4 GB.

Note

On Itanium-based computers with multiple disks, your choices include not only file systems but also partition styles. A partition style determines the way that information about the partition is stored. There are two partition styles. The newer style (used on Itanium-based computers only) stores partition information in the GPT. The older style stores information in the MBR. On Itanium-based computers, you must install Windows Server 2003 on a GPT disk.

Understanding NTFS

This section provides background information about the features available with NTFS. Some of these features are as follows :

Better scalability to large drives . The maximum partition or volume size for NTFS is much greater than that for FAT, and as volume or partition sizes increase, performance with NTFS doesn't degrade as it does with FAT.
Active Directory (and domains, which are part of Active Directory). With Active Directory, you can view and control network resources easily. With domains, you can fine-tune security options while keeping administration simple. Domain controllers and Active Directory require NTFS.
Compression features, including the ability to compress or uncompress a drive, a folder, or a specific file. A file cannot be both compressed and encrypted at the same time.
File encryption, which greatly enhances security. A file cannot be both compressed and encrypted at the same time.
Permissions that can be set on individual files rather than just folders.
Remote Storage, which provides an extension to your disk space by making removable media such as tapes more accessible.
Recovery logging of disk activities, which allows NTFS to restore information quickly in the event of power failure or other system problems.
Sparse files. These are very large files created by applications in such a way that only limited disk space is needed. That is, NTFS allocates disk space only to the portions of a file that are written to.
Disk quotas, which you can use to monitor and control the amount of disk space used by individual users.

This is only a partial list of the features in NTFS in the Windows Server 2003 family. For more information about new features, see Chapter 11 , "File Services."

Planning Disk Partitions

You must plan your disk partitions before you run Setup only if both of the following conditions are true:

You are performing a new installation, not an upgrade.
The disk on which you are installing is a basic disk, not a dynamic disk. Basic disks are the disk type that existed before Windows 2000; most disks are basic disks. Dynamic disks are disks that once were basic but were changed to dynamic using Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. If you plan to install to a dynamic disk, you cannot change the volume or partition sizes on the disk during Setup, and therefore no planning is needed regarding partition sizes. Instead, review the guidelines in "Working with Dynamic Disks" later in this chapter.

Disk partitioning is a way of dividing your physical disk so that each section functions as a separate unit. When you create partitions on a basic disk, you divide the disk into one or more areas that can be formatted for use by a file system, such as FAT or NTFS. Different partitions often have different drive letters (for example, C and D). A basic disk can have up to four primary partitions, or three primary partitions and one extended partition. (An extended partition can be subdivided into logical drives, while a primary partition cannot be subdivided.)

Note

If you plan to delete or create partitions on a hard disk, be sure to back up the disk contents beforehand because these actions will destroy any existing data. As with any major change to disk contents, it's recommended that you back up the entire contents of the hard disk before working with partitions, even if you plan to leave one or more of your partitions alone.

Before you run Setup to perform a new installation, determine the size of the partition on which to install. There is no set formula for figuring a partition size. The basic principle is to allow plenty of room for the operating system, applications, and other files that you plan to put on the installation partition. The files for setting up Windows Server 2003 require approximately 1.25 GB to 2 GB on an x86-based computer and 3 GB to 4 GB on an Itanium-based computer, as described in "System Requirements" earlier in this chapter. It's recommended that you allow considerably more disk space than the minimum amount. It's not unreasonable to allow 4 GB to 10 GB on the partition, or more for large installations. This allows space for a variety of items, including optional components , user accounts, Active Directory information, logs, future service packs , the paging file used by the operating system, and other items.

When you perform a new installation, you can specify the partition on which to install. If you specify a partition on which another operating system exists, you will be prompted to confirm your choice.

During Setup, create and size only the partition on which you want to install Windows Server 2003. After installation is complete, you can use Disk Management to manage new and existing disks and volumes. This includes creating new partitions from unpartitioned space; deleting, renaming, and reformatting existing partitions; adding and removing hard disks; and changing a basic disk to the dynamic disk storage type, or changing dynamic to basic.

On Itanium-based computers with more than one disk, you can plan not only the sizes of partitions but also the partition style for each disk. A partition style determines the way that information about the partition is stored. There are two partition styles. The newer style (used on Itanium-based computers only) stores partition information in the GUID partition table (GPT). The older style stores information in the MBR. On Itanium-based computers, you must install Windows Server 2003 on a GPT disk. With GPT, you can create more partitions and larger volumes and take advantage of other benefits. For more information about partition styles on Itanium-based computers, see Help and Support Center and the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit, Server Management Guide .

Remote Installation Services

If you plan to use Remote Installation Services on this server so that you can install operating systems on other computers, a separate partition for use by Remote Installation Services is necessary. Plan on using NTFS on this partition: NTFS is required for the Single Instance Store feature of Remote Installation Services.

If you need to create a new partition for Remote Installation Services, plan on doing it after Setup, and leave enough unpartitioned disk space so that you can create it. (At least 4 GB of space is recommended.) As an alternative, for the system disk (not cluster disks), you can plan to make the disk a dynamic disk, which allows more flexibility in the use of the disk space than a basic disk. For more information about Remote Installation Services and about disk and partition choices, see Help and Support Center.

Options When Partitioning a Disk

You can change the partitions on your disk during Setup only if you are performing a new installation, not an upgrade. You can modify the partitioning of the disk after Setup by using Disk Management.

If you are performing a new installation, Setup examines the hard disk to determine its existing configuration and then offers the following options:

If the hard disk is unpartitioned, you can create and size the partition on which you will install a product in the Windows Server 2003 family.
If the hard disk is partitioned but has enough unpartitioned disk space, you can create the partition for your Windows Server 2003 family product by using the unpartitioned space.
If the hard disk has an existing partition that is large enough, you can install a product in the Windows Server 2003 family on that partition, with or without reformatting the partition first. Reformatting a partition erases all data on the partition. If you do not reformat the partition but you do install a Windows Server 2003 family product where there is already an operating system, the operating system will be overwritten, and you must reinstall any applications you want to use with the Windows Server 2003 family product.
If the hard disk has an existing partition, you can delete it to create more unpartitioned disk space for a partition for a Windows Server 2003 family product. Deleting an existing partition also erases any data on that partition.

Working with Dynamic Disks

A dynamic disk is a disk using the new storage type introduced with Windows 2000. If you changed a disk to dynamic and you want to perform a new installation on the disk, review the following:

If you used Windows 2000 or Windows XP to change a disk with no partitions directly to a dynamic disk, you must revert the disk to basic before you can install an operating system on it. All data will be lost in the process of returning the disk to basic, so back it up first.

You can use Windows 2000 or Windows XP to return to basic, or you can use the Setup program for a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. To use Windows 2000 or Windows XP, follow the instructions in Help for your operating system. To use Setup for a product in the Windows Server 2003 family, during the partitioning phase, find the dynamic disk among the list of available partitions and then delete it (which erases all data on all volumes). You will be prompted to confirm your action. After you do this, the disk will contain only unpartitioned space, and you can use Setup to create a new (basic disk) partition on it.
If you plan to rerun Setup on a computer on which a product in the Windows Server 2003 family was already installed, and the computer contains dynamic disks, be sure to read about the limitations for installing operating systems on disks that are changed to dynamic using a product in the Windows Server 2003 family. For more information, see topics about dynamic disks and the partition table in Help and Support Center.

Working with Volumes, Mirrors, and Stripes

With the disk management technologies in Windows NT 4.0, you could create volume sets, mirror sets, stripe sets, or stripe sets with parity, each with specific capabilities and limitations. By using the dynamic disk technology introduced with Windows 2000, you can use similar technologies, with the added flexibility of being able to extend disk volumes without repartitioning or reformatting.

This transition from the technologies used in Windows NT 4.0 means that you must make certain choices before running Setup for Windows Server 2003. Any volume sets, mirror sets, stripe sets, or stripe sets with parity that you created with Windows NT 4.0 are not supported in Windows Server 2003, although they were supported to a limited extent in Windows 2000.

If you used Windows NT 4.0 to create a volume set, mirror set, stripe set, or stripe set with parity, and you want to run Setup for Windows Server 2003 on that computer, you must choose one of the following methods :

For a mirror set, break the mirror.

If you are running Windows NT 4.0 on a computer that has a mirror set and you want to run Setup for Windows Server 2003 on that computer, first back up the data (as a safeguard ”the data will not be erased) and then break the mirror. Ensure that you have applied Service Pack 5 or later, required before running Setup for Windows Server 2003. Then run Setup.
For a volume set, stripe set, or stripe set with parity, back up the data and delete the set.

If you are running Windows NT 4.0 on a computer that has a volume set, stripe set, or stripe set with parity, and you want to run Setup for Windows Server 2003 on that computer, first back up the data. Next delete the set (which will delete the data). Ensure that you have applied Service Pack 5 or later, required before running Setup for Windows Server 2003. Then run Setup. After running Setup for Windows Server 2003, you can make the disk dynamic, restore backed -up data as necessary, and make use of the volume options shown in the next section, "Types of Multidisk Volumes on Dynamic Disks." For more information about dynamic disks, see Help and Support Center.
If necessary, use the Ftonline support tool.

The preceding methods are the recommended methods for preparing to run Setup for Windows Server 2003 on a computer that contains a volume set, mirror set, stripe set, or stripe set with parity created with Windows NT 4.0. However, if you do not use these methods and you must access one of these sets after running Setup for Windows Server 2003, you can use the Ftonline tool. The Ftonline tool is part of the Windows Server 2003 family Support Tools. For more information, see topics on Support Tools and on Ftonline in Help and Support Center.

Types of Multidisk Volumes on Dynamic Disks

The disk sets described in the preceding section have different names in the Windows Server 2003 family than they had in Windows NT 4.0:

A volume set is now a spanned volume on a dynamic disk .
A mirror set is now a mirrored volume on a dynamic disk .
A stripe set is now a striped volume on a dynamic disk .
A stripe set with parity is now a RAID-5 volume on a dynamic disk .

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