Understanding File Systems

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NTFS is one of three file systems supported by Windows 2000. A file system is the structure in which files are organized, named, and stored on disk. The other file systems, FAT16 and FAT32, are variants of a system called FAT (file allocation table). FAT16 is the file system used by MS-DOS and all earlier versions of Windows. FAT32 is an improved file system that is available in Windows 98 and some later versions of Windows 95. Windows 2000 can read and write data to hard disk volumes formatted with any of these file systems with equal aplomb.

NOTE

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A volume is a portion of a physical disk that appears as a separate disk. When a hard disk is originally set up, it can be divided into multiple partitions. Each partition, when formatted (formatting is the process of applying a file system to the partition), is referred to as a volume.

With any file system, you can use shared folder permissions to control access to folders that you share over a network. You can specify which users on the network can read, write, create, or modify files and folders within each of your shared folders.

SEE ALSO

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For information about controlling access to shared folders, see "Sharing Folders with Other Users."

On NTFS volumes, Windows 2000 offers additional security options. In addition to managing security of folders you share over the network, you can also manage security of your files and folders for local users (that is, users who log on to your workstation). And you can apply security restrictions to any file or folder; on FAT volumes, you can set permissions only at the folder level (and only for users who connect over a network).

In addition to the security advantages described in this chapter, NTFS offers several other advantages over the FAT system:

• NTFS stores information more efficiently on very large hard disks.
• NTFS provides faster access to files in most cases.
• NTFS provides better data recovery in the event of disk problems because NTFS maintains a transaction log of disk activities.
• NTFS supports file compression. (MS-DOS-based disk compression programs—such as DriveSpace, DoubleSpace, or Stacker—don't work with Windows 2000.) For information about file compression, see "Compressing Files on NTFS Volumes."
• NTFS supports disk quotas—disk-space limits you can set for each user. For information, see "Enforcing Disk Quotas."
• NTFS supports file encryption for added security.

So what's wrong with NTFS? There's really only one disadvantage: NTFS volumes can't be read by other operating systems, such as Windows 9x, Linux, MS-DOS, or OS/2. Therefore, if you use the multiple-boot feature to run an operating system other than Windows 2000, you won't be able to access information on your NTFS volumes. (You can, however, access shared NTFS volumes over a network, even if the computer you're accessing the files with is running another operating system.)

TIP

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Use NTFS for All Your Hard Disks

With Windows NT, many experienced users recommended setting up a small (typically about 300 MB) FAT volume for key operating system files and then formatting the rest of their disks using NTFS. In case of a hard disk problem that prevented the computer from booting, you could then boot the computer using an MS-DOS floppy disk, use MS-DOS-based tools to diagnose and solve the problems on the FAT volume (reinstalling Windows NT if necessary), and then boot the system normally. With the new Recovery Console and an improved Emergency Repair Disk in Windows 2000, this workaround is no longer necessary or recommended. Unless you plan to set up your system so that it can boot into operating systems other than Windows 2000, you should format all your hard disks using NTFS.

Determining Which File System You're Using

Now convinced that NTFS is the way to go, you must be wondering which file system your hard disks are currently using. During setup of Windows 2000, the Setup program offers to convert your FAT disks to NTFS, so there's a good chance that your disks are already formatted as NTFS.

To see which file system you have, open My Computer, right-click the icon for your hard disk, and choose Properties. Near the top of the General tab in the properties dialog box, you'll see an entry for File System. Be sure to check each of your hard disks.

Converting a Volume to NTFS

Windows 2000 includes a utility that lets you convert a FAT16 or FAT32 volume to NTFS. It won't convert from any other file system, and once you change to NTFS, there's no way back (short of backing up your data, reformatting your disk, and restoring your data). Unlike formatting, the Convert command does its work without destroying the existing data files on the volume.

WARNING

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Before you convert a disk, be sure you have a current backup of the disk you're converting. The Convert command is quite reliable—but you should always back up your files before using any program that restructures your disk as this one does.

To convert a disk to NTFS:

1. Open the Start menu and choose Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt.
2. At the command prompt, type convert d:/fs:ntfs

Replace d with the letter of the disk you want to convert.

If you choose to convert your Windows 2000 boot partition or if Windows can't lock all users off the disk—for example, if a running program is using a file on the disk or if the disk is being shared over the network—the conversion is delayed until the next time you shut down and restart your computer.