Guest ColTom2 Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Hi: I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP MCE(2005) with NFTS file system. Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 and what is the significance of using it with my NFTS file system? As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer to NFTS file system with no problems. Thanks
Guest Mir Mehdi Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 RE: Flash Drive's? USB Flash Drives comes with FAT file system by default. This may be helpful for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive#File_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory -- Mir Sajjad Mehdi Microsoft XP Platform Support "ColTom2" wrote: > Hi: > > I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it > shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP MCE(2005) > with NFTS file system. > > Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 and what is the > significance of using it with my NFTS file system? > > As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer to > NFTS file system with no problems. > > Thanks > > >
Guest Malke Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Re: Flash Drive's? ColTom2 wrote: > I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it > shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP > MCE(2005) with NFTS file system. > > Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 and what is the > significance of using it with my NFTS file system? > > As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer > to > NFTS file system with no problems. The flash drive was formatted FAT32 because the mftr. wanted you to be able to use it on various operating systems - Win98 (after installing drivers probably), WinME, Win2k, XP, Vista, Linux, and OS X. All those operating systems can read/write to FAT32. Only XP and Vista can natively write to NTFS and Win9x/ME systems can't even read NTFS. It doesn't matter that your XP is formatted NTFS in this instance. It isn't the file system format that "reads" your flash drive; it is the operating system. The only time you would want to format the flash drive NTFS would be if it is a largish drive and you want to copy files larger than 4GB (not likely with a thumb drive) and if you know you'll only use it with XP/Vista. If you are only using the drive with XP/Vista, it certainly won't hurt to format it NTFS instead of FAT32; your choice. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Re: Flash Drive's? On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:07:35 -0400, "ColTom2" <noemailaddress@nomail.com> wrote: > I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it > shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP MCE(2005) > with NFTS file system. A clarification: You are running Windows XP MCE with a *hard drive that uses* the NFTS file system. My point is that NTFS is not being used for everything, but just for your hard drive. That doesn't restrict you from using other file systems on other drives. > Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 Because that's the file system your flash drive uses. > and what is the > significance of using it with my NFTS file system? None at all. > As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer to > NFTS file system with no problems. Sure. That's perfectly normal. Windows XP can use NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, and FAT12 in any and all combinations, regardless of what file system it itself is installed on. You can even have NTFS and FAT32 partitions on the same physical drive. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Guest Bill in Co. Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Re: Flash Drive's? ColTom2 wrote: > Hi: > > I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it > shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP > MCE(2005) > with NFTS file system. > > Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 FAT is more universal (meaning that some other operating systems (like Win9x) can recognize and use it in that format, unlike NTFS) > and what is the significance of using it with my NFTS file system? None - there is no issue here. No problem. > As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer to > NFTS file system with no problems. Exactly.
Guest Phisherman Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Re: Flash Drive's? On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:07:35 -0400, "ColTom2" <noemailaddress@nomail.com> wrote: >Hi: > > I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it >shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP MCE(2005) >with NFTS file system. > > Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 and what is the >significance of using it with my NFTS file system? > > As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer to >NFTS file system with no problems. > >Thanks > Reformat the flash drive. Keep in mind that the flash drive may not be useable in older systems.
Guest Ken Blake, MVP Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Re: Flash Drive's? On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:21:39 -0400, Phisherman <noone@nobody.com> wrote: > On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:07:35 -0400, "ColTom2" > <noemailaddress@nomail.com> wrote: > > >Hi: > > > > I just noticed that when going to format one of my flash drive that it > >shows File System as Fat 32 for the drive. I am running Windows XP MCE(2005) > >with NFTS file system. > > > > Why does the flash drive indicate File System Fat 32 and what is the > >significance of using it with my NFTS file system? > > > > As far as I know I have been able to save files to it and then transfer to > >NFTS file system with no problems. > > > >Thanks > > > > > Reformat the flash drive. Keep in mind that the flash drive may not > be useable in older systems. Although reformatting it to NTFS is an option, it appears to be unnecessary for him, as it is for most people. It works fine with FAT32. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup
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