I've just purchased a Seagate 120GB HDD. Have dloaded the installation software.

I run an AMD AthlonXP 1.66Ghz, WinXP system

When I choose partitions of size greater than 34GB, it seems that I can have only an NTFS file system. For < 34GB, FAT32 is possible.

Q1 : Are there any issues that might arise with an NTFS partition ? It doesnt work with Win 98, needs Win2000 or XP I hear.

Q2 : Any suggestions, DO NOTs regarding partitioning / partition sizes ?

Q3 : I get to choose the cluster sizes as well. What is optimum ? Anything else about cluster sizes ?

here's some reading for you:

http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_vs_fat.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...october01.mspx

http://www.pctechguide.com/04disks_File_systems.htm

Gracias jephree. So I guess I can safely go in for an NTFS system, given that I'm running XP. I'm wary because one cant revert to FAT from NTFS.

Are there any problems users have faced with NTFS ? If its all clear, I'm going ahead with this.

Also ...whats the best cluster size to use ?

If you're running Windows XP, then an NTFS file system will be more secure and faster than FAT. If there are any bugs in XP under an NTFS file system, which I doubt, then they certainly would have been found during the last 2 years and there'll be an update available through Windows Update.

Not wishing to cause an argument, but IMHO FAT32 is slightly faster than NTFS.

btw XP can mount partitions >32Gb, it just can't make them.

To continue this discussion please go here:
http://www.d-a-l.com/help/showthread...8635#post28635