can I use NTFS on a USB HD

[rhendrix9]

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I have a new 250GB WD USB My book. I also have some large files (like 6GB video). Even with 180 GB free, I'm getting disk full errors. The WD drive comes formatted Fat32. Can I convert this drive to NTFS? Would there be any operational problems? Specifcally when I install my new (bigger) internal HD, and reinstal XP, will I be able to freely access the USB drive from the new install of XP?

Thanks
Robert

 

[cmichael258]

Yes, you can. I just installed a 200 GB USB Maxtor external HD and formatted it NTFS. I'm running Windows XP Pro and it works great!

Michael

 

[choirbass]

yeah, you can convert the usb drive from fat32 to ntfs... the only major drawback to moving to ntfs, is the drive wont be able to be accessed by any older operating systems (98, 95, me, etc)... to convert it, go to 'run...' on the start menu, and type in 'diskmgmt.msc', and your usb drive will be there among your other drives... converting the file structure from fat32 to ntfs will completely erase the drive... and as long as you dont make it a dynamic drive, and keep it as a basic partition, youll be able to read it just fine on a new install

 

[Nitro350Z]

Sure you can format it, just make sure that you have the files backed up somewere. Windows will see it for sure.

the reason you're getting those errors is because I think Fat32 is limited to a max of 2gb per file

NTFS is a way better file system IMO

 

[rhendrix9]

to convert it, go to 'run...' on the start menu, and type in 'diskmgmt.msc', and your usb drive will be there among your other drives... converting the file structure from fat32 to ntfs will completely erase the drive...

I used c> convert x: /fs:ntfs
it converted the file structure and I did not lose any files that I had already copied.

 

[FITCamaro]

the reason you're getting those errors is because I think Fat32 is limited to a max of 2gb per file

FAT32 has a 4GB file size limit, not 2GB.

 

[choirbass]

to convert it, go to 'run...' on the start menu, and type in 'diskmgmt.msc', and your usb drive will be there among your other drives... converting the file structure from fat32 to ntfs will completely erase the drive...

I used c> convert x: /fs:ntfs
it converted the file structure and I did not lose any files that I had already copied.

sorry, yeah, youre right... when i use partition magic to convert partitions, the data is perfect intact afterwards... had forgotten about that

 

[sunangel]

Yes you can. But there are limitations. You can read and right NTFS over USB if its connected directly to a computer. If you connect the USB to a USB NAS storage device you can access the drive but not write to it.

 

[kornyman]

Yes you can. But there are limitations. You can read and right NTFS over USB if its connected directly to a computer. If you connect the USB to a USB NAS storage device you can access the drive but not write to it.

Wouldn't that just be a security issue? For instance, if you opened it up in windows and just gave everyone write access to the FS, it would work wouldn't it? It doesnt make sense that something would be able to read from an NTFS FS but not write to it. Does it?

 

[sunangel]

Your right, if your using a dedicated pc or server to serve the FS. What I meant was a device such as D-Link DSM-G600 or Linksys's WRTSL54GS. Neither one of those device will allow writing to an attached USB HDD formatted in NTFS. Your can access the drive and read from it, but not write to it.

What's the point of these devices? That's the point. They are limited in functionality.

I know thats not what the poster was asking, but I thought it was a nice bit of info for him to take to the barber shop and discuss with fellow patrons.