to compress or not to compress?

[Burnie Burnerson]

I bought my pc about 6 months ago. I didn't realize my Hdd was not set up with the NTFS file system enabled? So I've currently got about 170gig of my 186 available gigs taken up with data. When I went to apply to accept NTFS compression it said it was going to be 25 days to compress my whole system. My question is do many of you use this system? Does it slow you down? How should I best remedy this current situation? the burnmeister.

[DABhand]

NTFS can handle files upto 4gig. Its a better filesystem..

I suggest saving your saved games, and completely reinstall windows (clean install i.e. wipe the hard disk) and choose NTFS partition when booting from CD.

[spidross01]

Yeag agree, but first go get yourself that external hard drive, dump all the stuff you want to keep onto it

The re install windows and select ntfs under the format options!!

As i said earlier the perks of having another drive are multiple

[Sidney]

Actually it is FAT32 that can handle file size up to 4gb.
NTFS is unlimited file size.

[DABhand]

Since when?

[TippeX]

since it was invented...

fat32 = 32 bit max record = ffffffff = 4 gig ish max file size

ntfs does not have that limitation

personally i like my boot disk to be fat32 so i can repair it when windows crashes/messes up by bouncing into dos and fixing it, with ntfs its a lot tricker as you have to boot from the os cd/dvd and select recovery console or whatever and do a lot of manual crap.. had to do it recently and i very much regretted making the boot drive on the laptop ntfs for that reason....

[Burnie Burnerson]

I'm definitley gonna get a external HD now! Thanks boys I'll show your posts to the little woman. I'll be like "see baby? we need this!" now if I could just get her to agree on that threesome with her hot friend!

[DABhand]

Originally Posted by TippeX

since it was invented...

fat32 = 32 bit max record = ffffffff = 4 gig ish max file size

ntfs does not have that limitation

personally i like my boot disk to be fat32 so i can repair it when windows crashes/messes up by bouncing into dos and fixing it, with ntfs its a lot tricker as you have to boot from the os cd/dvd and select recovery console or whatever and do a lot of manual crap.. had to do it recently and i very much regretted making the boot drive on the laptop ntfs for that reason....

Are you sure your not getting mixed up with partition blocks of 4gig size :P



You could get ERD commander to boot into a virtual windows to repair your local windows xp even in NTFS. Quite a handy disk btw

[Luciel]

Originally Posted by Burnie Burnerson

I'm definitley gonna get a external HD now! Thanks boys I'll show your posts to the little woman. I'll be like "see baby? we need this!" now if I could just get her to agree on that threesome with her hot friend!

HA!

Cheeky bugga

[Sidney]

FAT16 Size Limits
Maximum file size
4 GB minus 1 byte

FAT32 Size Limits
Maximum file size
4 GB minus 1 byte

NTFS Size Limits
Maximum file size
Theory: 16 exabytes minus 1 KB
Implementation: 16 terabytes minus 64 KB

Direct from Microsoft, or maybe they are getting things mixed up too.

[DABhand]

Thats largest block sizes its talking about, im talking about in theory loading a file through memory, its smooth on NTFS rather than FAT32.

[Sidney]

Good heavens above DABhand.
I suggest you had better write an email quickly to Microsoft and point out their error.
Obviously, according to you, when they refer to Maximum file size they have it wrong, and they are in fact meaning 'largest block size'.
(Just quietly though I do think they know what they mean)
(Oh yes, this all came about because you insisted that - Quote "NTFS can handle files upto 4gig" - you were wrong about that. It seems you don't want to admit your error)

[TippeX]

well if u have a max partition size of 4 gig, max file size is 4 gig, but i know mx partition size of fat32 is bigger than that, try running fdisk .. i have multiple partitions > 4 gig some of the partitions are fat32 and i know the max file size on them is 4 gig i've tried, to do successful dvd rips etc etc u need ntfs really

[DABhand]

We are obviously not connecting here lol


Microsoft are saying that FAT32 can handle reading files from blocks of 4GB on a partition. But reading a 4GB file and managing it, is very very slow on FAT32..

On the other hand, NTFS can deal with files on a infinte sized blocks of a partition, but handles reading of 4GB sized files smoothly and effeciently..

Im not talking about partition sizes that can be used.


A test is easy, get a game that uses a compressed data file of 2GB or more (i.e. contains files for the game)..

During level loads, FAT32 partition will be slower to read from that 2GB file, NTFS will race through it.