View Full Version : Any benefit in NTFS reformat?
the-chauffeur
05-06-2004, 11:53 AM
Being new here I hope I've put this in the right place . . .
Hi all.
I've got a 3rd gen 40Gb iPod which is nearly full and is working fine (hooray).
The devil, however, is making work for these idle hands. At the moment the pod is FAT32 formatted - I use Windows 2K; the Pod was already formatted when I got it. Is there any point in reformatting the little thing from FAT32 to NTFS? Does it improve anything, make defragging easier, etc.
All the data is backed up so to make the change would only take time, but I'm trying to find out whether it would actually be worth it - or should I just leave well alone?
Thanks for your help
kornchild2002
05-06-2004, 12:19 PM
Leave it alone, unless you are dealing with video files or some other files that are larger than 4 GB on the iPod then their is no point. NTFS is a bit faster because of its formatting technology but on the iPod it is not noticeable. Plus I am not sure if the iPod firmware can support the NTFS format. I would recomend formatting your PC in the NTFS format.
Darrell
05-06-2004, 12:40 PM
I second that! ;)
Leave the iPod alone. However you should always format your PC in NTFS format. More stable, secure, faster, and you can hold larger files on the format. NTFS formatted HDs are much more reliable and less likely to screw up. :)
the-chauffeur
05-06-2004, 03:53 PM
Yup - I entirely agree about the PC format. Both of my PC HDs are NTFS.
I just couldn't work out why the iPod was FAT32 (I guess to maintain compatibility with older systems) and what if any benefit there was to NTFS in a Pod.
Doesn't sound like there's much in it so I guess I'll find something else to break.
Thanks guys
poliobomb
05-06-2004, 10:00 PM
i actually accidentally formated my ipod as ntfs when i first got it...
it didnt work... got the exclamation point and had to restore using the apples ipod restore program
duckee
05-07-2004, 04:05 AM
NTFS Is more efficient. However if you have a problem booting up the OS you can't access NTFS from a DOS boot disk.
If you can't repair the OS you may be screwed trying to retrieve your data.
FAT32 is almost as efficient, and you can access the file system via a DOS boot disk.
Security is a whole nother issue.
Also the previous poster is correct I don't believe that the IPOD will work under the NTF system.
AptMunich
05-07-2004, 05:15 AM
plus ntfs is a proprietary microsoft technology, meanig most other operating systems (linux, mac osx, etc..) will not be able to write to the harddrive (although i think there is a workaround with linux.)
so if you ever decide you want to network with a different os or even install something else as a 2nd operating system you'll have to reformat your drive...
But if that doesn't apply to you, i'd also strongly recommend ntfs!.
MOCKBA
05-07-2004, 05:24 AM
You mean iPod firmware can read ntfs? Cool, so format it in it.
No, it can't read NTFS, but put the windows into NTFS.
It is faster, more secure and less prone to fragmentation. Superieror to FAT32, there is no reason not to use it.
And linux can read it too Munich boy.
linux can't write it reliably though I thought.
Bloody microsoft keeps the design secret, so other os programmers have to work out what is going on. From what I have read it has been quite a task.
so:
format your windows 2000 or windows XP computers with NTFS, but leave your iPod running on FAT32!
bob63
05-07-2004, 11:31 AM
Originally posted by Adam
And linux can read it too Munich boy.
Keep in mind that Linux is primarily a hackers O/S. By 'hacker' I'm not refering to the virus creating #######s, but to those who enjoy creating and using opensource software. This being said NTFS on Linux is a hacked version that can be read, but not written to in practical terms. My guess is that if Apple wanted to have the iPod NTFS compatible they would need to licence it from MS. Most likely that will never happen, and is probably not worth in any way. I agree that NTFS is the way to go on a WIN PC, with a FAT32 partition if you want to share files with a Linux box. As far as the iPod is concernred I can't see any real disadvantage to using FAT. One more point, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Windows iPods were formated in FAT(FAT16) not FAT32.
well it really makes sense for the windows iPods to be fat, as windows only natively supports FAT (in its diff versions) and NTFS. (it may support some other obscure file systems, but I don't know them). Other alternatives like ext3 (what linux primarily uses) are not supported natively, so that is a bit of an inconvinience.