Boot up disk for windows xp

[santaclaus]

hi guys don't argue over me, otherwise yu will all be on the naughty list. i am going to take the plunge and re-install windows. what is difference between fat and ntfs?

[Waldo2k2]

FAT (file allocation table): MS's first filesystem, used on DOS and win 9x. Uses a table to reference the location of files sorted in a linear fashion on the disk. Easy to lose files, slow to defrag, slow to search large drives.

NTFS (new tech file system): MS's second shot at an fs. Created for windows NT and used on 2000 and xp natively as well. Uses a system of sorted binary trees (programming term, google it if you feel so inclined) to store file information. Because of the nature of B trees, it's much faster to access files and search through them than a FAT table. Much more stable, defragments much faster. Supports compression and encryption. It is Microsofts first and only Journaling filesystem (even if data is messed up, a map can be used to recreate B trees and recover data automatically. That's why there is no scandisk in nt, 2000, or xp)

[ober]

Originally posted by Waldo2k2
FAT (file allocation table): MS's first filesystem, used on DOS and win 9x. Uses a table to reference the location of files sorted in a linear fashion on the disk. Easy to lose files, slow to defrag, slow to search large drives.

NTFS (new tech file system): MS's second shot at an fs. Created for windows NT and used on 2000 and xp natively as well. Uses a system of sorted binary trees (programming term, google it if you feel so inclined) to store file information. Because of the nature of B trees, it's much faster to access files and search through them than a FAT table. Much more stable, defragments much faster. Supports compression and encryption. It is Microsofts first and only Journaling filesystem (even if data is messed up, a map can be used to recreate B trees and recover data automatically. That's why there is no scandisk in nt, 2000, or xp)

goddamn waldo... you're just full of useful information, aren't you?

[Stoned_Coder]

look here for ntfs reader for fat systems

[Waldo2k2]

>>you're just full of useful information, aren't you?

I am teh L33t

[SMurf]

Originally posted by Waldo2k2
NTFS (new tech file system): MS's second shot at an fs. Created for windows NT and used on 2000 and xp natively as well.

To be a weirdo geek, I'll add that NTFS was based on IBM's HPFS, used in OS/2, the daddy.

[santaclaus]

i reinstalled windows, but the old version is still there. now when i load up my computer it gives me the choice between to windows xp instillations! if i click on the first one it works fine (its the one i installed a few days ago) and if i click on the 2nd one it gives me errors (the one i originally had), does anyone know how i can remove this version now that i installed a working version? happy xmas. i got a laptop!!

[Fountain]

Not sure, but on XP can you not open 'disk management' and remove partitions etc? This would mean booting the new version and then removing the old from within.

I know you can format n stuff from disk management, not sure about the partitions. Anyhow, have a look.

[Waldo2k2]

no no no
that's not it, it installed to the same partition if he did an in place reinstall like we said

go to c:\ in windows explorer
go to tools, folder options, view tab, click show hidden files and folders, uncheck hide protected operating system files, and check display contents of system folders.
Now you should see a file called boot. Open it in notepad. Now heres the important part, I don't remember which one will be the one that works, so change the name of the top one to something else, something obvious. Save it and restart. When you have the choice, go to the one who's name you changed, and by process of elimination you'll find out if that's the one that boots or not. Once you figure it out, go into the one that boots, go back into the boot file, and get rid of whichever one didn't boot, that's all you have to do.