-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Help with virus.

When you format a hard drive, you can format it using the FAT system or the 
NTFS system. The NTFS system is not DOS compatable... or, simply, DOS cannot 
read NTFS drives and/or partitions. What does this mean? Well, if you boot off 
a startup disk cause you're having problems with your system, you won't see the 
hard drive. If its the C drive, you no longer will see the C drive, but only in 
DOS. Its still there, and all the info is intact, but you just can't use DOS to 
work with the data.
The work-around is to use a DOS program that can read NTFS. As an example, one 
program is called NTFS reader. You would boot off the DOS startup disk, and 
then you would put in the floppy with NTFS READER on it and run NTFS READER. 
Not overlly complicated.

If you prefer, you can use the FAT system. NTFS is a much ore stable file 
system, and allows you the ability to deal with local and network security much 
easier... besides the point that FAT doesn't even have file/folder-level 
security. Is it a big deal if you format using FAT instead of NTFS? Of course 
not. NTFS is just more efficient. But, FAT is fine if you don't want to confuse 
matters.

If you choose NTFS, you'll never know the difference. Its exactly the same in 
what you have to do and in what you see afterwards. The only difference you 
might experience is the start-up disk issue.

---Troth

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sylviavandewall 
  To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2003 2:26 PM
  Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: Help with virus.



  Hi Troth,
  Now you got me confused. If things go wrong i can use a 3rd party app, as
  NTFS READER, but WHAT is that and where can i get that in case things go
  wrong???
  Sylvia.


  > When you boot off the CD, you're going to see the option to format your
  drive. In your case, that's what you want to do, format the drive. After
  you've selected the choice of formatting, it will give you 4 option... 1.
  FAT, 2. FAT (QUICK), 3. NTFS, 4. NTFS (QUICK). Whichever you choosem don't
  do the quick format. Do the full format. I recommend NTFS, for added
  security and efficiencu, and more stable... but, NTFS can't be read in DOS,
  so if things go bad you can't use a DOS start-up disk to navigate through
  the drive. You can, however, use a 3rd party app, such as NTFS READER, to do
  that for you.
  > ---Troth


  To unsub or change your email settings:
  http://www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk

  To access our Archives:
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/
  http://www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/

  For more info:
  http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=pctechtalk



To unsub or change your email settings:
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk

To access our Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/
http://www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/

For more info:
http://www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=pctechtalk

Other related posts: