NTFS vs FAT

Criteria NTFS5 NTFS FAT32 FAT16 FAT12

DOS v7
Windows
and higher
Windows NT
Windows
2000 Windows DOS DOS
98
Windows 2000 All versions All versions
Operting Windows
XP Windows of of
System ME
Windows XP Microsoft Microsoft
Windows
2003 Windows Windows Windows
2000
Server 2003
Windows
Server
XP
 
Limitations
32GB for 2GB for all
Max Volume all OS. OS.
2TB 2TB 16MB
Size 2TB for 4GB for
some OS some OS
Max Files on Nearly Nearly
4194304 65536
Volume Unlimited Unlimited
Limit Only Limit Only 2GB (Limit 16MB
by by 4GB minus Only (Limit Only
Max File Size
Volume Volume 2 Bytes by Volume by Volume
Size Size Size) Size)
Max Clusters Nearly Nearly
4177918 65520 4080
Number Unlimited Unlimited
Standard -
Max File Name 8.3
Up to 255 Up to 255 Up to 255 Up to 254
Length Extended -
up to 255
 
File System Features
Unicode Unicode System System System
Unicode File
Character Character Character Character Character
Names
Set Set Set Set Set
Second Second Second
System MFT Mirror MFT Mirror
Copy of Copy of Copy of
Records Mirror File File
FAT FAT FAT
Boot Sector First and First and First Sector First Sector First Sector
Location Last Last and
Sectors Sectors Copy in
 Sector #6
Standard Standard
Standard Standard Standard
File Attributes and and
Set Set Set
Custom Custom
Alternate
Yes Yes No No No
Streams
Compression Yes Yes No No No
Encryption Yes No No No No
Object
Yes Yes No No No
Permissions
Disk Quotas Yes No No No No
Sparse Files Yes No No No No
Reparse Points Yes No No No No
Volume Mount
Yes No No No No
Points
 
Overall Performance
Built-In
Yes Yes No No No
Security
Recoverability Yes Yes No No No
Low on Low on High on Highest on
small small small small
Performance volumes volumes  volumes volumes High
High on High on Low on Low on
Large Large large large
Minimal on
Disk Space
Max Max Average large Max
Economy
volumes
Fault Tolerance Max Max Minimal Average Average