Server hard drive as FAT32

[MK-2]

We have two partitions on a server, and I have just noticed that C: is FAT32 while D: (which holds all user data) is NTFS.

Should there be any logical reason why C: is left as FAT32 and any reasons why I couldn't just run the convert command to make it NTFS?

I know on a desktop it's generally OK but I don't fancy just running it on a server if it's a one way process.

Without it being NTFS I can't do any IIS permissions which is how I first saw it

[FN-GM]

I can't do any IIS permissions

 

You can if you put the files on D, i don't put them on C as a rule.

I can't see why it is fat32, i wouldn't use fat32 especially on a server.

[EduTech]

I believe like you say its just a one way process.. but i cant remember if it asks you to format the hard drive when it changes.. :\

 

James.

[MK-2]

it should be a straight through process for FAT>NTFS but if you need to go back you need to format to FAT, it cant just convert. so i didnt want to do it and find something needed FAT and i need to go back!

 

and i suppose i could move the folders from inetpub, but its just more work when i dont really have time to be doing stuff like that. as it is, i still get a popup box asking for login to the site so it'll do

 

might see if i can find someone who used the server before i got here and see if there is any reason it shouldnt go ntfs

[SYNACK]

Having FAT32 on any modern station is horrible practice, it means that if any user of any level gets onto the machine they have full access to anything on the FAT volume as there is no file level security.

 

You also don't get ownership tags for tracking and quotas. You should be able to just run a convert on the volume to make it NTFS, there is no need to reformat but back it up first to be sure, it is a one way conversion process. You may even end upp with more free space on the system drive as NTFS can address files in smaller chunks than FAT32 on larger drives.

 

You also can't use a non NTFS volume to store an AD SYSVOL so if it is an DC server the AD files must be on the D: which means they are vunrable to corruption if the users fill it up.

[Michael]

I agree with previous comments. It's generally not good practice to use FAT32 anymore, especially on a server without good reason (which I can't think of any).

 

You should be able to convert from FAT32 to NTFS just as you do on a workstation, but perform a full backup of the server before you do. I've never actually converted a file system on a server before - especially the system drive, so I'm interested to know how it goes

 

If for any reason you need to go back to FAT32, you'd need to perform a format and restore from a backup.