Home > Ask the Windows Server Experts > Archive: Windows Desktop Management Questions & Answers > How FAT and NFTS differ
Ask The Windows Server Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

How FAT and NFTS differ

Serdar Yegulalp EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Serdar Yegulalp

Pose a Question
Other Windows Server Categories
Meet all Windows Server Experts
Become an Expert for this site


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


>
QUESTION POSED ON: 17 May 2007
How do FAT file systems and NTFS file systems differ from one another, and what are the implications, if any, in regards to data recovery?

>
EXPERT RESPONSE
NTFS was designed to address many issues that surfaced with FAT; a number of which affect how evidence can be recovered from a hard disk drive in a forensic environment. For one, the MFT, or Master File Table (the NTFS version of FAT's File Allocation Table), typically exists in two copies on every NTFS volume, under the reserved filename $MftMirr. The duplicate MFT contains the first four records of the original MFT, in the event the original becomes damaged.

Another NTFS element that may have forensic implications is the presence of alternate data streams (ADS). ADS allows a file to be associated with more than one data batches on the disk (though the data in a file's ADS will be lost if it's moved to a non-NTFS volume). ADSes cannot be detected by a simple DIR command; they have to be revealed using specialized software.

To learn more about the potentially forensic implications, check out Microsoft's description of how NTFS works.


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us   


RELATED CONTENT
Archive: Windows Desktop Management
Can I change network settings on the fly?
SMS installer won't work with 64-bit Vista's HKLM Registry key
Use RoboCopy to copy files from crashed hard disk drives
Give domain users permission to do disk defragmentation locally
How can I restore a disabled Administrator account?
Add domain group to local admins group on XP workstations at one time
Why does Explorer crash so frequently?
I lost my Windows XP product key
Undocked laptop takes forever to boot
Rename multiple computers programmatically

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary



Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
Browse our Expert Advice

HomeTopicsITKnowledge ExchangeTipsAsk the ExpertsMultimediaWhite PapersIT Downloads
About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
SEARCH 
TechTarget provides enterprise IT professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective IT purchase decisions and managing their organizations' IT projects - with its network of technology-specific Web sites, events and magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Reprints  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2004 - 2008, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts