RiData CF prep & Fat32 vs NTFS?

**brain21** · 09-13-2006, 04:34 PM

I just ordered one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820183020

and I have a few questions...

1) Does anyone know if this particular brand/model will be seen as a fixed disk? If not, will that Hitachi app that is referred to on the forums work? I am assuming that it can be seen as a fixed disk because of this:
"Compatible with host ATA disk I/O BIOS, DOS/Windows file system, utilities, and application software"

2) Should I format it w/ FAT32 or NTFS? I understand that FAT32 doesn't write as much, so supposedly it will have a longer life, but if I am not using a pagefile, how often will the drive be written to anyway? If I'm not using a pagefile, will FAT32 offer any advantages over NTFS? I was hoping to use this:
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Junction.html
to make links to an external drive so I don't have to install that much stuff on the actual CF card, but it requires NTFS.

3) Can I even install NTFS on this? After reading this vague statement, I'm not entirely sure:
"Attention:While using 4GB, 8GB CF card, user can use 4GB, 8GB capacity on the device that supports FAT32 file system. However, some devices support only FAT16 file system and a maximum of 2GB capacity. User can only use 2GB capacity on those devices"

4) What exactly do I have to do to prep the card? I was going to do possibly an nLite or TinyXP install onto a notebook HDD and image it onto the CF card (I have access thru work to either Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image). Do I need to format the CF card ahead of time? Are there any caveats to this with regard to which CF card readers will and will not allow proper ghosting (I may use Knoppix instead as well - it might be easier...)

Thanks,

Brain21

**brain21** · 09-13-2006, 06:12 PM

OK, found SFiorito's ":NEW EWF + Minlogon + CF" file. reading that now. Looks like I can't use EWF and Junction together anyway, at least not if I plan on sometimes booting up the PC w/o the 2nd drive attached, at least I don't think.

Brain21

**SFiorito** · 09-13-2006, 06:44 PM

read this: http://osf1.gmu.edu/~sfiorito/eXPinstall.htm

I wouldn't keep my hopes up for that card. I've never heard of that brand. Most people have problems running XP on those brand-x cards. That's why I always recommend to stick with SanDisk for speed/reliability/compatibility reasons.

Good luck.

**brain21** · 09-13-2006, 09:42 PM

Actually, that's the link to which I was referring. Also, RiData isn't a generic brand. They are well known. Nevertheless, I will keep my fingers crossed...