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Wednesday, February 28, 2007

NTFS

New Technology File System (NTFS) is a file system managing file that exists in the hard disk (NTFS Volume). It can be called disk file structure which used Master File Table (MFT) instead of File Allocation Table (FAT). This file system is more advanced than FAT file system which provides more efficiency in performance, security, data efficiency and data recovery.

NTFS file system managed each file in NTFS volume using structuring method. Every file that store in NTFS volume recorded in Master File Table (MFT) whereas MFT is a relational database that consist of file records for each of particular file that exist in NTFS volume with its file attribute as well. On the other hand, FAT file system which uses File Allocation Table, record every each of particular file that exists in FAT volume by the file names and its addresses.

Before you read this article, the first thing that you should know is what is Cluster and Sector on an NTFS volume (hard disk). Below is illustrated of Cluster and Sector:



Figure 1 Cluster and Sector


Figure 1 above, shows component of a hard disk which are Sectors and Clusters. This hard disk uses a 1Kb sector and 4Kb sector. Sector is the smallest part of hard disk component distribution and Cluster is the smallest amounts of sectors that can hold a file. From figure 1, we can say that 4 sectors is equivalent of 1 cluster. In order to store a 6 KB file in NTFS volume that uses 4Kb Cluster, Two (2) Clusters are needed. This is because all part of cluster is identified as used even though only a portion of it is used. Figure 2 illustrated how 6Kb file stores in the NTFS volume that uses 4Kb cluster.


Figure 2 storing 6Kb file

Two (2) clusters are used to stores a 6Kb file where only 6 sectors that stored a file and 2 more sectors are free but cannot be used anymore. This means that 2 more sectors are wasted to store 6Kb file in NTFS volume that uses 4Kb sector. The smaller the cluster is, the smaller the space is being wasted.


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