FAT32 History

• Introduced with Windows 98, the FAT32 file system was an evolution of the reigning disk-format found on personal computers; known as FAT16. FAT16 cannot manage more than 2 Gigabytes (GB) for a single volume or drive letter. As hard drive devices soared past 2GB, FAT32 stretched the theoretical limit of a single drive to 2 Terabytes (or TB, which equals 1,000 GB).
  
  

NTFS History

• NTFS stands for New Technology File System. It was introduced in 1993. Among its features are support for enterprise computing; change-tracking, user permissions, and special abilities to link files and folders. The theoretical maximum size of a single NTFS drive is 16 exabytes, equal to 16 billion GB. NTFS reigns as the preferred format for Windows-based systems, including Windows 7.
  
  

Identification

• Every version of Windows since Windows 98 displays the format of each drive-letter in the properties dialog. Open the "My Computer" window, right-click on a drive and select "Properties." Near the top, you will see the drive format shown next to the label, "File system:" A more detailed view can be found in the Disk Manager applet of the Windows Control Panel.
  
  

Differences in Purpose

• FAT32 and other FAT-based formats come from the birth of the PC and lack the sophistication to meet modern needs. On the other hand, FAT is the most well-known file system and is almost universally understood by computers and portable and special-purpose devices. NTFS was introduced as a robust and well-planned file system for business and has evolved into one of the most secure systems.
  
  

Conclusions

• FAT32 can be summed-up in one word: compatibility. Whether it's a thumb drive, flash-memory card, or cartridge drive, using FAT32 will ensures it will translate from one device to another. While NTFS is not the most compatible choice, it offers vast capacity and is much more secure as the basis of a system. The clear choice for building or adding-to a Windows-based PC is NTFS, but the clear choice for removable drives is FAT32.