Microsoft Filesystems

NTFS Permissions

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The File Allocation Table (FAT) File Systems

Understanding the FAT File Systems

The FAT file system was initially introduced with the MS-DOS operating system (OS) when hard disks were generally much smaller, and the structure of folders was not as intricate as it is in networks today. The FAT file system continues to be supported by each Microsoft OS since its advent. The initial FAT file system could only support a maximum partition size of 2GB. What this meant was that where a computer's hard disk drive was greater than 2GB, you had...

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Understanding Volume Shadow Copies

Volume Shadow Copies Overview

Volume shadow copies, a new Windows Server 2003 feature, are used to create copies of files at a specific point in time, or set time interval. Shadow copies can only be created on NTFS volumes to create automatic backups of files or data per volume. When enabled, the Shadow copies feature protects you from accidentally losing important files in a network share. Remember that when users delete files from over the network, those files are permanently deleted...

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Encrypting File System (EFS)

An Overview of EFS

Encrypting File System (EFS) enables users to encrypt files and folders, and entire data drives on NTFS formatted volumes. NTFS enables you to set permissions on files and folders on an NTFS formatted volume which controls access to these files and folders. EFS enables you to encrypt files and folders to further enhance the security of these files and folders. Even when an unauthorized person manages to access the files and folders because of incorrectly configured NTFS...

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File Compression

Understanding the NTFS File Compression Feature

A feature available when you format a volume with the NTFS file system is file compression. NTFS compression can only be applied to a partition or volume that is formatted with the NTFS file system. Through NTFS, you can create additional storage space for files by compressing either single files, or all files in a NTFS folder. Files in a compressed folder are compressed when folder compression is enabled. Any subfolders included in the...

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