Operating Systems
NTFS
Definition
NTFS (New Technology File System) is the standard file system of the Windows NT family of operating systems, including all modern versions of Microsoft Windows.
Why It Matters
NTFS introduced many features over its predecessors, including support for file permissions (security), a journaling system to improve reliability, file compression, and support for very large files and volumes.
Contextual Example
The C: drive on a modern Windows computer is formatted with the NTFS file system. This allows for features like setting specific user permissions on files and folders.
Common Misunderstandings
- While other operating systems like Linux and macOS can read NTFS-formatted drives, their ability to write to them is often limited without third-party software.
- NTFS replaced the older FAT32 file system in consumer versions of Windows.