How Multiple Data Streams Are Handled in a Windows 2000 Network

ID: Q219291

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SUMMARY

When you move files with multiple data streams, only the NTFS file system is capable of storing files with multiple data streams. FAT file systems (FAT16 and FAT32) were not designed with this functionality in mind, and therefore cannot store multiple data streams.
The following table illustrates which operating systems are capable of moving files with multiple data streams from drive to drive or server to server that are formatted with the NTFS file system:

Client computer Data Streams Preserved?

Windows 2000 Yes

Windows NT 3.x, 4.0 Yes

Windows 95/98 No

Macintosh Yes

Windows 2000 prompts you when a file with multiple data streams is being copied or moved from an NTFS partition to a partition or network share that does not support multiple data streams. With earlier clients (such as Windows NT and Windows 95/98), the file is copied without the additional data streams; there is no prompt specifying that the additional data streams will be removed.

MORE INFORMATION

Copying from the console on a Windows NT-based or Windows 2000-based server where files with additional data streams are stored to other NTFS partitions (both locally or across the network on other servers) also preserves additional data stream information.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbnetwork
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo