Technology Notebook

FAQ: NTFS and ADS FAQ: Windows NT's File System and alternate data streams
Copyright © 1998-2000 Frank Heyne - All rights reserved - Last updated on 21. March 2000
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What is NTFS?
It is the abbreviation of New Technology File System - Windows NT's preferred file system.
What is an alternate data stream (ADS)?
In NTFS, a file consits of different data streams. One stream holds the security information (access rights and such things), another one holds the "real data" you expect to be in a file. There may be another stream with link information instead of the real data stream, if the file actually is a link. And there may be alternate data streams, holding data the same way the standard data stream does.