NTFS vs. Share Permissions: What’s the Difference and How to Set Them?

Modern data management necessitates preventing unauthorized system access. What could be more reliable than trusting NTFS and share permissions? Windows offers various permission settings to help users safeguard their data from unauthorized access. In this article, we will delve into the distinctions between NTFS and share permissions in detail.

We'll delve into the definitions of NTFS permissions and share permissions, making it easy to compare the two based on their type, file system, and applicable users. We'll also cover detailed steps for checking and modifying NTFS and share permissions. It's also straightforward to understand why NTFS permissions might not be available and how to fix them.

NTFS and Share Permissions - Defined NTFS (New Technology File System) permissions and Share permissions are two distinct access control mechanisms primarily used to manage and restrict access to files and folders in the Windows operating system. NTFS permissions refer to the permissions set at the NTFS file system level. These permissions are directly applied to a file or folder, enabling precise control over different users or user groups' access to specific resources. NTFS permissions include options like Read, Write, Modify, and Full Control, which can be combined to grant varying levels of access. Share permissions, on the other hand, are set at the network share level. They come into play when you share a folder or drive with other users on the network. These permissions dictate which users can access shared resources and what actions they can perform. Similar to NTFS permissions, Share permissions also include Read, Write, Change, and Full Control options, but they tend to be less granular. In practical usage, NTFS and Share permissions can be combined for dual protection and finer-grained control. For instance, you could set up a shared folder with read-only Share permissions for all network users and then assign higher-level NTFS permissions, such as Write or Full Control, to specific users or groups. This way, even if other users on the network can access the share, their actions would be limited by the constraints set through NTFS permissions.

So let's embark on our exploration of NTFS and share permissions, starting with quick definitions of each. So what are NTFS permissions?

What are NTFS permissions?

Before we delve deep into NTFS permissions, let's quickly understand what NTFS is.

< a href="/partition-manager-software/ntfs-file-system.html">NTFS< /a> stands for New Technology File System, which is used to store and retrieve files on different storage devices running the Windows NT operating system. NTFS file system outperforms the File Allocation Table (FAT) or < a href="/partition-manager-software/fat-file-system-format.html">FAT< /a>, as well as High Performance File System (HPFS), in terms of security, disk space usage, reliability, and performance.

In NTFS, each file or folder is assigned a security descriptor that identifies the owner and provides two access control lists (ACLs) that specify which users or groups can access a particular file or folder. The following ACLs in NTFS contribute to its high level of security.

• A Discretionary Access Control List (DACL) defines the types of interactions that users or user groups are allowed or denied. Only administrator users can modify it.
• A System Access Control List (SACL) defines the types of interactions with a file or folder that should be audited before modification. It is used in events involving sensitive data files.

NTFS permissions manage access to data stored on partitions that use the NTFS file system. Thus, it defines access to specific files or folders and can be assigned to individual users or user groups. Users can assign different NTFS permissions to files or folders in Windows. These permissions include:

• Write: This defines whether an individual user or group is allowed to modify file content, create files or folders, or write data and attributes to a file or folder.
• Read: This defines whether an individual user or group can read the data within a file or folder.
• Read & Execute: This defines whether an individual user or group can view or run executable files within a folder.
• List Folder/Read Data: This defines whether an individual user or group can list the contents of a folder.
• Modify: This defines whether an individual user or group can alter the content of a file or folder.
• Full Control: This defines whether an individual user or group has all permissions, such as deleting, moving, modifying, or adding files or folders. It also allows for quick changes to permission settings.

What are share permissions?

Share permissions help control access to folders that you share over a network. These permissions can be used with folders on drives that use either the NTFS or FAT file system. The three main types of share permissions are:

• Full Control: It grants complete control over different permissions, including read and write access. This permission is usually assigned to the "Administrators" group.
• Modify: It allows users to alter data, delete files, add new files, and create subfolders within a file. This permission also includes read access.
• Read: It permits an individual user or a user group to view files or subdirectories. It enables easy reading of content and using it to run programs. By default, this permission is granted to the "Everyone" group.

After swiftly going through the definitions of NTFS permissions and share permissions, let's understand which one takes precedence. We will analyze this based on the principle of restrictive permissions. By the way, if you'd like to learn more about file and folder permissions, here's a link that can assist you:

Which take precedence: NTFS permissions or share permissions?

The differences between NTFS and share permissions help users prioritize one over the other. Let's look at these differences in detail:

• NTFS and share permissions are configured in different locations. NTFS permissions are set on the Security tab for a file or folder, while share permissions are configured in the "Permissions" settings of the "Advanced Sharing" properties.
• NTFS permissions do not limit the number of concurrent connections, whereas share permissions restrict concurrent connections to a shared folder.
• NTFS permissions apply to users logging in locally to the server, whereas share permissions do not apply to users logged into the server.
• NTFS permissions cannot be applied to FAT and FAT32 file systems, whereas share permissions can be applied to these file formats.
• NTFS permissions offer a finer level of control over shared folders and their contents compared to share permissions.

(This image illustrates a comparison between NTFS permissions and share permissions, but the content cannot be directly translated into text.)

When both "Sharing" and "NTFS permissions" are in use, the more restrictive permission is applied by default.

Let's quickly review the NTFS and share permissions in the following table:

The more restrictive permission takes precedence over the other. For example, if NTFS permissions are set to Full Control but share permissions are set to Read, the user will only be able to read the file or folder. It's therefore clear that NTFS permissions are more important when detailed control over a file or folder is required, while share permissions are useful for simple applications. Share permissions are suitable for network users, whereas NTFS permissions are appropriate for remote or local access.

NTFS and Share Permissions - How to check and change them?

Now that you're familiar with the priority and key differences between NTFS and share permissions, you might want to check or change them. Let's go through a step-by-step guide on how to examine and modify both NTFS and share permissions in detail.

Guide 1: How to Check and Change NTFS Permissions?

The same quick steps apply.

1. Check NTFS permissions:

Now, check the NTFS permissions as follows:

Step 1: Right-click on the file or folder, and select “Properties.”

Step 2. Go to the “Security” tab to view the NTFS permissions. You can easily see the type of NTFS permissions assigned to a user or group by clicking on them, which grants access to the file or folder.

2. Change NTFS Permissions:

It's time to learn how to change NTFS permissions.

Step 1. Click "Edit" to change the NTFS permissions.

Step 2. Select a group or user from the drop-down window.

Step 3: Click “Add” to add more groups or users.

Step 4: Review the permissions to be assigned.

Step 5: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes.

Tip 2: How do I check and change sharing permissions?

The quick steps are as follows:

1. Check sharing permissions:

First, we need to learn how to check sharing permissions. You can find out how to do that here.

Step one: Right-click on the file or folder, and select “Properties.”

< strong > Step 2 : Open the Properties window, go to the Sharing tab, and click on Advanced Sharing.

Check share permissions

Step 3. Choose "Sharing and Permissions" from the resulting window to view the sharing permissions for groups or individual users.

2. Change the sharing permissions:

This is a guide on how to change sharing permissions. Please follow the steps below.

Step 1: Click “Get Info” to change the sharing permissions.

Step 2: Select a group or user from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Click "Add" to add more groups or users.

Step 4: Choose the permissions to assign.

Step 5: Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes.

Now that you know how to change and check NTFS and share permissions separately, let's look at some of the problems that can arise between NTFS and share permissions.

No NTFS permissions in FAT32 file system? Here comes the solution!

The best way to resolve the issue of getting NTFS permissions on FAT32 is to convert FAT32 to NTFS in the first place. You don't need to worry about this, as we have an excellent tool called tools Partition Master that can help you with this task. Let's delve into the details of this tool.

tools Partition Master Free is a full-featured free partition manager designed for home users to use easily. It allows you to format hard drives, merge partitions, create new ones, and adjust disk space, among other things. It can quickly and effortlessly convert between NTFS and FAT32 formats without any additional requirements. As an all-in-one disk performance optimizer, it works effectively.

After downloading, follow these steps to convert FAT32 to NTFS:

Step 1: Install and launch Partition Master on your computer.

Step 2. Right-click on a FAT32 partition in Partition Manager and select Advanced, then Convert from NTFS to FAT.

Step 3: Click “Continue” in the dialog box to proceed.

< b > Step 4. < / b > Click on "Apply" to start the conversion process. Wait for it to finish.

Other Partition Master features include:

• Quickly convert NTFS to FAT32.
• Able to effectively clean, format, and reformat hard drives, USBs, external hard drives, and more.
• Features a Windows 11 Upgrade Assistant for smooth operation on Windows XP/ Vista/ 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10/ 11.
• Includes detailed user guides and dedicated customer support services.

Now, download MiniTool Partition Wizard to give your hands a rest.

NTFS and Share Permissions - Conclusion

One would hope that the explanation of NTFS and share permissions was clear. The detailed definition of these permissions and the way they interact with each other is straightforward. Users can easily check both NTFS and share permissions and make changes as needed.

Users can swiftly resolve the issue of inability to apply NTFS permissions in the FAT32 file system. By utilizing efficient solutions such as Partition Master, one can promptly convert FAT32 to NTFS format without encountering additional problems.

Frequently Asked Questions About NTFS and Share Permissions

After delving into NTFS and share permissions, you might have some questions about them. Therefore, here's a quick list of frequently asked questions on the subject:

**1. NTFS versus Share Permissions: Which Takes Precedence?**

NTFS permissions apply to users logging on locally to the server, whereas share permissions apply to users over the network.

**2. What is the purpose of permissioned sharing?**

The purpose of sharing permissions is to control access to files or folders over a network. There are three main types of sharing permissions: Read, Change, and Full Control. 1. Read: Allows users to view the content of files or folders but prevents them from making any modifications or deletions. 2. Change: In addition to read permissions, this allows users to modify the contents of files or folders but does not permit them to delete entire folders or alter other users' permission settings. 3. Full Control: Provides the most extensive permissions, enabling users to read, modify, delete files or folders, and also change the permission settings for other users.

3. What are the six standard NTFS permissions? NTFS (New Technology File System) permissions are a mechanism in the Windows operating system used to control access to files and folders. Here are the six standard NTFS permissions: 1. **Read**: Allows users to view file content, read file properties, and list the contents of a folder. 2. **Write**: Enables users to modify file content, create new files, or rename/delete existing files (if they also have Read permission). 3. **Modify**: Combines Read and Write permissions, and also lets users change file or folder attributes and move files (but not delete them). 4. **Full Control**: Provides all permissions, including Read, Write, Modify, creating subfolders and files, deleting, and changing permission settings. 5. **Execute**: For executable files, allows users to run the file; for folders, it permits browsing their contents. 6. **Special Permissions**: A customized permission that enables more granular access control, such as changing permissions, auditing access, and specific operations like deletion. Please note that these permissions can be assigned individually or in combinations to users or user groups to provide flexible access control.

The standard NTFS permissions include Read, Write, Full Control, Modify, List Folder Contents, and Read & Execute.

4. Which permissions are applied when we use both share and NTFS permissions?

When both share and NTFS permissions are applied, the more restrictive permission takes precedence. For example, if the share permission is set to "Read" for Everyone and the NTFS permission is set to "Modify" for Everyone, the share permission takes precedence because it is more restrictive.