Windows 7 - NTFS : Win7 == WinXP?

Background - OK, I've been lurking / reading / learning for about 4 weeks (since about 1 week before 7100 was released). I have experience building computers from parts as far back as Win98 - doing a system install is something I can just about do in my sleep.I have (clean) installed both 7100 and 7127 with no issues. So, I'm not a complete n00b.

At first blush, this may sound like a stupid question but is the Windows 7 NTFS the same as the NTFS of WinXP fame? I ask because I have my data on a second HDD and I'm wondering if I need to (want to) back all that up, format the HDD and restore the data.

Is there ANY benefit to be realized in doing so?

Is there ANY penalty for not doing so?

Net searches have uncovered references to WinFS - most of these references are old. Some say this is the Windows 7 FS and other say that it has not yet seen the light of day. A search of SevenForums has uncovered almost no references to any FS.

Hello srq2625, and welcome to the Seven forums,

The file system in Windows 7 is not the much discussed WinFS, but the same old NTFS we all know and love

I think it may well be a later revision than the one shipped with XP but should not cause any problems, as it is fully backwards compatible.

The only issues I've seen with Drives formatted with XP, used on Windows 7, is the old one where permissions are still present on files from the original build.

This has cased users to find they cannot access certain files on the old XP formatted drive, from withing Windows 7.

This is easily solved by taking ownership of the file and adding the required security tokens for the Windows 7 users

Many Thanks ... this helped. And, sorry about the delay getting back - been busy trying to get things working.