How many versions of a file name are maintained in the NTFS file system?

The correct answer is that the NTFS file system maintains two versions of a file name: the name given by the user and a corresponding MS-DOS compatible version.

In NTFS, the primary file name is the one that users typically see and interact with in the user interface. However, to maintain compatibility with older applications and operating systems that may not support long file names or certain characters, NTFS also generates a short, MS-DOS compatible version of the file name. This allows users to work with both modern and legacy systems seamlessly, ensuring broader compatibility while still utilizing the features and capabilities of the NTFS file system.

Other options are not applicable as they do not accurately reflect the structure of the NTFS naming convention. For example, saying that only one name is maintained disregards the purpose of backward compatibility that NTFS aims to achieve with the inclusion of the MS-DOS friendly name. The option suggesting a single 64-bit value misinterprets the nature of file name storage in NTFS, which focuses on usability rather than a registry-like representation. Lastly, the mention of three components introduces confusion, as NTFS primarily retains just the user's name and the short compatible name.