The process of formatting a flash drive is not much different from formatting an HDD or SSD drive. Next, we'll take a look at the best ones (such as the USB Disk Storage Format Tool). We will also mention the USB stick available in any OS of the Windows family.
Content:
The guide will help you understand the many formatting options. I will explain what each individual parameter is responsible for and which one is optimal for your USB stick. And if the standard method does not help, we will select an alternative utility for formatting the flash drive.
What is formatting?
Formatting refers to the processing of a storage medium associated with ordering the structure of this medium. The source can be a hard disk drive (HDD), SSD, flash drive (usb flash drive), sd card, or other solid-state device. The formatting changes the structure of access to digital information.
How to format a sd memory card? SD cards have special features when formatting. We have written instructions,. We are talking about a tool specially designed for formatting flash drives and sd cards in Windows and Mac OS.
There are two facts to keep in mind:
- when formatting a flash drive, all data stored on it is destroyed. It will be possible to restore files only with special resuscitation utilities - and a successful result cannot be guaranteed.
- when you format a flash drive or HDD, the system checks for structure errors and, in some cases, fixes them.
Low-level formatting of a flash drive is a type of formatting in which the surface of a USB drive is marked into sectors used for further recording of service information. Low-level formatting is performed using special utilities, which we will talk about later in the article. We will also tell you how to format a USB flash drive with their means.
Typically, users do not want to understand the formatting options of the program. But in vain: after all, the settings are responsible for the performance of the flash drive and the read / write speed. The optimal parameters depend on the model of the device that will be formatted and on what you plan to do with the flash drive, what tasks to perform: run applications, use it as an OS boot, store all kinds of data, etc.
How to quickly format a USB flash drive in Windows 7 - Windows 10
Tip of the day... Sometimes formatting allows you to restore the operation of a flash drive, mark it up correctly, copy files to it - as a result, it becomes writable even after Windows has ceased to be detected or has stopped reading data. This is especially important to consider if Windows cannot format the USB flash drive and the user has to look for third-party tools.
Windows OS has a standard utility for this case, so you don't need to look for third-party formatting tools. Whether you are using Windows XP, Windows 7, 8 or Windows 10, the steps described are essentially the same.
- Insert the flash drive into the USB port
- Go to Explorer (Start> My Computer)
- Right-click on the USB drive, select “Format” from the context menu
- Determine the file system type - FAT or NTFS
- To format the drive, make your selection and click the "Start" button
- Confirm that you really want to erase all data on the disk
- Flash disk formatted
You need to understand what each of these options is responsible for. The formatting parameters of the flash drive that can be changed in the standard "Formatting" utility:
- Capacity: the size of the flash drive in GB. Each time you format the drive, check the size: this will avoid an error.
- File system. The file system type is, in many situations, irrelevant. However, if you specify not NTFS, but FAT, then you will not be able to write files> 4 GB to the USB flash drive. Having chosen a rare type of file system, be prepared for the fact that your flash drive will not be detected on other operating systems and computers. However, in Windows OS the choice is limited only to NTFS and (ex) FAT.
- Cluster size. Read about what a cluster is and what size you need to specify here.
- Volume label: the conventional name of the flash drive. Does not affect anything, but it is advisable to assign a memorable label to navigate in Explorer and the operating system.
What is the best format to format a USB stick?
Windows 7 has four main file systems to choose from: NTFS, FAT, FAT32, and exFAT. You will not see FAT and FAT32 in the list of available FS, if the total capacity of the flash drive or disk is more than 32 GB.
File system benefits NTFS:
- writing and reading data larger than 4 gigabytes and up to the maximum allowed partition size.
- the ability to create large partitions on a usb flash drive - more than 32 GB
- formatting a USB flash drive in NTFS is easier than in FAT
- effective compression of information and, accordingly, saving the occupied space on the flash drive.
- more efficient use of available space = less need for fragmentation.
- Supports on-the-fly file encryption with EFS Encryption File System (Windows Professional OS).
The advantages of file systems FAT and FAT32:
- FAT is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac OS X operating systems
- files take up less space on the USB stick than NTFS.
- FAT formatting is available on any OS
- fewer disk write / write operations = more efficient use of available memory.
File system pros exFAT:
- reading / writing large files> 4 gigabytes to a USB flash drive.
- partitioning> 32 GB.
- rational use of space = optimization of fragmentation.
So, we draw conclusions. FAT and FAT32 are suitable for drives less than 32 GB and if you do not need to store files larger than 2 and 4 GB.
Due to the nature of the file system, NTFS is not recommended for flash drives, even if their capacity is> 32 GB. The exFAT file system is a compromise solution. It combines the essential advantages of FAT and NTFS (large file sizes are supported). Thus, the exFAT file system is optimal for formatting flash drives.
FAT and FAT32 are the only file systems that guarantee cross-platform compatibility. NTFS is not supported on Linux and requires third-party applications to be installed on Mac. exFAT, on the other hand, is supported in Snow Leopard and later Mac OS, but Linux requires drivers as well.
If you choose between FAT and FAT32, choose the latter - especially if you are dealing with a flash drive of 2 GB or less. This is useful for improving compatibility and speed.
What cluster size to specify in the settings
The "Cluster Size" option in the formatting preferences sets the appropriate size. The file system records the status of each cluster: free or busy. After a file or part of a file is written to the cluster, it goes into a “busy” state — regardless of whether there is available space.
Consequently, large clusters are impractical from the point of view of using space on a flash drive (disk).
With smaller clusters, however, the flash drive slows down as each file is split into smaller pieces. It takes much longer to copy files.
Fortunately, the situation can be corrected using a USB flash drive formatter. In addition, the optimal cluster size depends on the purpose of the USB stick.
Cluster size in NTFS
If you store small files on a flash drive, run programs from a flash drive, a smaller cluster size will help save space. On a 1 TB external hard drive, it is advisable to choose a cluster with a size of 64 kilobytes.
Cluster size when formatting a flash drive in fat32
If you store large files on disk, a large cluster size is preferable: the flash drive will work faster. For flash drives less than 500 MB, select a 512 byte (FAT32) or 32K (FAT) cluster.
What label should I choose for the name of the flash drive?
The volume label is just a name. It is optional, so anything will do. However, there are a few rules to follow, depending on the filesystem you're going to format your flash drive with.
- maximum 32 characters
- will be displayed in UPPERCASE and LOWER CASE as you entered.
- maximum 11 characters
- the label will be displayed as uppercase letters
Fast or full formatting?
In typical formatting cases, files are removed from the disk and the disk is scanned for bad sectors. Full formatting will be useful for diagnosing write errors.
Quick format deletes only files and does not search. Therefore, use the quick option if you don't have time to check for errors on your flash drive.
Choosing a program for formatting a flash drive
Windows may not always format the USB flash drive correctly. Standard formatting is not a panacea for a flash drive if the service information on the storage device has been damaged. Unfortunately, recovering data on a flash drive with such damage is more difficult. One of the solutions to the problem is to download a proprietary program for formatting a USB flash drive (if available) to a computer on the website of the memory manufacturer. We recommend that you contact support and ask the manufacturer how to clean the USB flash drive, if they have programs for full formatting.
So, how to format a USB flash drive? Consider the best programs for formatting flash drives, more or less universal tools. If you want, you can easily find other alternatives, free and proprietary utilities that vendors offer.
Tip of the day... When formatting a USB flash drive, save important files to your computer. All data on the media being formatted will be permanently deleted.
JetFlash Recovery Tool
JetFlash Recovery Tool is a one-stop solution. This program for formatting flash drives will be useful if:
- errors, crashes were found on the usb flash drive
- information on the flash drive is not readable
- need to format the flash drive
Install the JetFlash Recovery Tool and try to force format the USB drive with it. The flash drive app works with A-DATA and Transcend media, but other options are also possible. Warning: the utility is not “omnivorous” and can easily reject your usb device.
JetFlash Recovery Tool can be downloaded from the official website. Install it on your computer according to the instructions included with the program.
Utility for formatting a USB flash drive Disk Storage Format Tool
Free utility USB Disk Storage Format Tool allows you to quickly and correctly format a USB flash drive under Windows. In this case, you can specify the file system of the media: FAT, FAT32, exFAT or NTFS.
The main functions of the utility:
- Allows you not only to format a USB flash drive, but also to erase all data on a flash drive that cannot be formatted using the traditional (system) method.
- USB Disk Storage Format Tool removes any traces of malware and viruses that may have infected the USB flash drive.
- Search and correction of reading errors, bad blocks on a USB flash drive.
- Create a volume label (name) for USB drives.
- Create a FAT32 partition larger than 32 GB.
- Low-level formatting of a flash drive of the required model (Kingston, HP, Sony, Lexar, Imation, Transcend, Corsair, etc.)
- It is convenient to observe the formatting process: just check the box next to the Verbose option.
USB Disk Storage Format Tool has been successfully tested on thousands of storage devices (Compact Flash, CF Card II, Memory Stick Duo Pro, Thumb Drive, Pen Drive). USB Disk Storage Format supports drive brands such as SanDisk, Kingston, Transcend, Corsair, HP, Sony, Lexar, Imation, Toshiba, PNY, Verbatim, LaCie, Panda, Seatech, SDKSK9, Silicon Power, IronKey, and HDE.
There is also a Pro version of the USB Disk Storage Format Tool. With its help, you can create bootable USB drives, perform low-level formatting, change the size of the cluster.
Formatting a USB flash drive using the HDD Low Level Format Tool
HDD Low Level Format Tool is a utility for low-level formatting of hard drives under Windows. Allows you to read SMART data, extract service information about Data storage devices.
However, HDD Low Level Format Tool supports not only hard drives, but also memory cards and flash drives (SD, MMC, MemoryStick and CompactFlash) - you may need a card reader to connect them.
HDD Low Level Format Tool will erase data from SATA, IDE, SAS, SCSI or SSD at low access level. The utility also works with any USB and FIREWIRE external drive, as well as SD, MMC, MemoryStick and CompactFlash flash drives.
Supported Brands: Maxtor, Hitachi, Seagate, Samsung, Toshiba, Fujitsu, IBM, Quantum, Western Digital, and others not listed here.
Utility for formatting a USB flash drive HDD Low Level Format Tool HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool
A very simple utility for correctly formatting a flash drive in FAT32 and NTFS format. The main function is to help the user quickly select options and format the USB flash drive on the computer by clicking on one button.
A utility for a USB flash drive is distributed for free, the installer can be downloaded for Windows.
In addition, through the HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool it is possible (which other similar formatters cannot do).
HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool interface for formatting flash drives How to format a USB flash drive in Mac OS
The HP USB Format Tool allows you to format a USB flash drive on a Mac operating system. However, for this you need to perform a number of intricate actions:
- Install Parallels Desktop emulator on your computer
- Install Windows system on Mac OS
- on PC
- Format a USB flash drive for Mac OS X via emulated Windows
Kingston USB Format Tool - format a USB flash drive without settings
This program does not contain any settings at all. To format, you need to specify the device (usb stick) and file system.
The developers on the site indicate that the FAT FS will avoid conflicts with other operating systems and will not affect the performance of the flash drive.
The program works under Windows 7 and Windows 10 and earlier OS versions.
Therefore, if you have a Kingston flash drive and for some reason it began to work slowly, try this program: it may solve the problem.
Answers on questions
I'm having problems with my USB stick. SmartBuy 64 gig. At first, the flash drive occasionally "disappeared", then it disappeared altogether .... after sleeping for 3 weeks, it appeared and allowed itself to be formatted (from fat32 to NTFS). I worked for 2 weeks and disappeared again ..... SmartBuy technical support specialists "do not know and cannot help with the problem" ... The utility for formatting the flash drive Low Level Format Tool runs as it should, the usual (both Windows and special utilities) - some goes to the end and writes that Windows cannot complete the formatting (this is usually in NTFS), and some of them immediately refuse (and this is in exFAT).
So: I have thoughts that the flash drive has "shortened" due to bad blocks, and therefore the programs for formatting the flash drive do not reach the very end - so they refuse to make the final recording on the media.
Please advise a program for the correct low-level formatting of the flash drive, which does not check for errors at the end. Something like the program that the Chinese "make" from small flash drives BIG.
Answer... Try the following programs: JetFlash Recovery Tool, USB Disk Storage Format Tool, HDD Low Level Format Tool. Pay attention to utilities that do low-level formatting. The name may state that these programs are designed for hard drives - however, some of them work similarly with flash drives, allowing them to be formatted.
There is such a flash drive Name: DT 101 II (USB2.0)
VID & PID: Vid_0951 & Pid_1625
Speed: high speed
Vendor Description: Kingston
Product Description: DT 101 II
Serial Number: 000AEB91EBF5F97155120907
The capacity of the flash drive is determined by the system as 16 GB. It is formatted, but when writing a file larger than 4 GB, it says that there is no space.
Answer... You need to format the flash drive to NTFS. You will be able to write files larger than 4 GB to it. However, as we have already noted, exFat (Extended File Allocation Table) is the best option for a flash drive.
How to format a USB stick in ntfs? Use USB Disk Storage Format Tool or HDD Low Level Format Tool. Windows built-in tools will also help you format the drive to ntfs.
Recently, the widespread use of TVs with the ability to play media files from USB-drives has led to the fact that the process of downloading the next movie "on a USB flash drive for TV" has become as common as switching over-the-air TV channels on it.
The speed of domestic Internet access has become such that any user can afford to download a large file with a movie in the highest quality overnight or even in a couple of hours, as far as the MKV format can save it. There is no need to talk about the cost of even fairly capacious flash drives, they have become more than affordable.
However, one important problem arises: files larger than 4 gigabytes cannot be written to flash drives, since they are usually formatted in FAT32 format. The solution to the problem is to re-partition the drive into exFAT or NTFS format. However, it is possible to write large files to a USB flash drive in exFAT format, but, unfortunately, not all TV models are able to "see" it. Another problem with NTFS: in order to partition a flash drive, you must first open access to it in this format through the settings of disk devices.
After that, the OS will give the opportunity to format the USB flash drive to NTFS. Then it will be possible to record a file of any (permissible storage capacity) volume on it, and your TV will certainly reproduce the recorded movie in excellent quality without any problems.
However, there is one big pitfall in this solution. The fact is that the controller in any NAND flash drive provides not only the process of read / write operations, but also the prevention of the best uniformity of wear of NAND cells. This is done through the block organization of the pages. For each block there is a counter stored either in the block itself in the service data, or in the table in separate blocks with service data. The translation table specifies the order in which blocks are used to implement the LBA range, in which the user creates the section and also stores his files.
During a write operation, a large block is taken into the controller's buffer, changes are made to it, after which it is completely rewritten back, sometimes even to a new address with registration in the translation table.
So, modifying a 4 MB block in the drive even by 1 byte, the entire block is overwritten anyway. And, if, in the case of the markup in FAT (32), an entry is made in the directory, the file data is written, and information is entered into both copies of the FAT table (for exFAT there is also an auxiliary bitmap structure), then in the case of NTFS, an entry is made into the MFT itself (Main file table), index record, BitMap, LogFile and so on ... In general, the number of operations increases several times.
Thus, the more small files are written and overwritten on a USB flash drive with an NTFS system, the more it wears out, since, as you know, its resource directly depends on the number of write / read cycles.
You can imagine how quickly and easily you can ditch a USB flash drive installed in a router with a 24-hour torrent file "download" utility. For these purposes, it is better to mark the drive in exFAT, and watch "small" movies on the TV from drives marked in FAT32 or "large" - from a gadget on NTFS.
And what is also very important! Never unplug a USB flash drive from the port if it has not yet completed a read / write operation, even if you have disabled caching on your system, which allows you to eject USB drives without first disconnecting them through the Safely Remove Service. If at this moment the process of updating the service tables takes place, you risk turning the drive into a piece of dead iron and plastic.
Ivan Kovalev
How to change ntfs to fat32? What is the correct format for a FAT32 or NTFS stick? All this will be discussed below.
Basically, both formats can be used with FAT32 and NTFS. It all depends on how you are going to use the flash drive.
When buying a new flash drive, as a rule, they have the FAT32 file system and this is not surprising, since this file system is readable from many devices, something like a universal format. Well, there are opinions that this format is more productive than NTFS.
Difficulties you may have, will arise only when you need to upload a file with a size exceeding 4GB to a USB flash drive. There may be other errors that, but these are usually special cases.
For example, you go to install windows from a USB flash drive. If your flash drive is in FAT32 format, then when you try to write a large file (more than 4GB) to it, windows itself will give you an error that the file is too large.
Well, when recording an image, you will be prompted to format the USB flash drive or you will also receive an error.
Therefore, before recording a windows image or before moving a large file to a USB flash drive, first format your USB flash drive into NTFS format.
And, of course, you have a reasonable question, which file system to choose for a FAT32 or NTFS flash drive.
Today, flash drives already come with a large volume of 32 GB and 64 and more. Accordingly, if you buy flash drives with such volumes, you probably plan to throw movies and large files on it.
For such purposes, format the flash drive in NTFS and use it as you like.
If you do not plan to put large files on a USB flash drive, but plan to use them for documents, photos or small files, for example, music files, then formatting is not necessary.
When choosing a file system for a flash drive, first think about how you will use it, from here and choose the format.
In addition:
How to change fat32 to ntfs or ntfs to fat32 on a USB flash drive
If, for some reason, you have previously formatted the flash drive from fat32 to ntfs and now you need to return everything back from fat32 to translate ntfs or vice versa, then to change the fat32 or ntfs file system you need, follow these steps:
1. Insert the USB stick into your computer / laptop.
2. When your computer detects your device, select the USB flash drive and right-click, in the menu that opens, click Format, then select the desired file system format and click Start.
After the operation is completed, your flash drive will be in the file system you need.
Attention! Before formatting a USB flash drive to another format, if there is data on it, first transfer (copy) the files to another location. When formatting, all data from the flash drive is deleted!
Many users mistakenly believe that formatting a flash drive is a procedure for deleting data from a digital medium. In fact, this operation has a broader purpose, which is identical to formatting a hard disk. And if, as often happens, you do not pay attention to it, then such carelessness can negatively affect the operation of the memory card. That is why we decided to analyze the topic in what format to format the USB flash drive for Android
SD cards are found in almost every Android device. And this is quite understandable - it is not entirely logical to store all the available content on the internal drive, especially since the amount of internal memory is very small for most devices, but using a flash drive, the device's memory can be increased from two to 32 gigabytes and even more, it's only a matter of your desire and financial capabilities.
True, it is not uncommon for an Android device to start working incorrectly with the memory card due to various problems that can be eliminated by formatting the memory card.
Formatting a memory card should be understood as the procedure for processing any digital data storage device (information). The purpose of this procedure is to streamline or completely change the structure of the drive.
As mentioned above, you can format all storage media, be it hard drives, USB flash cards or ESD memory cards.
Attention! Before proceeding with formatting, you need to pay attention to the fact that as a result of the procedure, all the information on the drive will be erased and it is often not possible to restore it.
On the other hand, in the process of formatting, the system detects and repairs damaged fragments of the structure.
There are several types of file systems, for example, NTFS, FAT,FAT32, exFAT and others. All of them have both their pros and cons. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Most Android devices support FAT32... The main advantages of this system are good performance and compatibility. For example, in a home DVD player, photo printer or media player, if you insert such a drive, all files will be available and read normally.
Another file system for flash drives is exFAT... It was created relatively recently by the same Microsoft, and in my opinion, it is an ideal option for both flash drives and memory cards, since it is a FAT32 file system, in which restrictions have been removed. That is, the size of files, as well as sections in it, can be of any size, and the number of files stored in one folder is practically unlimited.
*Note: This format is not relevant for some household appliances and computers on Windows XP.
It is considered modern and reliable NTFS- the file system that replaced the above described FAT32 in modern PCs. An absolute plus NTFS one can also name the provision of a higher level of information security.
What you need to pay attention to is the size of the downloaded files. The fact is that, in FAT32 The file size is limited to 4 GB, so when downloading a movie or any larger application, the system will display an "Not enough space in the device's memory" error, although in fact there is still plenty of space:
So, in order for your Android smartphone to see the USB flash drive, we need to change the format on it. There are several ways to do this, which read on.
Using device OS functions
Some phones have the ability to seamlessly change the file system. To do this, through the main "Settings" open the "Memory" section. We find the item "Memory settings", then the line "Format memory card", open and change the file system from FAT32 to NTFS. Now you can click "OK" and wait for the process to complete.
Not all models of Android devices have a tool that allows you to change the file system. In this case, let's use the PC tools.
Using a computer
In Windows, the formatting function is standard and does not present any particular difficulties. So, we connect our Android device to the computer using a USB cable, do not forget to enable USB debugging:
Now on the PC, click "Start", then "Computer" (or "My Computer"). Among the displayed disks we find the removable medium of our device, in the screenshot it is drive "E", I called it MAIN so as not to be confused with the internal memory of the phone, since, by default, both of these disks will be called "removable media", differing only by the letter (" E "," F "or otherwise). Right-click on disk "E", in the drop-down list of actions, select "Format":
In the window that opens, click the arrow in the field with the current FAT32 format and select the NTFS format. Then we activate the "Start" button:
*Note:
- Make sure your phone is the only removable disk connected to your computer.
- To make sure that it is the SD card that will be formatted (drive "E" in the screenshot), check its contents.
If you have chosen the format for your flash drive exFAT, then, guided by the action shown above in the screenshot, instead of FAT32 select exFAT instead of NTFS.
Using the convert function
This method allows you to perform the file system conversion procedure without losing data on the flash drive. And, nevertheless, my advice is to take care of preserving the information just in case. So.
We connect the smartphone to the PC, as indicated above. Do not forget to activate USB debugging. On a PC, in the lower left corner, click on the "Start" button, in the search we enter " cmd ", at the end of the program search, press the " Enter»:
Now, in the command line window that opens, enter convert E: / fs: ntfs, where " E"- the letter of the removable disk (SD-card), which will be subjected to the formatting procedure:
The command line field may look different (depending on the operating system), which does not change the action to be taken:
There is another way to get to the command line: On the computer, click " Start", then " All programs", At the bottom of the list, select" Standard", We find the item" Command line", Click on it with the right mouse button. From the list that appears, open “ Run as administrator". To the request of the program to make changes, we answer in the affirmative, after which it will be possible to make changes, as described above.
*Note:
- Programs launched from the disk to be converted must be closed.
- Before starting the formatting procedure, make sure that the battery charge is at least 50 - 70%.
- Remember to save important data.
We told you in what format to format the USB flash drive for Android in order to change the file system. However, as mentioned above, the formatting procedure can also be used to clean up the memory card. About it .
Users of flash drives and memory cards are rarely interested in what file system their drive is formatted in. It's no secret that memory cards are best formatted in the device in which they will be used, and flash drives - with the manufacturer's proprietary utility. Problems can arise when trying to copy a file larger than 4 GB to an external drive. Having received a message about a write error, the user is at a loss, because there is plenty of space on the media. And the point is most likely in an outdated file system. The simplest solution for modern Windows or Mac OS users is to use the exFAT format. What this will give, we will tell you further
FAT32 and its limitations
Until recently, the most popular file system for removable media was the good old FAT32. Files recorded on such a device were accessible from a computer or smartphone, no matter what operating system was controlled. It was not a problem to connect a USB flash drive to a DVD-player or TV, and use a memory card in a phone, camera, camcorder.
However, simple and straightforward FAT32 has a number of limitations, primarily on the maximum size of a partition and a single file. The first limitation is not so strict: you cannot format a partition larger than 2 TB in FAT32. So far, such flash drives do not exist, even top-end hard drives have recently reached this value. The modern SDXC standard does not imply the creation of larger memory cards (the exFAT file system was developed with an eye to this format as well). As we see, it is premature to say that this is already relevant today, however, system software developers have to look far ahead so that their products do not become a bottleneck limiting the growth of system performance as a whole.
But what really creates difficulties when using devices formatted in FAT32 is the limitation on the maximum file size of 4 GB. A full-length film in HD can be many times larger. Many people need to transfer archives or larger database files. So the issue of changing the file system is very relevant.
ExFAT: what it is and what are its benefits
The exFAT file system developed by Microsoft is an evolution of the FAT family that is optimized for use in removable storage devices. Here are its main advantages over its predecessors:
- The maximum file size has been increased to an unimaginable 16 exabytes (2 64 bytes) today.
- increased to 32 MB.
- The limitation on the number of files and folders has been removed.
- Now you can save access rights to files and folders.
Another advantage of exFAT is a more rational use of disk space: the new file system will have a slightly larger effective volume than if you format it in FAT32, and even more so in NTFS or HFS +.
Why not NTFS
The advantages we are talking about have long been realized by Microsoft developers in Then why do we need some kind of exFAT system too? The point is that NTFS is a journaling file system. The system makes small notes about each read or write operation (operation started - operation completed). This allows in the event of a failure to easily localize the problem, avoid data loss or damage to the file system as a whole. But these records take some time to complete. For fast hard drives, this is a negligible user, and for much less efficient flash drives - quite tangible brakes.
Moreover: the resource of the number of write operations for flash drives is very limited, and it is a pity to use a significant part of it for file system logging.
Thus, the use of a journaled file system leads to a decrease in the speed of work and a decrease in the resource of flash drives. That is why neither NTFS (Windows), nor HFS + (MacOS), nor ext3 / ext4 (Linux) are used for them.
exFAT on hard drives
Above, it has been said more than once about exFAT, which is a file system for flash drives. And what prevents you from using it on hard drives? The fact is that the disadvantages of journaling file systems, which we talked about above, are not decisive for magnetic hard drives.
The resource of their write cycles is several orders of magnitude longer than that of flash drives, journaling takes almost no time due to the impressive cache of the device, and the gain in the amount of disk space is negligible. But reliability, with the huge number of calls to the drive that the system and programs constantly make, comes to the fore. By this indicator, NTFS outright wins over exFAT.
Compatibility issues
The main problem with exFAT is that it is a proprietary file system, that is, Microsoft takes a fee from anyone who wants to implement it in their products. Therefore, you should pay attention to whether this format is supported by your operating system and hardware.
Windows 7 and above are fully supported without any effort on the part of the exFAT user. Vista starting with Service Pack 1 can work with this file system, but with some limitations. For Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or higher), you will need to download the driver from the Microsoft website.
Apple took care of its clients: Macs with OS X 10.6.4 or later also have native exFAT support.
But for Linux there are only unstable and questionable utilities from the point of view of licensed purity.
The hardware support situation is even worse. It is clear that players and similar devices do not know about the new file system. But not all manufacturers of new gadgets want to pay for the use of this Microsoft development (or take risks by introducing support for the new format without a license). Therefore, we cannot yet say about exFAT that it is a universal replacement for FAT32.
