- Mac's on OS X can't format or write to NTFS formatted drives, they can read from it though. Your best option is to format the external drive on the Windows machine using exFAT as it will do it correctly, the Mac has issues formatting exFAT for Windows.
- The only real downside of NTFS is a lack of compatibility with older versions of Windows and non-Windows operating systems. For example, by default NTFS volumes are read-only in Mac OS and in older Linux distros, and may not be readable at all on other devices such as standalone media players.
ExFAT is a file system that was created to be used on flash drives like USB memory sticks and SD cards.The name of exFAT is an acronym for Extended File Allocation Table, which gives a hint for its precursors: FAT32 and FAT16.exFAT is a newer version of the old FAT32 file system, and it is a middle ground between FAT32 and the more modern and more sophisticated NTFS file system.
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What Is exFAT?
exFAT is an acronym for Extended File Allocation Table which is a file system introduced by Microsoft in 2006. It is created to be used on flash memory like USB flash drives, SD cards and so on.
The name of exFAT gives a hint for its precursors: FAT file system. exFAT is a newer version of the FAT32 file system, and you can think it this way: it is a middle ground between FAT32 and NTFS file system (New Technology File System).
The Pros of exFAT
exFAT is a file system that is optimized for flash drives. For that purpose, exFAT has some of the main features that distinguish it from other file systems:
- exFAT is a lightweight file system that does not require maintenance of a large amount of hardware resources.
- It offers support for huge partitions, of up to 128 pebibytes, while 512 exbibytes is recommended.
- It supports huge file stored that is much larger than the 4GB limit imposed by FAT32. If you're curious, the theoretical file size limit is 16 exbibytes, but this exceeds the maximum partition dimension, so the actual size limit of a file stored on exFAT is the same as the partition limit: 128 pebibytes.
- Cluster size up to 32MB.
- exFAT adopts the remaining space allocation table, the performance of remaining space allocation improved.
- The maximum number of files in the same directory can reach 2,796,202.
- exFAT is more compatible with a lot of devices and operating systems than NTFS.
The Cons of exFAT
exFAT lacks the support of journaling (in fact, to some extent it is not a disadvantage, and we will explain the reasons in the next part). The journaling feature allows the file system to keep records of the changes made to the files stored on it. This is useful when data corruption occurs because the logs can be used to recover corrupted data.
exFAT does not have this feature, which means that data can be more susceptible to corruption in the event of an unexpected shutdown or the inability to safely eject a removable drive formatted in this way.
Its file allocation tables and file allocations themselves do not support multi-user environments and are susceptible to large file fragmentation. Few other file systems have this issue.
It is not quite as widely-supported as FAT32 does.
What's the Benefits When You Choose exFAT for A Removable Media
We take the USB flash drive as an example to explain this issue. First of all, we mentioned that exFAT is between FAT and NTFS. Though for performance it cannot compare to NTFS, it does have features better than FAT32 which you can find in the pros of exFAT(last part).
Here we list one typical point. The USB flash drive which is formatted with FAT32 file system cannot have a single file over 4GB. Although there are few opportunities for a single file to exceed 4GB, it does not mean that there are not: original files for BD/HD movies, uncompressed audio files for lossless music lovers, ISO files for DVDs, etc., if you want a full backup, you must choose exFAT over FAT32 as the storage format.
Then you might ask why not choose NTFS? Yes, NTFS is a more powerful file system, but it is targeted 'log' file system requires frequent recording of disks during reading and writing, while a USB flash drive has a limit on the number of reading and writing, therefore, theoretically a USB flash drive which uses the NTFS format will have a relatively short lifetime. And the compatibility is a problem too.
What's more? The exFAT file system is compatibility with both Windows and Mac, so if you want to transfer data between computers with these two different operating systems, formatting a USB flash drive with exFAT is the best choice.
In summary, if you want to format a USB flash drive but don't know which file system to choose, here are the advices:
- It is generally recommended to use the FAT32 format, which has the greatest compatibility.
- If you want a better performance experience, want to store large files, or use the drive between Mac and Windows, you can choose the exFAT format (might not be recognized by some devices other than the computer).
- NTFS format is not recommended.
Nov 13, 2020 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
Mac os x yosemite task manager. Kasyna on line. 'exFAT' file system is the latest file system that has been launched and many people are looking to convert from the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. This article is for those looking to convert their file systems.
This article gives a brief detail on the difference between the 'FAT32' and 'exFAT' file systems, different ways to format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Windows which include using file explorer, disk management, command prompt, and AOMEI partition assistant tool. In addition to this, you can also see some bonus tips to be followed while formatting the partitions.
Part 1: 'FAT32' vs. 'exFAT': What's the Difference and Which One Is Better?
'FAT32' (File Allocation Table) is the most popular file system as it is the oldest and is used by almost every Operating system. But, 'exFAT' is the latest file system which is widely used in formatting external and USB drives. Let us understand which one is better by comparing the following
Feature | 'FAT32' | 'exFAT' |
Devices Supported | Compatible on any Operating system, video game consoles, media players, Android USB expansions, and many other devices | 'exFAT' is also compatible on all types of devices as 'FAT32' but it might not work for some media players and Android devices |
Sizes Supported | Supports the files which are up to a max of 4GB in size. | There is no limit for any file sizes. So it is widely used to store large-sized files. |
Speed | When compared to 'exFAT', 'FAT32' is slow in writing and reading data | 'exFAT' is faster than 'FAT32' in writing and reading the data |
Based on the above table, it is proven that the 'exFAT' file system is far better than the 'FAT32' file system when you have files with large sizes and need effective and efficient formatting.
Part 2: How to Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Windows?
Way 1. Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' in File Explorer
Using File Explorer, you can format the flash drive from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' easily and effectively following the below steps:
Step 1: Open File Explorer by pressing 'Windows' + 'E' keys.
Step 2: In the explorer look for your USB flash drive and right-click on it.
Step 3: Click on 'Format' and select 'exFAT' from the 'File System' list.
Step 4: Click the 'Start' button in the end.
Way 2: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using CMD
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using a CMD prompt if you know the commands to perform the Diskpart. To use this Diskpart tool, you need to follow the below steps:
How to play casino dice. Step 1: Open Run dialog box and type 'diskpart ' to the run the Diskpart.
Step 2: Type the following command and press enter after every command:
- 'list disk'
- 'select disk n'
- 'list partition'
- 'select partition m'
- 'format fs = 'exFAT'
From above n = no of external drives, m = no of external drive partitions.
Step 3: Once all the above commands are executed, the formatting progress will be completed within a short time. How to convert pdf into pages on mac.
Way 3: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' with Windows Disk Management
How to backup mac with hard drive. Windows Disk Management is an effective built-in feature provided by Windows which helps you in managing the hard disk partitions without any difficulties or errors. It might not be an effective solution when compared to other third-party tools but it is enough to convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'. For this follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open 'Disk Management' by right-clicking on the Windows start menu.
Step 2: Select the 'FAT32' formatted partition, right-click on it and click on 'Format'.
Step 3: In the format page, change the 'file system' to 'exFAT' from 'FAT32' and click on 'Ok'.
Step 4: Now the formatting process will start and you may lose all your data so make sure that the important data is taken as a backup.
Step 5: Once the formatting is done, you can see that 'FAT32' is converted to 'exFAT' in the disk management interface.
Way 4: Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' through a third-party converter
Generally, the above-mentioned methods may or may not work as they may face issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. In such cases, third-party tools like the AOMEI partition assistant can give better results in formatting the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
An important point to note is to take a backup of all the important files and data because once the formatting has been started, you may lose all your data and it will be difficult to retrieve the data.
Step 2: In the explorer look for your USB flash drive and right-click on it.
Step 3: Click on 'Format' and select 'exFAT' from the 'File System' list.
Step 4: Click the 'Start' button in the end.
Way 2: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using CMD
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' using a CMD prompt if you know the commands to perform the Diskpart. To use this Diskpart tool, you need to follow the below steps:
How to play casino dice. Step 1: Open Run dialog box and type 'diskpart ' to the run the Diskpart.
Step 2: Type the following command and press enter after every command:
- 'list disk'
- 'select disk n'
- 'list partition'
- 'select partition m'
- 'format fs = 'exFAT'
From above n = no of external drives, m = no of external drive partitions.
Step 3: Once all the above commands are executed, the formatting progress will be completed within a short time. How to convert pdf into pages on mac.
Way 3: Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' with Windows Disk Management
How to backup mac with hard drive. Windows Disk Management is an effective built-in feature provided by Windows which helps you in managing the hard disk partitions without any difficulties or errors. It might not be an effective solution when compared to other third-party tools but it is enough to convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'. For this follow the below steps:
Step 1: Open 'Disk Management' by right-clicking on the Windows start menu.
Step 2: Select the 'FAT32' formatted partition, right-click on it and click on 'Format'.
Step 3: In the format page, change the 'file system' to 'exFAT' from 'FAT32' and click on 'Ok'.
Step 4: Now the formatting process will start and you may lose all your data so make sure that the important data is taken as a backup.
Step 5: Once the formatting is done, you can see that 'FAT32' is converted to 'exFAT' in the disk management interface.
Way 4: Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' through a third-party converter
Generally, the above-mentioned methods may or may not work as they may face issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. In such cases, third-party tools like the AOMEI partition assistant can give better results in formatting the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
An important point to note is to take a backup of all the important files and data because once the formatting has been started, you may lose all your data and it will be difficult to retrieve the data.
Follow the below steps for using the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
Step 1: Launch AOMEI
Download, install, and double click on the AOMEI icon to launch the AOMEI partition assistant tool.
Step 2: Format Partition
In the interface, choose the drive that you wish to format and right-click on it. In the menu displayed, click on 'Format Partition'.
Step 3: Choose 'exFAT'
In the 'Format Partition' interface, select 'exFAT' from the file system menu. 'Partition Label' and 'Cluster Size' can be added as per the need. Click on 'Ok' and 'Apply' to perform the formatting.
Following the above-mentioned steps, you can format your disk partition or drive from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' easily and effectively.
Part 3: Bonus Tips to Convert 'FAT32' to NTFS on Mac and Linux
1. Convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Mac
You can easily convert a 'FAT32' file system to 'exFAT' using the 'Disk Utility' option on Mac. Follow the below steps for the following:
Step 1: Go to 'Applications'->' Utilities' and launch 'Disk Utility'.
Step 2: Victoria milan review. In the Disk Utility interface, select the external drive that you want to format.
Step 3: Under the 'Erase' tab, select the 'exFAT' file type from the menu list.
Step 4: Click on the 'Erase' button to start the formatting from 'FAT32' to 'exFAT'.
2. Format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Linux
To format 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' file system on Linux, follow the below steps:
Step 1: To view all the drives attached to your system, type sudo fdisk -l in the command line.
Step 2: Select the drive that you want to format and type sudo wipefs -a /dev/sdb to start fresh with a new 'exFAT' file system
Step 3: Follow the on-screen instructions and select 'exFAT' from the message 'HPFS/NTFS/exFAT' it displays
Step 4: Press 'w' to sync the disk partitions.
Step 5: Type sudo mkfs.'exFAT' -n hardDisk /dev/sdb1 to format your drive to 'exFAT'
The Bottom Line
As mentioned in the article, different ways can be used to convert or format from the 'FAT32' to the 'exFAT' file system. Follow all the above-mentioned procedures to easily and effectively format your drive.
While formatting your drive using file explorer, command prompt, or disk management, you may find some trouble because of the issues like write-protection, file system corruption, etc. So, it is recommended to use the 'AOMEI Partition Assistant' a third party tool which provides an interactive and easy to use interface to format effectively without any interruptions.
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Ntfs For Mac
When compared to 'FAT32', 'exFAT' is a better file system type in the following aspects:
- There is no file size limit for 'exFAT', but 'FAT32' can support up to a size of 4GB only.
- 'exFAT' file system performs faster writing and reading of data when compared to 'FAT32'.
You can convert 'FAT32' to 'exFAT' on Mac using the Disk utility option that it provides. In the disk utility, follow the below steps:
- Select the disk partition that you want to format from the list of disks displayed on the left pane of the interface.
- Under erase tab->File system, select 'exFAT' and click on erase.
This will format your partition completely with file type as 'exFAT'.
How do I convert my flash drive from 'exFAT' to 'FAT32'?
Converting your flash drive from 'exFAT' to 'FAT32' has become very easy now. Follow the below steps to format:
- Double-click on 'This PC' and from the list of drives select the flash drive.
- Right-click on the flash drive and click 'Format'.
- In the Format window, select the 'file type' as 'FAT32'.
- Click on Format.
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