File system format for mac. Selecting a file system independent of the OS

Many of our readers who have to work in both Mac OS X and Windows sooner or later encounter the problem of file intolerance between operating systems. Indeed, a disk formatted in Mac OS is not recognized in Windows, while a disk formatted in Windows is visible in Mac OS, but as a rule, is not writable.

Thus, problems arise if you need to “transfer” a file via an external drive or “flash drive” from one system to another. In this article we will look at what file systems Windows uses, and how to most conveniently organize file exchange via .

File system (hereinafter referred to as FS) is an order that determines the way of organizing, storing and naming data on storage media. It defines the format of the content and physical storage of information, which is usually grouped in the form of files. A specific file system determines the size of the file name (folder), the maximum possible file and partition size, and a set of file attributes. Some file systems provide service capabilities, such as access control or file encryption. .

Mac OS X fully supports the following file systems:

Mac OS Extended (including Mac OS Extended journaling and Mac OS Extended case-sensitive)
FAT32
exFAT

Windows fully supports the following file systems:

FAT32
exFAT

“Fully supports” means that the operating system can read and write from a disk partition formatted in one of the above file systems.

Note that the Mac OS Extended Journaled and NTFS file systems are fail-safe systems, and therefore they should be given preference when choosing a file system for a drive. However, as mentioned at the beginning of the article, the native file systems of Mac and Windows have poor cross-support. Thus, a disk in Mac OS Extended format is not recognized by Windows, and a disk in NTFS format is visible in Mac OS X, but is read-only - nothing can be written to it.

Therefore, for external disk drives that are periodically connected either to Mac or to Windows machines, it is advisable to use file systems that are fully supported by both operating systems. These are FAT32 and the little-known exFAT. These are not as damage-resistant file systems as Mac OS Extended and NTFS, but as a rule, they are quite sufficient for “household” use.

Surely many users have already encountered the most important drawback of the FAT32 file system - the limitation on the maximum file size, which is 4 GB (4,294,967,296 bytes). It is “thanks to” this factor that there is a refusal to use this PS. Indeed, the 4GB limit does not allow recording on such a disk, for example, video files in FullHD format, which usually “weigh” around 30GB.

The exFAT (extended FAT or extended FAT) FS, which was specially designed as a replacement for FAT32 for use on external drives such as flash drives, memory cards, etc., does not have the 4GB/file limitation. The theoretical limit on file size in this FS is 2^64 bytes (16 exbibytes), that is, there are practically no restrictions. exFAT support is available in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and 3 with update KB955704, Windows Vista with Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, as well as Mac OS X Snow Leopard since version 10.6.5.

Taking into account the above, it is exFAT that is recommended to be used on those drives that are periodically connected either to a Mac or to Windows.

However, quite often users have a situation when they already have an NTFS hard drive with information on it, and they need to connect it to the Mac. Mac OS X will see the NTFS partition, but only in read mode. To be able to write to such a disk, you need to install a driver on Mac OS X

Or there is a need to completely erase its contents, it is customary to format the drive. This procedure removes all data and often normal operation of the device.

During the formatting process, the computer prompts you to select a file system (FS). This is the name for organizing data on a flash drive. The macOS user has a choice of the following systems: MS-DOS (FAT), ExFAT or OS X Extended.

It is very important to format the drive in the file system that is best suited for your equipment. Let's figure out which flash drive file system is optimal for Mac and why.

Types of file systems and their features

MS-DOS (FAT)- this is what macOS calls the file system, known to Windows users as FAT/FAT32. It is compatible with any computer, and is also supported by consoles and home appliances such as camcorders or even old media players.

For all its versatility, MS-DOS (FAT) has an important drawback: files larger than 4 GB cannot be written to a flash drive formatted in this file system.

ExFAT- a newer FS that is supported on macOS starting from version X 10.6.5, and on Windows - from XP SP2. Obviously, the disadvantage of this format is the lack of compatibility with earlier versions of operating systems. Additionally, not all USB devices support ExFAT. Well, the plus is that it can work with files larger than 4 GB.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) provides maximum flash drive compatibility with macOS and is the default file system for hard drives on Mac computers. There are no restrictions on the size of the recorded file when using Mac OS Extended (Journaled). At the same time, this FS is not supported by Windows and many USB devices.

You can also see in the list of available FS Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled). It differs from the previous one only in case sensitivity. For example, the files hello.txt and Hello.txt in such a FS will be considered different. If you don't need this, choose the regular Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

NTFS- another FS that you may encounter. Drives formatted in it have no restrictions on file size and are compatible with Windows. But in macOS, files recorded on such a flash drive can only be viewed without the ability to write. Additionally, some USB devices do not support NTFS at all.

Which file system to choose

As you can see, the choice of drive file system depends on what devices you will use it with. If only with Mac and other Apple equipment, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

ExFAT is perfect for Mac and Windows PCs.

If you want to achieve compatibility of a flash drive with the maximum number of USB devices and do not plan to write files larger than 4 GB to it, choose MS-DOS (FAT).

How to change the file system

To change the drive's FS, use Disk Utility. Don't forget, this procedure destroys all data.

But first check the current file system of the flash drive. To do this, just launch Disk Utility and select the drive in the left panel. After this, detailed information about the flash drive will appear on the screen, including its FS type, which can be seen next to the name of the drive.

If the current file system does not suit you, click on the “Erase” button on the top panel. In the window that appears, select the new FS and click “Erase” again. After a few seconds, the utility will change the file system of the flash drive.

By default, a Mac cannot write files to most flash drives and external hard drives. This happens because they are formatted with the NTFS file system. You may encounter this feature if you try to write a file to a colleague’s flash drive or to your external hard drive, which was used before switching to a Mac.

The problem is easy to fix: Mac will work with any drive if you install a special application. Another option is to format your flash drive or external hard drive with the ExFAT file system, which by default works with both macOS and Windows without installing additional applications.

Method 1: format the drive with the ExFAT file system

To format an external drive in ExFAT, you must:

1. Connect a flash drive or external hard drive to the Mac;

2. Open the Disk Utility application. To do this, go to Finder - “Programs” - open the “Utilities” folder. Find the “Disk Utility” application in it and launch it;

3. Select the desired drive in the sidebar and switch to the “Erase” tab;

4. Select ExFAT from the drop-down list in the “Format” section;

5. Click "Erase".

Attention! The data from the flash drive will be completely deleted. Copy them to your computer in advance; after formatting, you can return them back.

Pros:

simple and fast;

for free;

no need to install additional applications.

Minuses:

This method is not suitable for working with other people's flash drives and hard drives. If you have to do this often, it is wiser to install the NTFS driver.

Method 2: Install NTFS Driver on Mac

There are several drivers that solve the problem. We have reviewed the two best solutions and suggest you familiarize yourself with their pros and cons.

Tuxera NTFS for Mac

Tuxera is a driver for Mac computers that helps them learn to work fully with the NTFS file system.

To install the driver, you must:

1. Download Tuxera NTFS for Mac from the official website. The application is paid, but there is a trial version for 15 days;

3. Tuxera NTFS.

No additional settings are required for Tuxera NTFS to work. It will automatically turn on instead of the standard driver and mount all connected drives. After these simple manipulations, the Mac will be able to fully work with connected flash drives and hard drives formatted in the NTFS file system.

Pros:

easy to install and operate;

takes up little space;

transmits data quickly and securely.

Minuses:

high price: the full version will cost $31.

Paragon NTFS for Mac

Paragon NTFS for Mac is a popular driver from the Russian developer Paragon Software. The main advantages of the utility are reliability, stability, high data copying speed and timely updates.

The installation process is similar to Tuxera:

1. Download Paragon NTFS for Mac from the official website. The application is paid, but there is a trial version for 10 days;

2. Install the driver and then restart the Mac;

3. Go to the Settings application. A new application will appear in the “Others” section NTFS for macOS. Here you can configure it or delete it.

Installation is quick and easy. The installer has a friendly interface in Russian. The driver itself has minimal settings: it can be turned on or off. Paragon's write speed is comparable to Tuxera, but its read speed is 5 megabytes per second higher.

Pros:

Minuses:

The directory structure of Mac OS X and Windows Vista is fundamentally different, which, however, is not at all surprising - the first refers to UNIX systems, the second inherits the principles of organization from Windows 2000 and earlier versions, while maintaining a certain continuity with DOS. It should be noted that Mac OS X, at least at the user level, is very different from the FHS() standard. Moreover, root directories related to the BSD environment, such as /bin, /usr and others, are hidden in Finder, an analogue of Explorer, as well as in application programs.

In Mac OS X, the root file system is the one corresponding to the boot partition. All other partitions, including those on removable media, are mounted in /Volumes, under their own name, specified in the case of FAT and NTFS file systems by the disk label. This approach ensures inter-machine unification - no matter what computer we connect, say, a flash drive to, it will have the same path in the file system directory structure. This greatly facilitates the creation of a portable working environment, including programs, settings and user documents. The second implicit bonus is that the distinction between real partitions and disk images is erased - application programs work with the latter as usual. For full simulation, you can use an image format that allows not only reading, but also writing data. It should be noted that the user does not need to think about the number of connected media or images.

In Windows Vista, the concept of designating partitions using letters of the Latin alphabet was inherited from earlier versions; the boot partition receives the letter “C”, regardless of whether the computer has disk drives, which were reserved for “A” and “B” in DOS times. Each newly connected media receives the first free letter (which may not be in strict order). In the Explorer settings, you can set an option that allows you to hide drive letters, but its effect only applies to standard dialog boxes and Explorer, and then only partially: for example, all information is still shown in the properties of files and folders. Using the management console, the user can either change the drive letter or use the standard feature of the NTFS file system - mounting partitions to a directory. Strictly speaking, the so-called Directory Junction operation is supported, which allows you to set not only a partition, but also a separate disk folder as a source object - but, unfortunately, it is not available through the management console. The use of drive letters obviously creates ambiguity in the naming of partitions when connecting removable media to different computers. As a result, if you want to organize a portable working environment, you must use either programs that can work with relative paths or absolute paths of the form “” - the root directory of the current disk, or specialized adapted versions (in this regard, the emergence of the U3 standard is of some interest). The use of letters to name disks also leads to the fact that a virtual drive that simulates a real one is limited to one connected image at any given time, that is, you need to either install several such emulators or “change” the image.

Main catalogs

In Mac OS X, the user works with the following folders in the root directory: Applications, as the name suggests, is intended for application programs; System - main files of the operating system; Library - additional files of the system and application programs, as well as system-wide settings; Users - home directories of users, which, in turn, may contain subfolders Library and Applications. This division makes it possible to clearly differentiate user rights to access individual objects of the file system: for example, an application cannot write settings outside the Library (either system or corresponding to the current user), and user documents - anywhere other than the home directory. Of course, if desired (and with appropriate permissions), the user can place the application, for example, on the desktop, and personal files in /System, but in general the directory structure is logical and well-balanced enough to differentiate access based on the standard UNIX scheme.

Windows Vista also has standard directories: Windows - the purpose is clear from the name; Program Files is used to host application programs; ProgramData stores global program settings (analogous to Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication Data, as well as a number of other folders in older versions); Users is for user home directories. We need to dwell on the latter in more detail, since the approach has changed, it has become closer to what is used in UNIX systems: working folders intended for documents, music, images, and so on, are placed directly in the home directory along with service directories, having the “hidden” attribute. That is, the structure has become more “flat”, without branching into additional levels of hierarchy. The main problem with Windows Vista is related to older programs that require appropriate permissions to write settings and temporary and support files to Program Files or Windows - many of them were not created with the ability to run under an account with significantly limited access in mind.

File system capabilities

The “native” file system for Mac OS X is the Mac OS Extended file system, which in some sources is referred to in the same way as HFS+. Depending on the parameters selected during formatting, journaling may be supported (the default option when installing the system), as well as the use of case-sensitive names - in this case, the system will distinguish between objects located in the same folder and called almost the same except for the case of characters, for example, “document .pdf" and "Document.pdf". The system partition can also be formatted as a UFS (UNIX File System) file system, but according to Apple, there may be limitations associated with the operation of certain subsystems of the operating system, in particular, wireless access. Other file systems are also supported, into which non-system volumes can be formatted - FAT, FAT32 and NTFS in read-only mode.

For Windows, the main file system is NTFS, which also supports journaling and case-sensitive names. However, the latter option requires setting a certain registry parameter and, of course, support at the application program level. For obvious reasons, Mac OS Extended and UFS file systems are not supported, but you can ensure data portability in both read and write mode using partitions formatted in FAT.

In Mac OS X, files consist of two components: the so-called data fork and resource fork, translated into Russian - a fork of data and resources. The resource fork is designed to save auxiliary information, for example, an individual file icon. In some cases, the contents of a resource fork may be the main one - for example, it may contain the entire font file. Which is quite natural, the HFS+ file system natively supports such file branching, but what will happen, for example, when such a file is placed on a disk in FAT32? In this case, an auxiliary file is generated, the name of which begins with “._”, and the “hidden” attribute is set. However, application programs continue to treat the file as if it were on a disk with the HFS+ file system.

The mechanism implemented in NTFS is more flexible - each file can have several arbitrary file streams, all of them, with the exception of the main one, receive their own names. When a user accesses a file and does not specify an additional name, it is considered that he is working with this main thread. File streams have been supported since the very first versions of NTFS and the Windows NT operating system, but the user encounters this feature only when specifying additional file attributes, such as author, document title, and so on. Also, malware likes to hide its essence in additional threads - but this is the concern of antiviruses and their manufacturers. And, as always when using “advanced” technologies, the question of compatibility arises, in particular, with the FAT file system. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism for saving additional named file streams, unless the system (or, more precisely, Explorer) warns about the possible loss of information when copying or moving.

Each operating system has restrictions on the characters allowed in file names, many of these restrictions are due to historical reasons and compatibility with earlier versions of operating systems. So, in Mac OS X, “/” is used to separate directory names, but at the same time, you can specify this character in the file name. The question arises - how? In fact, the name retains the colon “:”, which is displayed as “/”. The colon cannot be explicitly specified because earlier versions of Mac OS, before the X era, used this character to separate directories. In addition, you can specify characters in names, such as “?” and “*” used when specifying file masks. In Windows Vista, the restrictions are a little more stringent, since you cannot use not only slashes “/” and “”, but also quotes, colons and a number of other characters.

It should be noted that in general, the NTFS file system is more flexible and functional than HFS+ - for example, it supports transparent file compression and encryption, disk quotas (restrictions on the use of disk space), and mount points - reparse points.

Tools

In Mac OS X, all tasks for maintaining disks and partitions, as well as removable media, are assigned to a special program, Disk Utility; in Windows Vista, the “Disk Management” management console plays a similar role. Both tools allow you to partition disks; both systems support partitioning schemes based on the Master Boot Record (main in Windows) and GUID partition tables (used in Macintoshes on Intel processors). In addition, in Mac OS X you can use the Apple Partition Map, which is relevant for older computers on PowerPC processors, and in Vista - the so-called Dynamic Disk scheme. It is quite obvious that the user has a logical question: what disk partitioning scheme should be chosen from the point of view of maximum compatibility, especially in the case of Apple computers? If we are talking about external removable media, including those connected under other operating systems, then the answer is clear - MBR, but in the case of system disks, not everything is so simple. The problem is caused by the fact that new Macintoshes do not have a BIOS as such; the corresponding functionality for loading the operating system is assigned to the EFI - Extensible Firmware Interface. Windows Vista supports booting on computers with EFI, but at the same time adds Windows Boot Manager to the system EFI partition with the prospect of making it impossible to boot Mac OS X. Obviously, this scenario is not very desirable, so the most appropriate option is to use the Apple Boot Camp utility , which adds BIOS emulation and MBR partitioning on a system disk with a GUID table.

Both Windows Vista and Mac OS X support creating software RAID arrays using disk management tools. It should be noted that we are talking about operating system tools - many currently common RAID controllers are also software, but only at the driver level. The difference in approaches is that in Windows Vista it is necessary to convert the disk to Dynamic; in Mac OS, the functionality of RAID arrays is also supported with other partitioning schemes.

Windows Vista supports non-destructive shrinking and growing of partitions even on disks with MBR-based and GUID-based partitioning schemes - this means that the user will be able to preserve information when repartitioning. But, of course, before performing such important disk operations, it makes sense to create a backup copy of the data.

Mac OS X supports disk images extremely widely - for example, an image can be created based on a disk or partition (that is, the functionality of commercial disk cloning products for Windows is built in), as well as a separate folder. Images can be compressed, available in both read and write mode, and also encrypted. It should be noted that in addition to the DMG and CDR formats native to Mac OS X (the so-called CD/DVD master discs), the popular ISO is supported. Thus, images play some of the same role as archives in other operating systems.

Both operating systems allow you to check disks for logical errors that could arise as a result of a power outage, media damage, or a variety of other reasons. The difference is manifested in the method of checking the boot disk - for obvious reasons, to check it it is necessary to block the entry (or unmount it), which is not very feasible. Windows uses the so-called boot-time mode, that is, the scan can be scheduled to start at the operating system boot stage. In Mac OS X, to restore the system partition, you should use the installation disk - after booting from it, you can launch Disk Utility.

An interesting feature of Mac OS X is the so-called verify disk permissions. Its essence is that Disk Utility scans the disk and checks the permissions of files located in /System, /Library and /Applications, and, if necessary, fixes it. Following this procedure ensures that no one is given more authority than necessary.

Defragmentation... Sooner or later, any user thinks about the need to perform it, especially if he works intensively with video, audio or graphics, that is, files of a large and unpredictable size (and in such conditions no one can ensure a low level of fragmentation advanced algorithm). Vista has a standard tool - although not as visual as in Windows 2000/XP, it nevertheless performs its functions effectively. Mac OS X does not have the appropriate tools, so to defragment disks you have to resort to third-party commercial products - which, naturally, cannot but cause surprise given the clear “multimedia” focus of Macintoshes.

Both Mac OS X and Windows Vista support burning CD and DVD discs; it can be done both from the Finder and Explorer, as well as the corresponding multimedia applications included in the package. In addition, Disk Utility allows you to burn disk images - due to the support of these images.

Hi all. Recently I wondered how to organize file exchange between operating systems. Let's say I want to install three main operating systems on my laptop at once: Linux, Windows and Hackintosh. Each OS is intended for its own tasks: Linux - for work and programming, Windows - for games, and hack - just for various experiments.

Since I create educational videos about Linux, it is more convenient for me to work on it. But I want to try editing it in the “final cut.” I really liked the idea of a magnetic time tape.

So, the task is this: you need a partition on the system drive, and with a file system that is supported for reading and writing by all of the listed operating systems. This section will store files downloaded from the Internet and inter-operational projects.

How have I solved this problem before? Previously, I only used Windows with Linux, so the problem of exchanging with apple os did not arise. Of course, I wanted to use the open and native FS for Linux - ext4. But it’s not easy to mount it on Windows. You need to install the free (but proprietary) Paragon ExtFS for Windows. And it would be fine if it worked, but unfortunately this software damages your Linux partition. I hit myself a couple of times, and all desire to use it disappeared.

But a Windows FS under Linux can be read and written without problems. You just need to install the ntfs-3g driver. He works in userspace. The file system is proprietary, but the solution works.

Now I also want to use hackintosh, and I want to figure out what other options there are for solving this problem, besides ntfs.

In fact, there are few options. Let's figure out what file systems there are, and which of them are more or less universal.

Fat32- the well-known ancient fs is the most universal in terms of portability, but also the most wretched in terms of restrictions. It was developed a long time ago and does not support files larger than 4 GB. Proprietary. Not suitable for my purposes.

Ntfs- native FS for Windows, proprietary. Linux, as I wrote above, supports it using a third-party driver (ntfs-3g). Mac does not understand it natively, although you can install the appropriate software. There are several options, both paid and free. I don't like any of them. ntfs-3g works in userspace (with slow speed), and paid solutions are paid.

Hfs+- one of the worst fs ever created. Native to Mac OS, but not at all universal. You can mount it on Linux, but for Windows, again, there are paid solutions - in flight.

Ext4- one of the correct fs, native to Linux. But in terms of mounting in non-native OSes, there are problems again. They are again asking for money for paid solutions for Hackintosh and Windows. There are also free solutions, for example ext2fsd, but this driver cannot write to ext4. In flight.

UDF- one of the correct fs, supported natively by all operating systems. This fs would be the best option if not for apple. Initially, udf was created for optical media, but it can be safely used on a regular hard disk. BUT! Due to the fact that Yabloko did not implement support for this fs from the section, the entire idea is cancelled. Even the latest Mac OS X supports this fs only if the entire block device does not have a partition table. There is a format-udf script on Github that can prepare the media in a special way: mbr is written in the initial data block, indicating that the section begins right where the mbr itself is. Those. The drive seems to have both a partition table (what Windows understands) and, it seems, without a partition table. This method assumes that the media will be external, but I need to make an exchange partition on the internal drive. So this option is also in flight.

exFat- proprietary, but works natively in both Windows and Mac. This is very good. What's in Linux?

Brief history:

This fs was used for sd cards on androids, and there we have a Linux kernel. Manufacturers implemented the exfat driver for the Linux kernel and did not show it to anyone. But someone on the Internet leaked their code to GitHub. It was clear that this was theft, and in this form the code could not get into the kernel. However, in this code the community found pieces of gpl code, which, of course, required the disclosure of all sources, i.e. This was already theft from the community by Samsung. After some time, Samsung released this code under a gpl license.

On Linux, you can mount exfat either using the exfat-fuse driver or using exfat-nofuse. Of course nofuse is better as it will work faster. But it will have to be collected every time the kernel is updated. Fortunately, there is a dkms mechanism to automate this task.

Summarize

I stop at exfat. Yes, it's proprietary, but there's nothing you can do about it. But everything works natively, and there are no “dances with a tambourine”: all three operating systems have native support and the ability to install this FS on a partition. There is no 4 GB limit. Overall, this solution is quite simple.

I hope you learned something new and choose the right option based on your needs.