What's the difference between FAT32, ExFAT and NTFS? Features and differences of FAT32 (16), NTFS and ExFAT file systems

The exFAT file system, intended primarily for flash media, replaced its predecessor FAT32 in 2006, solved the latter’s problem in terms of the inability to write files weighing more than 4 GB and increased this figure to 2 TB. However, she has not been able to replace her predecessor to this day. Along with solving the problem of her predecessor, the heiress, alas, brought her own problems. Not all devices will be able to work with SD, MicroSD cards, or USB flash drives formatted in exFAT. In this article, we’ll look at how you can format a flash drive (or any other removable media) that initially has the exFAT file system into universal FAT32. But first, a few words about why this operation is considered a separate issue and not included in the general topic of the procedure for formatting disk devices using Windows.

How to format a flash drive from exFAT to FAT32

Who caused the problems?

Some devices - televisions, set-top boxes, media players, car radios, cameras, video cameras - may simply not see media formatted in exFAT.

But they will communicate perfectly with this media if it has a FAT32 file system. It is so far compatible with most equipment that works with flash media better than any other file systems. And now we are talking not only about old device models. Modern technology may not work with exFAT, because this file system is proprietary. Thus, manufacturers of flash drives or devices with flash drives on board formatted in exFAT, if they do not want to break the law, must pay a license fee for using the file system to its creator, Microsoft. Well, this, accordingly, will increase the final cost of the product, which is by no means necessary in the segment of budget devices produced in Asian countries.

Not only does Microsoft have a solution to this problem, but it does not yet want to leave this solution in favor of the user masses. The company also prevents the procedure for formatting removable media from exFAT to FAT32 if this operation is carried out using standard Windows tools. An attempt to format in System Explorer usually fails with a notification that the disk is too large for FAT32. In this case, formatting into the original exFAT file system is, of course, carried out without problems.

Solution of the problem

Microsoft does not allow you to solve the problem using standard means, but fortunately, it does not prevent you from doing it using third-party tools. Such as, for example, a free utility Fat32format. It will format the flash drive from exFAT to FAT32. The utility is simple, portable, you can download it from here by clicking on the screenshot.

Good day!

Quite often, when working at a computer (laptop), you have to deal with the operation of formatting disks, flash drives and other storage devices. (for example, to delete all data from them, in case of various failures and errors, to change the file system, etc.) . Today's article will focus on flash drives...

I should note that it is not always possible to format a flash drive without problems using the first available method. That is why I decided to jot down a note with several formatting options (I think it will be useful to everyone who is unable to perform this operation, or who cannot decide on the file system).

Addition!

If, when formatting or trying to copy files to a flash drive, you see an error that the drive is write-protected, I recommend reading this guide:

Important! Formatting will destroy all data on the drive. If you have the necessary files on the flash drive, copy them to excellent media in advance.

About choosing a file system and cluster size

When formatting a drive (by any method), you must specify the file system, cluster size and volume name. And if specifying the name does not cause any difficulties, then with the rest many people have questions...

In general, today the most commonly used file systems are:

FAT32- the oldest file system that is supported by almost all devices (even various game consoles!). Most flash drives are formatted in this file system by default. It has one significant drawback: it cannot record files larger than 4 GB!
NTFS- a more modern file system supported by Windows XP and higher (on Mac OS X it is read only, on Linux there are distributions that support read only, and there are those that support both writing and reading). File size - no restrictions. As for various consoles and devices, NTFS is not supported by all (for example, the Xbox 360 or Sony PlayStation does not support it). In general, NTFS is more suitable for disks (than for flash drives) that will be used in Windows.
exFAT(or FAT64) is a specially designed file system for flash drives. Supports files larger than 4 GB, disk partition size is not limited. By the way, exFAT has one key advantage: it overwrites the same sector less during operation, which affects the service life of drives (i.e. a flash drive with exFAT should last longer than with NTFS). That is why it is preferable to use exFAT for flash drives rather than NTFS.

conclusions: If you want maximum compatibility and plan to connect the flash drive to set-top boxes or older PCs, choose FAT32 (though you will be limited to a 4 GB file size). In other cases, it is preferable to choose exFAT (however, I note that some TVs, for example, cannot read this file system and it is for their sake that you have to choose NTFS).

What about the cluster size (or also called the distribution unit):

This parameter determines how much space the flash drive will allocate for one file. For example, if the standard cluster size is 64 KB, and your file weighs 50 KB, then it will take up 64 KB of space on the flash drive!

If you are going to store a lot of small files on a flash drive, choose the minimum cluster size. However, in this case the speed of the drive will be lower! Most users, in my opinion, can ignore this setting; it is optimal to leave the default value.

Method number 1 - through "This PC"/Explorer

Method number 2 - through disk management

Not all media are always visible in “This Computer/My Computer”. This may be due to a conflict of drive letters, if the flash drive is not formatted at all, if the file system fails, and in a number of other cases. Naturally, if you don’t see it in “My Computer”, then you won’t be able to format it this way...

However, Windows has a special tool - disk management . It displays all drives connected to the system (even those with problems).

A universal way to open disk management :

press the Win+R button combination (the “Run” window should appear in the corner of the screen);
then enter the command diskmgmt.msc and press Enter.

You can also open Disk Management by going to the Windows Control Panel and using the search.

In Disk Management All disks, flash drives, and other media that your computer can see will be presented. Simply select the desired drive from the list, right-click on it and select from the menu "Format..." .

Disk management - format the drive

Method number 3 - via the command line

In some cases, for example, when Explorer freezes or the error “failed to complete formatting” appears, you have to resort to working with the command line. Using it, you can also format drives (important! Be careful, perform all steps step by step, as written below).

I'll show you everything using a personal example. First you need to run command line as administrator . To do this, open the task manager (key combination Ctrl+Alt+Del or Ctrl+Shift+Esc), then click "File/new task" and enter the CMD command, not forgetting to check the “Create a task with administrator rights” checkbox (as in the example below).

First you need to find out the letter of the flash drive (if you haven’t connected the flash drive to the USB port, connect it!). To do this, enter the command diskpart and press Enter.
then enter the command list volume and press Enter (note that in the list of drives you should see the letter of your flash drive! In my case, the letter “E” is highlighted in yellow);
then to close diskpart, type exit and press Enter;
to format use the command format E: /FS:exFAT /Q /V:fleska (where "E" is the letter of your flash drive; FS: exFAT - file system (for NTFS - enter FS:NTFS); V:fleska - the name of the flash drive, can be anything (for example, V: mydisk).

Actually, after entering the last command, the formatting process should start. Just be careful not to mix up the drive letter - many command line operations do not require confirmation!

Method No. 4 - using special. utilities

If all other methods are unsuccessful, most likely there is something wrong with your flash drive: a file system failure (for example, it may be marked as RAW); infection with viruses that block work with the drive, etc.

In this case, it is necessary to use special utilities. Moreover, I want to note that in most cases Each flash drive model will need its own utility(using a third-party one may damage it permanently)! Below are some links to my articles that will help you complete this operation!

A few more tips on what you can do if the flash drive cannot be formatted are given in this article:

That's all, good luck!

Let's look at the types of file systems for a flash drive, which one is better. One user sent me a photo with the error “The file is too large for the target file system” and decided to write an article in which cases it is necessary to use the FAT32, NTFS and exFAT systems. It was moving a file over 4 GB in size to an 8 GB flash drive. The fact is that the FAT32 system cannot process information larger than 4 GB; if you have a flash drive with a capacity of 32 GB and its file system is FAT32, then you will not be able to write a file larger than 4 GB to it. Let's look at all three file systems in Windows, and look at their pros and cons.

FAT32

The old file system mode, which is usually used when buying a flash drive from a store and the reason for this is compatibility. Compatibility is that FAT32 can be used on any computer running MAC, Windows, Linux, old PCs. The biggest limitation is that it has a 4GB file size limit, which has problems with formats like 4K video and Blu-ray these days. In a word, if you are going to work with files whose size is less than 4 GB and the flash drive is used on different computers with different operating systems, then the FAT32 file system is very suitable.

exFAT

An updated file system created by Microsoft to replace FAT32. Began to be used in Windows Vista SP1 and has a maximum file size of 16 exabytes (EB), which is equal to 1 EB = 10 18 bytes. Compatible with Mac OS and Windows, it is a very good system for sharing large files.

Minuses:

It does not have any logging functionality, in which all changes to files on disk are logged before they are actually made.
Time Machine is not supported by Apple. In short, you won't be able to make a backup from Apple using Time Machine software.
A very complex structure that requires more computing power.

Pros:

Rewrites the same sector fewer times, which is important for flash drives, extending the life of memory cells. As you know, flash drives have N-numbers of rewrites, then they fail.
Large file size limit of 16 exabytes.
The cluster size is 32 megabytes.
Improved free space distribution, which reduces disk defragmentation.

NTFS

The latest file system created by Microsoft and is the modern structure of today for almost any modern internal hard drive, flash drive or SSD drive. NTFS is a new file system technology. The windows system can only be installed on NTFS. It is the default for disks with the operating system, due to its versatility. It has all Microsoft technologies: logging, no file size restrictions, support for file compression, long names, file access control for server admins and much more. At home, this is the best option for using this system on disks and flash drives. There is one catch, when you insert a flash drive into Mac OS, you can copy information from the flash drive, but you cannot change it.

Conclusion:

For USB flash drives you should use exFAT, if you are constantly in a Mac OS, Windows environment, moving a flash drive from one operating system to another. If you only use Windows, then NTSF is a great solution.

When we talk about modern Windows OS, we cannot imagine it without a data storage system such as NTFS, which is the main one for the disk on which it was installed, as well as one of the most complex and successful file systems at the moment. FAT32 is mostly used for removable flash drives or other devices that operate via USB. The exFAT file storage system also allows you to format various memory cards, as well as removable flash drives, and is a modern analogue of the FAT32 system.

FAT32, NTFS and exFAT are three different file systems that are used in the Windows operating system for storing and formatting information on hard drives or other USB storage media.

Have you ever wondered about the differences between FAT32, NTFS and exFAT file systems, or what a file system actually is?

File system

A file storage system is a set of specifications used to organize the process of storing and retrieving data on a hard drive, removable storage device, or other device.

Each set of data, called a “File,” has its own specific location on a storage device where this data is stored. In a situation where the file system fails for any reason, all information will become unreadable.

Currently, there are many types of file systems with different storage parameters, for example, such as: Disk File System, Flash File System, Tape File System.

File system FAT32

FAT32 is the oldest of the information storage systems under consideration. Its history began back in 1977 with the 8-bit FAT file system, which was released to replace the Microsoft Basic Basic-80 standalone disk. The man who created this file storage system was the first hired employee of Microsoft Corporation - Marc McDonald.

Subsequently, the FAT file system was used in the Microsoft 8080/Z80 operating system based on the MDOS/MIDAS platform, which was also written by Marc McDonald.

In subsequent years, the 8-bit FAT system became first FAT12, then FAT16 and finally FAT32 - becoming synonymous with a file system that used removable disks.

The first 32-bit file saving system was released with Windows 95 in 1995 and created a sensation: the disk size could reach 16 TB, and the stored file size could reach 4 GB.

These days, the FAT32 storage system is used in all kinds of game consoles, TVs, DVD and Blu-Ray players, as well as in most devices equipped with a USB port. This system is supported on absolutely all devices running Windows, Linux and MacOS and is great for storing information on all kinds of flash drives, but you should make sure that the size of one file does not exceed 4 GB.

NTFS file system

The next file storage system we are considering from Microsoft is NTFS, which the developers first provided with the advent of Windows NT 3.1. in 1993. The abbreviation NTFS stands for New Technology File System.

Microsoft began developing this system together with IBM in the mid-1980s. Their goal was to create an operating system with the highest possible graphics. However, full-fledged cooperation did not work out, and the companies took different paths. IBM created HPFS, which was used in the OS/2 operating system, and Microsoft created NTFS v1.0 and released it with Windows NT 3.1.

The main qualitative characteristics of this system include:

Access rights support;

Availability of disk quotas and hard links;

Possibility of data encryption;

Logging transformations that will help with recovery if a failure occurs;

No file size limitation (the maximum possible file size is 16 exabytes, or 18,446,744,073,709,550,502 bytes).

NTFS storage is supported by Windows XP and later, but only a few versions of Linux support writing, and MacOS is read-only.

exFAT file system

ExFAT is another information storage system from Microsoft, which is used in cases where FAT32 is powerless due to its file size limitation. This program is the easiest and simplest, due to the missing specialized features that NTFS has. Additionally, most modern digital cameras use exFAT.

Due to the fact that Microsoft Corporation patent No. 8321439, intended for fast file search, is still in force, any use of the exFAT file system is impossible without obtaining a license from Microsoft and does not depend on whether it is used in commercial or open source software.

In terms of ability to interact with various operating systems, exFAT has the best performance when compared with FAT32 and NTFS and is easy to read and rewrite on Windows, Linux, and is generally used by default on MacOS.

Comparative characteristics of FAT32, NTFS and exFAT

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, game consoles, literally all devices with a USB port.

Pros: cross-platform compatibility, small size.

Cons: The file size should not exceed 4 GB, and the partition should not exceed 16 TB.

Usage: removable storage devices.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac (read-only), Linux (read-only and only with certain programs), Microsoft Xbox One.

Pros: Virtually unlimited file size.

Cons: low level of compatibility with different operating systems.

Usage: Best suited for hard drives.

Compatibility: Windows XP and later, MacOS 10.6.5 and later, Linux (using FUSE), Android.

Pros: It is a fusion of the best features of FAT32 and NTFS.

Cons: Limited by Microsoft licensing requirements.

Use: excellent for both hard drives and various flash drives.

Today, external media such as flash drives, memory cards or external hard drives can use different file systems:

exFAT;
FAT32;
NTFS.

Users most often do not know which one to choose among these systems, so it is initially better to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

FAT32

This file system was created by Microsoft in order to replace the FAT16 system, which at that time was no longer relevant and could not meet user requirements. At the moment, FAT32 is the most common, despite the fact that the exFAT file system is more modern and often superior in characteristics.

It is worth noting that today the vast majority of flash drives and various memory cards are supplied in this standard. In addition, in the process of formatting the media in household devices, such as, for example, a camera, it begins to function in this particular system. This is precisely the main advantage of FAT32, thanks to which it has not yet been overtaken in popularity by the exFAT file system - compatibility. You can use this drive in any household player, printer or other devices and still be confident that you will have access to files and they will be read normally. But this is where the advantages end and the disadvantages begin.

The main reason why in some situations it is worth using FAT32 not only on flash drives, but also on desktop computers is that it will be possible to run almost any operating system on the computer, such as Windows 95 and others. To create such a configuration, it will be enough to simply install the previous version of the OS on a partition that is formatted for this file system, and then make it the main one. Other partitions that are accessed from other versions of the OS must also be formatted under FAT32. Other operating systems can access network partitions or NTFS-formatted volumes exclusively, while partitions on the local computer remain inaccessible.

What are the disadvantages?

The most important disadvantage that FAT32 has, but not the exFAT file system, is that there is a file size limit of 4 GB. It is for this reason that recording large files, such as, for example, a backup copy of a system disk or some kind of long video, will be impossible in this case, since the system will simply respond with an error in the form of “Not enough disk space” when trying to record, even if in fact there is still enough space.

In addition, do not forget that the Windows operating system itself has a limit on the partition size, which is 32 GB. Of course, you can try to get around it by using additional utilities, but with current drives it is often pointless to do this.

If you do not have any need to transfer or write such large files, and also if you are using small media, then you can not hesitate for a long time and calmly format it in FAT32, since the file system support You don't need exFAT.

NTFS

A more modern file system compared to the previous one, which was able to completely replace it in modern personal computers and laptops. If you still have files and the FAT32 file system, then it is strongly recommended that you change it to NTFS as quickly as possible. This will significantly expand the capabilities of your computer.

How to do it?

In Windows, exFAT or NTFS is quite easy to make as the main file system. At the command line you will need to enter “convert e: /fs:ntfs”, where instead of e: the disk that you will format is installed. This way, you can replace the file system without any loss of data contained on the drive.

How does this work on flash drives?

However, on flash drives and other external devices, NTFS may not work the same as on computers. When you try to copy to such a device, the operating system automatically turns on the caching procedure, when any file is initially copied to special memory, and only then moved to the final media. In stationary drives, this allows you to achieve a significant gain in data copying speed, as well as smooth out delays.

In mobile devices, it looks something like this: initially, the data processing speed will be quite high and will periodically even reach 100 MB/s, but after the cache memory runs out, the speed will simply begin to drop incredibly, reaching critically low values. In this case, before starting to copy the next file, the system will first have to append the existing file from the cache. In this regard, quite often situations arise when copying simply freezes at 99%, although the hard drive indicator still lights up as active.

If you compare the copy speed with and without cache, it actually turns out that it is almost the same. That is, if files and the NTFS file system are the main one, then we lose almost nothing except the maximum copying speed, as well as providing us with information about how long the data will be copied. Although for many people such “information” can ultimately only result in a waste of precious nerves.

Are there any benefits?

On the other hand, when choosing between which file system is better - exFAT or NTFS, it should be noted that the latter has good reliability, which allows it to withstand more than one sudden reboot without any data damage. This reliability is achieved through the use of logging technology. Thus, the system accesses different areas of the drive more often, and for flash drives or various memory cards this approach is critical. In other words, they simply begin to wear out more quickly.

exFAT

Microsoft recently released a new file system - the exFAT format. This system was originally designed for flash drives, and in essence we can say that it is a traditional FAT32, but without any restrictions. The sizes of partitions and files in this case can reach the maximum possible values, and the amount of data in one folder is practically unlimited. It is for this reason that the most common system where exFAT is used is Android and others that are used in modern gadgets.

Are there any disadvantages?

Of course, the exFAT file system also has its disadvantages. Android supports this system in almost all cases, but, on the other hand, it is not supported by many household devices, and at the same time, media running the Windows XP operating system will not be able to see these devices. The only solution to this situation is to download the KB955704 patch, which was recently released by Microsoft and which allows you to use the system in Windows XP. More modern operating systems easily accept this file system and actively cooperate with it without any additional procedures.

However, if you often use a flash drive on different computers on which XP OS is installed, then in this case it is better for you to find some additional flash drive that will have drivers. But this option is unlikely to be acceptable for anyone, because in this case the most important feature of such devices is lost - their compactness and ease of transportation.

If you have computers exclusively with Windows 7 or the flash drive will not be used on such a large number of PCs, then the exFAT file system will be ideal for you.

In conclusion, here are some general tips on how to choose the most up-to-date file system.

If you are using a flash drive that does not have such a large capacity, then you can format it to FAT32 without hesitation. If, on the contrary, we are talking about a flash drive, the volume of which is quite large, then in this case it can be formatted in exFAT, since “speed jumps” on such devices will be especially visible. External drives in the majority of cases are quite large in capacity and at the same time have fairly high performance (this is especially true for those devices that use the USB 3.0 interface), and therefore it is best to format them exclusively in NTFS.