Any drive can be formatted as one of 3 main file system options:
(a) FAT32 (MS-DOS) - Windows older format.
(b) NTFS - Windows newer format.
(c) HFS+ (Mac OS Extended, Journaled) - Mac format.
On any Mac, by using Disk Utility app, any drive can be formatted for either (a) or (c). Using a Window machine you can format a drive for (a) or (b).
File size issue:
- FAT32 is limited to 4GB max file size.
- NTFS or HFS+ can have files larger than 4GB.
Reading/writing issue:
- Mac OS X can only read NTFS, not write.
- Windows cannot read or write HFS+.
- Mac & Windows can read/write FAT32 (but with the above file size limitation, very apparent given modern HD video or databases file sizes).
Solution:
There are third-party programs for Mac OS X that add read/write capability for NTFS formatted drives. There are third party solutions for Windows that add read/write capability for HFS+.
Usual advice:
If you live in a Mac dominated environ, use HFS+. If in Windows environ, use NTFS. If never using such large files, use FAT32.
Specifically, if moving 4GB+ files:
- if moving files one way, Mac to Windows; use HFS+.
- if moving files one way, Windows to Mac; use NTFS.
- if moving files both ways, use either.
But in ANY of these, you'll then have to use a third-party program, as mentioned.
...do I have this all correct or is there anything wrong (or perhaps something else one has to think about I haven't mentioned)?
Just trying to make a decision or three
(a) FAT32 (MS-DOS) - Windows older format.
(b) NTFS - Windows newer format.
(c) HFS+ (Mac OS Extended, Journaled) - Mac format.
On any Mac, by using Disk Utility app, any drive can be formatted for either (a) or (c). Using a Window machine you can format a drive for (a) or (b).
File size issue:
- FAT32 is limited to 4GB max file size.
- NTFS or HFS+ can have files larger than 4GB.
Reading/writing issue:
- Mac OS X can only read NTFS, not write.
- Windows cannot read or write HFS+.
- Mac & Windows can read/write FAT32 (but with the above file size limitation, very apparent given modern HD video or databases file sizes).
Solution:
There are third-party programs for Mac OS X that add read/write capability for NTFS formatted drives. There are third party solutions for Windows that add read/write capability for HFS+.
Usual advice:
If you live in a Mac dominated environ, use HFS+. If in Windows environ, use NTFS. If never using such large files, use FAT32.
Specifically, if moving 4GB+ files:
- if moving files one way, Mac to Windows; use HFS+.
- if moving files one way, Windows to Mac; use NTFS.
- if moving files both ways, use either.
But in ANY of these, you'll then have to use a third-party program, as mentioned.
...do I have this all correct or is there anything wrong (or perhaps something else one has to think about I haven't mentioned)?
Just trying to make a decision or three
