NTFS or FAT32 ?

[aaron5566]

I have an external hard-drive formatted with NTFS for my Windows, but I need it to write on Mac. Should I format it to FAT32? I heard there would be a large transfer speed difference. Is this true? BTW, I have USB 3.0. I'll be usually writing files less than 2-3 gb as this hard-drive is just for movies and photos.

[simsaladimbamba]

You could also use exFAT.

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Overview of the four major file systems (called "Formats" in Mac OS X) used on Windows and Mac OS X, compiled by GGJstudios. You can use Disk Utility to format any HDD to your liking.

Any external hard drive will work with PCs or Macs, as long as the connectors are there (Firewire, USB, etc.) It doesn't matter how the drive is formatted out of the box, since you can re-format any way you like. Formatting can be done with the Mac OS X Disk Utility, found in the /Applications/Utilities folder. Here are your formatting options:

HFS+ (Hierarchical File System, a.k.a. Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Don't use case-sensitive)

• Read/Write HFS+ from native Mac OS X
• Required for Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper! backups of Mac OS X system files.
  
• To Read/Write HFS+ from Windows, Install MacDrive
  
• To Read HFS+ (but not Write) from Windows, Install HFSExplorer
• Maximum file size: 8EiB
• Maximum volume size: 8EiB
• Mac OS X: Mac OS Extended format (HFS Plus) volume and file limits
• You can use this format if you only use the drive with Mac OS X, or use it for backups of your Mac OS X internal drive, or if you only share it with one Windows PC (with MacDrive installed on the PC)

NTFS (Windows NT File System)

• Read/Write NTFS from native Windows.
• Read only NTFS from native Mac OS X
  
• To Read/Write/Format NTFS from Mac OS X, here are some alternatives:
  • For Mac OS X 10.4 or later (32 or 64-bit), install Paragon (approx $20) (Best Choice for Lion)
  • For 32-bit Mac OS X, install NTFS-3G for Mac OS X (free) (does not work in 64-bit mode)
  • For 64-bit Snow Leopard, read this: MacFUSE for 64-bit Snow Leopard
  • Some have reported problems using Tuxera (approx $36).
  • Native NTFS support can be enabled in Snow Leopard and Lion, but is not advisable, due to instability.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support NTFS
• Maximum file size: 16 TB
• Maximum volume size: 256TB
• You can use this format if you routinely share a drive with multiple Windows systems.

exFAT (FAT64)

• Supported in Mac OS X only in 10.6.5 or later.
• Not all Windows versions support exFAT. See disadvantages.
• exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table)
• AirPort Extreme (802.11n) and Time Capsule do not support exFAT
• Maximum file size: 16 EiB
• Maximum volume size: 64 ZiB
• You can use this format if it is supported by all computers with which you intend to share the drive. See "disadvantages" for details.

FAT32 (File Allocation Table)

• Read/Write FAT32 from both native Windows and native Mac OS X.
  
• Maximum file size: 4GB.
• Maximum volume size: 2TB
• You can use this format if you share the drive between Mac OS X and Windows computers and have no files larger than 4GB.

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[aaron5566]

Thanks! I just formatted a pendrive to exFAT and it seemed to write pretty fast. I'll be formatting my hard drive to exFAT too now. Thanks again!

[JoelBC]

I am curious as I am new to the Mac world but why is MacDrive better than Paragon's HFS+ for Windows whose URL is http://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

Thanks in advance,


Joel

[pdjudd]

Originally Posted by JoelBC

I am curious as I am new to the Mac world but why is MacDrive better than Paragon's HFS+ for Windows whose URL is http://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

Thanks in advance,


Joel

According to Paragon:

The only solution with full access to HFS+ partitions on disks of any type (GPT, MBR)

Though MacDrive supports those too. My experience is that Paragon works pretty flawlessly though.

[sngx1275]

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

You could also use exFAT.

Can you use exFAT on regular mechanical spinny hard drives that are external? I was under the impression exFAT only worked for flash drives.

Also, is it no longer the case that a Mac formatted exFAT won't work in Windows? I know I (and others) have had problems formatting as exFAT on a Mac and then having it work on Windows, but if you format as exFAT on Windows it works fine on both.

[JoelBC]

Originally Posted by pdjudd

According to Paragon:


Though MacDrive supports those too. My experience is that Paragon works pretty flawlessly though.

Thanks, much appreciated...

[SlCKB0Y]

Originally Posted by sngx1275

Can you use exFAT on regular mechanical spinny hard drives that are external?

Yes, it works fine.

[ishimura2446]

I would use exFat for sure. If you use fat simply because you can write to it via your Mac you will run across the size limitation of Fat in Windows. I tote about an ExFat format usb for that reason, all modern releases of Windows and the Xbox support the format too so no worries of incompatibility.