optimum file system to format my drive

zoran said:

I have a WD Elements 500GB drive. I will be using it to transfer files from a PC (Windows7) to my iMac (SnowLeopard). What would be the optimum file system i should format the drive in order to do this without problems?

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It depends in part on the size files you'll be transferring.

Format A Hard Drive Using Disk Utility (which is in your /Applications/Utilities folder) Choose the appropriate format: 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 and later)
  • 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.

I recommend you to use exFat.


Those Mac OS X NTFS emulators didn't work 100% for me and I had some issues while testing.

FAT32 has 3 or 4 GB file limit. ExFat does not - and it works fine for me.

I concur with using exFAT.

Another vote for exFAT. NTFS may be the "best" choice, but in the event you want to write to the drive from the Apple side, you will need to install a third-party filesystem (Tuxera or Paragon) and I have not had perfect experiences with either.

PhiLLoW said:

I recommend you to use exFat.


Those Mac OS X NTFS emulators didn't work 100% for me and I had some issues while testing.

FAT32 has 3 or 4 GB file limit. ExFat does not - and it works fine for me.

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I've never had a problem with NTFS for Mac... However, I would use any file system other than FAT which is known to get corrupted at the drop of the hat, or HFS+ which is known to have compatibility issues with Windows/Linux.

That leaves you two options, buy a decent brand name NTFS driver for Mac such as Paragon's NTFS for Mac and do it that way or use exFAT which is natively universal.

Either option is pretty good and NTFS is pretty well compatible with Windows and Linux natively these days and OS X with drivers.

The benefit of NTFS over exFAT is the added layer of file security through permissions. FAT doesn't have a proper set of permissions to stop people gaining access to your files that shouldn't be. HFS+ does but Windows and Linux compatibility with HFS+ drives is not known to be exceptional.