Features and differences of FAT32 (16), NTFS and ExFAT file systems. FAT32 or NTFS: which file system to choose for a USB flash drive or external hard drive What is the fat32 and ntfs file system

You must have heard many times about file systems such as FAT32, NTFS and exFAT. But what is the difference between them? Each type has its own set of pros and cons. This is why there is no single option. In this article we will look at the main differences between the three file systems.

Speaking about the Windows operating system, we know for sure that it is installed only on a logical partition in NTFS format. Removable drives and other USB-based storage devices use the FAT32 type.

One of the formats that can be used to format Flash drives is exFAT, the successor to the old FAT32 file system.

Thus, we have three main data storage formats, widely used both for Windows and for various types of storage media.

What is a file system

A file system is a set of rules that determine how documents stored on a device are stored and retrieved. This could be a hard drive, Flash drive or SD card.

For a better understanding, let’s take the office of an ordinary company as an example. Fragments of installed documents are stored in a certain place, for example, in a desk drawer. And when it needs to open them, the file system accesses the files in an attempt to read information.

Let's assume for a second that such a system is out of order and we will immediately receive a huge amount of unidentified data, which there will be no way to study.

There are actually a large number of file systems, such as Flash File System, Tape File System and Disk File System, however, we will only focus on the main ones - FAT32, NTFS And exFAT.

What is FAT32

The FAT32 file system is the oldest and most experienced in the history of computer technology. Its journey began with the original 8-bit FAT system in 1977, which operated inside a standalone disk Microsoft Standalone Disk Basic-80. It was launched specifically for Intel 8080 NCR 7200 in 1977/1978, working as a data input terminal with 8-inch floppy disks.

After discussions about introducing the system with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the code was written by the company's first employee, Mark McDonald.

The main task of the FAT file system was to work with data in the Microsoft 8080/Z80 operating system based on the MDOS/MIDAS platform, written by Mark MacDonald.

Subsequently, FAT underwent some changes, gradually moving from its original form to FAT12, FAT16 and, finally, FAT32, the name of which is now closely associated with external drives.

The main difference between FAT32 and its predecessors is to overcome the limited amount of information available for storage. 32-bit The system was released in August 1995 along with the release of Windows 95 and in its updated version made it possible to increase the upper limits of file size and data storage to 4 GB and 16 TB.

Thus, FAT32 is not intended for storing large amounts of data and installing heavy applications. This is the reason why hard drives use a file system. NTFS, which allows users to stop thinking about the amount of information they download.

To summarize, the FAT32 system is ideal for storing data, the volume of which does not exceed 4 GB, on any removable media. Its popularity is not limited only to the computer field. It is used in game consoles, HDTVs, DVD players, Blu-Ray players and any other device with a USB port. FAT32 is supported by all versions of Windows, Linux and MacOS.

What is NTFS

In 1993, Microsoft introduced a new file system NTFS(New Technology File System) in parallel with the advent of the Windows NT 3.1 operating system.

The main feature of the NTFS system is the absence of any restrictions on the size of downloaded files. Even if we tried to exceed this limit, we would fail - it is so large.

Development began in the mid-1980s during a period of collaboration between Microsoft and IBM, the goal of which was to create a new operating system that would surpass the previous ones in graphics performance.

However, the union of the two companies did not last long and, without completing the common project, they decided to stop cooperation. Subsequently, Microsoft and IBM concentrated on producing their own file systems.

For computer technology, 1989 saw the creation of HPFS from IBM, which was used for the OS/2 operating system. A few years later, in 1993, Microsoft launched NTFS v1.0, which became the official file system for Windows NT 3.1.

The theoretical size of an NTFS file is 16 EB - 1 KB, which is 18,446,744,073,709,550,502 bytes. The development team included Tom Miller, Harry Kimura, Brian Andrew, David Goebel.

The next version of the file system was NTFS v3.1, launched specifically for Microsoft Windows XP. Subsequently, it did not undergo any special changes, although many different additions were made to it. For example, it became possible to compress logical partitions, restore and NTFS symbolic links. In addition, the initial file system capacity was only 256 MB out of a whopping 16 EB - 1 KB in the new versions launched with the release of Windows 8.

Speaking of useful features introduced in NTFS v3.1, we can note the expansion of supported file formats, disk usage quotas, file encryption and the creation of reparse points. Notable is the fact that new versions of NTFS are fully compatible with previous ones.

The NTFS file system has an important feature when it comes to its recovery due to any damage. It contains a specific data structure that monitors any changes in the system and with the help of which you can always restore NTFS functionality.

This file system is supported by all versions of Windows, starting with Windows XP. Unfortunately, MacOS doesn't share Microsoft's commitment to compatibility. Apple left the option for users to read data from NTFS drives, but they will not be able to write to them. Linux support for this file system is limited to only a few versions.

What is exFAT

ExFAT(Extended FAT) is a new, extended file system from Microsoft that successfully replaces its predecessor on the field when it comes to large amounts of information.

As you probably know, most modern digital cameras use the exFAT system, since it is much lighter than NTFS, but, at the same time, allows you to save files larger than 4 GB, unlike FAT32.

Thus, when copying a 6 GB document to a Flash drive with the exFAT file system, you will not encounter the negative consequences that can be observed when using the previous version of the system.

The exFAT format is becoming increasingly popular and is used primarily with high-capacity SDXC memory cards. The main reason for this is the small size of the file system and, as previously described, the ability to save documents larger than 4 GB.

An interesting fact is that Microsoft holds US Patent 8321439, which allows you to quickly find a file using a hash of the name. Thanks to this function, any document can be found many times faster.

It is worth noting that all available add-ons for the exFAT file system have not been released to the public. To purchase them, suppliers are required to purchase a limited license from Microsoft.

This action was taken to prevent vendors from trying to monetize a Microsoft product by marking themselves as part of the company, since they would have the source code for the file system.

Since Microsoft is stubborn in its stubbornness, many users have started creating their own modifications of exFAT, one of which was exfat-fuse. It provides read and write operations for Linux distributions, including FreeBSD.

Created in 2006, the exFAT file system, which has a general limit on the amount of information as NTFS, is lighter because it does not contain all kinds of additions, like the second.

ExFAT supports read, write and is compatible with Mac, Android and Windows operating systems. For Linux you will need supporting software.

Comparison of file systems

FAT32:

• Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Linux, game consoles and devices with a USB port.
• Pros: Cross-platform compatibility, lightweight file system.
• Minuses: restrictions on file sizes (documents up to 4 GB are available) and partition sizes up to 16 TB.
• Purpose: removable drives. Used to format Flash drives, but exFAT is preferred.

NTFS:

• Compatibility: Windows, MacOS (read-only), Linux (read-only on some distributions), Xbox One.
• Pros: no restrictions on the size of files and partitions.
• Minuses: limited cross-platform compatibility.
• Purpose: well suited for internal hard drives because it allows you to store large amounts of information that other file systems cannot handle.

exFAT:

• Compatibility: Windows XP and later, MacOS 10.6.5 and later, Linux (using FUSE), Android.
• Pros: shares the positive effects of FAT32 and NTFS, which include the ability to store files larger than 4 GB.
• Minuses: Microsoft restricts the use of the license.
• Purpose: allows you to eliminate file size restrictions for removable drives. Much preferable to its predecessor FAT32.

If you need to recover a logical partition with an unknown, damaged or deleted file system, Starus Recovery tools will help you.

Tool Starus Partition Recovery, or its analogues, Starus FAT Recovery, Starus NTFS Recovery, are designed to work with certain file systems - FAT and NTFS. The main software is able to interact with both. You can download and try programs for restoring FAT32 and NTFS file systems completely free of charge!

A file system is a way of organizing and physically storing all files in operating systems. It also determines what the largest partition size can be.

When starting to familiarize yourself with the principles of computer operation, it is not possible to determine which one to choose: fat32 or ntfs (the most common) - you need to know how they differ.

what is the difference between ntfs and fat32

Until recently, there was only one file system - FAT. It had a number of shortcomings with the distribution of hard disk space.

It was improved - as a result, several new versions appeared, but they could not solve the problems.

As a result, the experts decided that it was better not to improve it, but to make a new one “from scratch.” This is how the file system appeared - NTFS.

FAT and NTFS should not be viewed as completely different things. They have one task - to save files (your data) on your hard drive.

The main difference: NTFS has more functions than FAT. This concerns compression and security; no one except you can read what you wrote down. There is no such thing in FAT.

What is the difference between fat32 and ntfs

To process files stored on your hard drive (or other media), Windows can use the FAT32 or NTFS file system. What's the difference between them? What are the differences?

The most common is FAT32. It consists of a boot sector, a root folder, and a read-write cylinder.

NTFS is a new file system. It is divided into three zones. The first is MFT. It contains the boot sector, file table and service files.

On a blank disk, the MFT zone occupies 12 percent of the volume. In the center of the disk (zone 2) there is a backup copy of the file table. It is needed to restore damaged tables.

All records are stored in zone 3. If the size of zone 3 is not enough, then it expands, reducing the size of the MFT (first zone). If space is freed up, the MFT increases again.

The point is this. In FAT32 everything is written to clusters. Moreover, only one file can be written to one cluster - the rest of the space remains free forever.

With this arrangement, if you switch from FAT32 to NTFS and write the same number of files, you may find that the latter has several GB more free space left.

Which file system is faster fat32 or ntfs

The FAT32 file system offers higher speed, less disk wear, better performance with small files, and less load on RAM.

Disadvantages: Poor crash protection, slow fragmentation, limited file size, poor handling of large files, and poor handling of folders with large numbers of files.

NTFS is far ahead of FAT in terms of future-proofing, reliability, security and functionality. The performance of these file systems does not give a clear result - it depends on many different factors.

The internal structure of FAT and its operating principle are much simpler. If the directories are not large, then FAT will be faster and vice versa - if the directories are large, NTFS will win.

So what should you choose - FAT or NTFS? The latter has many advantages over FAT, and its limitations are minor.

If you are faced with choosing a file system, consider using NTFS and FAT below.

Advantages of NTFS

1. Quick access to small files;
2. Disk space is not limited;
3. File fragmentation does not affect the file system itself;
4. High reliability of the file structure;
5. Greater performance with large files;

Disadvantages of NTFS

1. High requirements for RAM;
2. Working with medium-sized catalogs is difficult;
3. Slower speed compared to FAT 32

Advantages of FAT 32

1. Relatively high speed;
2. Low RAM requirements;
3. More efficient work with small and medium-sized catalogs;
4. Low disc wear.

Disadvantages of fat32

1. Poor protection against system failures;
2. Low speed with large files;
3. Limitation on the maximum volume of partitions and files;
4. With fragmentation, performance decreases;
5. Low speed when working with a large number of files.

What are the advantages of NTFS over fat32?

The main goal of the developers of the new file system was to ensure high-speed execution of operations, provide additional capabilities and create a data protection mechanism.

They partially coped with this task. The system turned out to be simple and extremely powerful.

It provides a wide range of resolutions, which gives it the ability to customize specific resolutions.

In the event of a system crash, NTFS has built-in data recovery tools to automatically recover the disk.

The NTFS file system structure allows for faster access to large folders and files compared to FAT.

NTFS compresses folders and files that can be read and written to, without requiring decompression applications.

In this article we will talk about file systems and understand the difference between FAT32 and NTFS. Let's start with the fact that there are different ways to organize the storage of a wide variety of information. As you already know, it is stored on your hard drive. Much water has passed under the bridge since XP and newer versions of operating systems appeared. But the most important thing is that we have a choice, including in the use of file systems. And for many it is not easy.

So what is the difference between FAT32 and NTFS and which is better to use?

Let's look at each file system in order.
Before you write anything to the hard drive, it must be prepared and configured. This means that it must be able to store information and interact with the operating system. Each OS has its own properties for storing, writing and reading files. In turn, the hard drive is divided into sectors and clusters. Each file on a computer occupies a certain number of clusters. When accessing any information, all data about the requested file is loaded into RAM, processed and presented in a form convenient for us. The fact is that file systems perform these operations differently; this is the difference between FAT32 and NTFS.
File system FAT32 contains a file space allocation table and in case of damage there is a second backup copy of this table. The disk under this file system is divided into clusters, the size of which directly depends on the volume. The main difficulty is that the table needs to be updated periodically. Otherwise, there is a possibility of losing this or that file. In addition, the update takes a fairly long period of time, and the directory in this file system is structureless. That is, each new file is simply written to free space on the hard drive.
But the advantages of FAT32 include low RAM requirements, good work with small files, and low hard drive wear. This is despite the fact that large files are processed unstable, just as the system itself cannot boast of consistently fast data processing over time (look).

Also, there is another very important difference between FAT32 and NTFS - the FAT32 file system “does not understand” files weighing more than 4 GB. That is, if you want to write a 5 GB movie onto a flash drive (with the FAT32 file system) with a capacity of, say, 16 GB, then you won’t succeed - the system will tell you that the disk is full and you need to insert another disk. With NTFS this problem will not arise.
What about NTFS? It also divides disk space into clusters and fills them with information. The difference is that the cluster sizes can be absolutely any and do not depend on anything. The structuring of each individual cell is clear, which contributes to greater stability in work and high speed in finding the necessary resources. In addition, with the NTFS file system there are no limits on disk space (unlike FAT). It should also be added that the resistance to file damage is very high. Works with files of any size.
The disadvantages of NTFS include its demands on RAM and relatively low speed with medium-sized directories compared to FAT.All these reasons have led to the current trend away from FAT32 in favor of more advanced file systems such as NTFS.
I think now you have a clearer understanding of the differences between file systems and know how FAT32 differs from NTFS. I hope this article will help you make the right choice when storing your data.

Each of us has formatted a flash drive, SD card, external or internal hard drive at least once in our lives and probably remembers that before formatting any of the above devices, the Windows operating system always asks what file system you want to format your device into: FAT32 , NTFS or exFAT?

Of course, most users do not know the difference between them, and usually choose the default option. And all because Windows, asking this question, does not explain the difference between them. In this article we will try to explain it to you in a clear language and tell you how the FAT32 file system differs from NTFS and exFAT.

FAT32 is the oldest of the file systems under consideration and is most often used on portable flash drives - flash drives or SD cards.

NTFS is used by Windows as the primary file system for the drive on which the operating system is installed, and it also works great for other built-in drives and partitions on the hard drive of a Windows-based computer.

exFAT is a more modern analogue of the outdated FAT32 system and is supported by more devices than NTFS, but still not as many as the “classic” FAT32.

Now let's take a closer look at each of these file systems.

File system FAT32

FAT32 is the oldest file system discussed in this article. It began to be actively used starting from Windows 95 and replaced an even more outdated system - FAT16.

The great age of this file system has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages in this case include the fact that FAT32 has become a kind of standard and is still used by default in all removable media. If you buy a flash drive or SD card today, the FAT32 file system will be installed on it from the factory. This was done primarily so that your removable media could be supported not only by modern computers and gadgets, but also by old devices and game consoles that have a USB port and can only work with the FAT32 file system.

However, due to the age of this system, it also has some disadvantages, the main of which is the limitation on the size of the file and the entire volume. Each individual file on this file system cannot be larger than 4 gigabytes, and the entire FAT32 partition cannot be larger than 8 terabytes.

And if you can still come to terms with the second disadvantage (so far few people use drives larger than 8TB), then the limitation on file size is a rather serious disadvantage - most high-quality videos now no longer fit into the 4GB size, especially if they are in a modern format 4K.

However, for now, this file system is still quite suitable for portable devices (like flash drives and SD cards, which contain many small files), but it is no longer suitable for a computer hard drive. First of all, it lacks some of the security features found in the more modern NTFS file system, and partly because of this, you can no longer install a modern version of Windows on a FAT32 drive; you will need to reformat it to NTFS.

FAT32 compatible

Devices with the FAT32 file system are the most universal and compatible with all versions of Windows, Mac OS, Linux operating systems, any game consoles and, in general, almost everything that has a USB port.

Limitations of FAT32

The main disadvantage of this file system is the limitations on file and volume sizes - the maximum file size cannot exceed 4 GB, and the maximum partition size is limited to 8 TB.

Application of FAT32

The main area of ​​use of this file system is external data storage devices, which are not intended to store large files and which require maximum compatibility with as many different devices as possible.

File system NTFS

NTFS- this is a more modern and technologically advanced file system, as evidenced by even the decoding of the abbreviation of its name -" new technology file system". Most of all, the Windows operating system loves it, which in general is not surprising - after all, both of them were developed by Microsoft.

Starting with the version of the Microsoft operating system called XP, in which the NTFS system became standard for the first time, when installing Windows, a dialog box will definitely ask you to format the system partition with this particular file system. At this point, it's believed that you theoretically won't have to worry about the limitations of the NTFS file system for many years to come.

In addition to the absence of serious restrictions on file and partition size, NTFS has several additional advantages, such as: support for file access rights (to increase data security), change logging (to restore the file structure in case of failure), encryption, disk quotas, hard links , and other modern features that make NTFS ideal for a system drive.

That is why the partition of your disk on which the Windows operating system is installed must be formatted in NTFS. If you are going to install programs on other partitions of the same disk or other hard drives, they must also have the appropriate file system.

Unfortunately, NTFS is not compatible with most other operating systems, as it was designed to meet the requirements of Windows OS. All versions of the Microsoft operating system, from XP to today's latest Windows 10, work perfectly with it, but other operating systems have significant limitations when working with it.

For example, Mac OS can only read data from NTFS drives, but cannot write to them. Some rare Linux distributions may have the ability to write to NTFS disks, but most are still limited to reading information only. Neither version of the Playstation can handle NTFS, nor can Microsoft's Xbox 360, and only the new Xbox One supports this file system.

NTFS Compatibility

This file system works perfectly with all the latest versions of the Windows operating system since XP, has write restrictions on Mac OS and Linux, and does not work with most other devices, with the possible exception of the Xbox One.

NTFS Limitations

Limitations on the size of files or partitions in NTFS should not be limited for a long time, so we can say that at the moment there are none.

Using NTFS

The use of this file system is reasonable only on hard drives and SSDs on which the Windows operating system is installed, since only with it this format reveals all its advantages.

exFAT file system

exFAT was first introduced in 2008 and is the most modern of the file systems discussed in this article; its support was added to Windows starting with version XP through OS updates.

The exFAT file system was created and optimized for use on external drives - flash drives, SD cards and external hard drives, and is designed to replace the outdated FAT32 system. It is the lightest and simplest file system due to the absence of various specialized features inherent in NTFS, as well as the almost complete absence of file and partition size restrictions that FAT32 has.

Also, exFAT has better compatibility with various operating systems than NTFS, and devices with it are perfectly readable and rewritten on both Windows and Mac OS, and on Linux (provided that some software is installed).

Since exFAT is supported by Mac OS by default, it will likely be supported by most other modern devices that Apple devices work with, such as digital cameras.

Modern versions of gaming consoles such as Xbox One and Playstation 4 also support exFAT devices, unlike their previous versions (Xbox 360 and Playstation 3).

exFAT compatible

exFAT works perfectly with all modern versions of Windows (starting from XP) and Mac OS. To work with Linux, you will need to install additional software. This file system supports many more different devices than NTFS, but some of them (mostly older versions) can still only work with FAT32.

exFAT Limitations

Also, as in the case of NTFS, there are still no realistic restrictions on the size of a file or partition in the exFAT system.

Application of exFAT

This file system is perfect for use on various removable media, the file size of which can exceed 4 GB (external hard drives, large flash drives). If all the devices you work with are modern, you can easily abandon FAT32 on removable drives in favor of exFAT.

To summarize, we can draw the following conclusions: NTFS is great for a Windows system hard drive, exFAT is better used on removable storage media, and FAT32 should only be used if you want to achieve maximum compatibility with the wide variety of your devices.

When formatting a flash drive, you can select the file system: NTFS or FAT32. File System (FS) is a way of recording and storing data on an external storage device. Its choice determines how the media will work, how much everything will fit on it, and what devices will be able to read and record information. But the main difference is the maximum size of the stored file. These FS have different characteristics and different purposes. You need to decide in advance what the drive will be used for. Find out how to format a flash drive in NTFS or FAT32, what advantages each file system provides, and under what conditions it will be useful. Even if you do not have a specific range of tasks for a USB drive, it makes sense to learn more about the File System.

One of the characteristics of FS is the cluster size. This is a kind of “sector” on a flash drive. Imagine that you see a field divided into cells. If you put data in one of them, nothing else will be written there. Even if they haven't completely filled the sector.

To choose NTFS or FAT32 for a flash drive, you need to understand it using a specific example. Let's say the cluster size is 16 Kilobytes. If you copy a file that weighs 8 Kilobytes onto the media, it will occupy the entire “cell”. And the next data will be written to other sectors. If you move a document to 18 Kilobytes, it will get two clusters. And you won’t be able to add anything to them. And 14 KB of free space will be wasted. Accordingly, the smaller the cell, the more data will fit on the drive.

Before formatting a flash drive in FAT32 or NTFS, look at their minimum cluster size. It depends not only on the file system, but also on the characteristics of the drive. This value can be manually selected during cleaning.

In most cases, the difference between sectors in FS is small. But in FAT32, changing the cluster significantly affects performance. This File System works much more efficiently with large “cells”. For NTFS, the optimal sector size is 4 KB. For FAT32 - 8 or 16 KB. But you can choose other options.

FAT32 runs smoothly on computers that have little RAM. This FS is suitable for you if you want to move small files and folders to the drive. With a low percentage of fragmentation, the file system works quickly. It is compatible with many devices: cameras, TVs, set-top boxes, players, printers. Data from the media will be available on any gadget.

If you are wondering how to format a flash drive in FAT32, it makes sense to learn about the limitations. Files larger than 4 GB will simply not be written there. A message will appear indicating that the disk is full. If you plan to store high quality movies on it, this FS is not the best option. If you transfer photos or documents on it, choose FAT32.

There are no such “obstacles” in NTFS. The maximum file size is limited only by the storage capacity. Memory is rationally distributed in this File System. Work with multi-level catalogs containing a lot of data is effectively organized.

Formatting

In order for formatting a flash drive to FAT32 or NTFS to be successful, it must be optimized.

• Insert the drive into the USB slot.
• Wait until the system detects the presence of a new device and finds a driver for it.
• Open My Computer. It should be on the desktop or in the Start menu.
• There will be a list of disks and connected devices.
• Right-click on the media.
• “Properties” item.
• Hardware tab.
• Select the media.
• "Properties" button.

Click on Properties

• Section "Politics".
• Select Optimize for Execution. If the required option is not there, then optimization is not required.
• Confirm the action.

After this, you can figure out how to format a flash drive in FAT32 and NTFS.

• Open My Computer.
• Right-click on the drive you want to clean.
• To see what File System is on it, open “Properties”. The “General” tab will contain the necessary information.
• Right-click on the flash drive again.
• “Format” item.

Click format

• From the File System drop-down list, select NTFS or FAT32. There may be other FS: “FAT” (without numbers), “exFAT”.
• In the "Cluster Size" section, specify the desired cluster size accordingly. The minimum value differs in different File Systems.
• You can uncheck the “Quick” checkbox to ensure deep cleaning of the volume.
• Click "Get Started."
• The process will take some time. Do not interrupt it or turn off your PC.

Through settings

• Right-click on the “My Computer” icon.
• Item "Management".
• Expand the "Storage Devices" list. He's on the left.
• Sub-item "Disk Management".

Disk management

• In the menu that appears, right-click on the drive.
• “Format” item.
• Further actions are the same as in the previous chapter.

Don't touch anything else when operating your computer. If you accidentally change the primary drive or volume letter, problems will arise.

Programs

Formatting a flash drive to NTFS or FAT32 using utilities is practically no different from cleaning it using built-in Windows tools. But you need to search for, download and install third-party applications yourself. Here are some of them:

• HDD LOW Level Format Tool.

If you need to quickly copy small files, figure out how to format a flash drive in FAT32. This file system is suitable for small drives. If you plan to store objects on storage media that weigh 4 GB or more, you need NTFS.