When formatting, there will be three formats of FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT for you to choose. What are the differences between these three formats? What format should I choose for the USB flash drive?
1. The FAT32 format has good compatibility, but it does not support files above 4GB
FAT32 is the traditional file format of Windows. The XP system disk is in this format. Any USB storage device will be pre-installed with this file system. It was introduced for the first time on the platform using the second edition of Win 95. In order to replace FAT16 (supporting files with a maximum capacity of 2GB), compatibility is very good. The main defect of the FAT32 format is that it can only support a maximum single file size of 4GB, so no matter if any file exceeds 4G, it cannot be copied to the U disk. When formatting a USB flash drive, FAT32 is still the default operation, as is the latest Windows 10, mainly for compatibility reasons.
2. The NTFS format supports files larger than 4G and large partitions, but it is harmful to the storage chip
The NTFS format is the most widely used format for Windows, and it is also the best now. It supports large-capacity files and large partitions and has many advanced technologies, including long file names, compressed partitions, event tracking, file indexing, high fault tolerance, data protection and recovery, encrypted access, and more. However, NTFS is still designed for mechanical hard disks, and will record detailed hard disk read and write operations, so it will have a great burden and damage to the flash memory, which will easily affect the lifespan. Because the NTFS partition uses a "journaled" file system, the number of reads and writes of the flash memory chip is limited. If the journaled file system is used, detailed read and write operations need to be recorded. Reading and writing a large number of small files will do great harm to the U disk, and will shorten the life of the U disk.
3. The exFAT format is most suitable for U disk
The exFAT format is a substitute for the FAT32 file format. It is tailor-made by Microsoft for flash memory U disks. It has advanced performance and technical support. At the same time, it is optimized for flash memory protection and will not cause unnecessary damage. Compared with NTFS, exFAT can support more devices and operating systems; it is larger than the single file supported by FAT32, and the maximum support for a single file is 1EB. (1EB=1073741824 GB) is very suitable for storing large-capacity files, and it can also be used universally on Mac and Win operating systems.
For small-capacity U disks, FAT32 format is recommended, after all, the compatibility is the best; for large-capacity U disks, the preferred format is: exFAT>NTFS>FAT32. If you want to make the U disk as a system PE, it is recommended to choose the AT32 format, which is more compatible with the boot system.
1. Differences between FAT32, NTFS, and exFAT formats:
1. The FAT32 format has good compatibility, but it does not support files above 4GB
FAT32 is the traditional file format of Windows. The XP system disk is in this format. Any USB storage device will be pre-installed with this file system. It was introduced for the first time on the platform using the second edition of Win 95. In order to replace FAT16 (supporting files with a maximum capacity of 2GB), compatibility is very good. The main defect of the FAT32 format is that it can only support a maximum single file size of 4GB, so no matter if any file exceeds 4G, it cannot be copied to the U disk. When formatting a USB flash drive, FAT32 is still the default operation, as is the latest Windows 10, mainly for compatibility reasons.
2. The NTFS format supports files larger than 4G and large partitions, but it is harmful to the storage chip
The NTFS format is the most widely used format for Windows, and it is also the best now. It supports large-capacity files and large partitions and has many advanced technologies, including long file names, compressed partitions, event tracking, file indexing, high fault tolerance, data protection and recovery, encrypted access, and more. However, NTFS is still designed for mechanical hard disks, and will record detailed hard disk read and write operations, so it will have a great burden and damage to the flash memory, which will easily affect the lifespan. Because the NTFS partition uses a "journaled" file system, the number of reads and writes of the flash memory chip is limited. If the journaled file system is used, detailed read and write operations need to be recorded. Reading and writing a large number of small files will do great harm to the U disk, and will shorten the life of the U disk.
3. The exFAT format is most suitable for U disk
The exFAT format is a substitute for the FAT32 file format. It is tailor-made by Microsoft for flash memory U disks. It has advanced performance and technical support. At the same time, it is optimized for flash memory protection and will not cause unnecessary damage. Compared with NTFS, exFAT can support more devices and operating systems; it is larger than the single file supported by FAT32, and the maximum support for a single file is 1EB. (1EB=1073741824 GB) is very suitable for storing large-capacity files, and it can also be used universally on Mac and Win operating systems.
2. What is the best format for U disk formatting?
For small-capacity U disks, FAT32 format is recommended, after all, the compatibility is the best; for large-capacity U disks, the preferred format is: exFAT>NTFS>FAT32. If you want to make the U disk as a system PE, it is recommended to choose the AT32 format, which is more compatible with the boot system.
