If you have a hard drive, SSD or USB device and want to use it between different operating systems, then it is file system ExFAT recommended.
What is Exfat?
Exfat means Extended File Allocation Table. It is a file system that is an improved version of FAT32 with fewer restrictions. The big advantage is that ExFAT supports very large files, which is ideal for external hard drives and USB flash drives that you use to store and transfer large media files or data collections. Exfat is also designed with compatibility in mind. It works seamlessly across platforms, from Windows and macOS to various other devices such as digital cameras and smart TVs. This broad compatibility makes it an excellent choice for devices and media that you want to share between different systems and devices.
Exfat restrictions
Although Exfat has more and more advantages these days, there are also some disadvantages that you should take into account. It is possible that older systems in particular do not support the Exfat file system and therefore do not recognize Exfat. It can also work slightly slower than, for example, when using many, especially small files NTFS file system.
Exfat also does not have advanced security or recovery features and does not provide journaling for integrity of your data. Journaling is a feature of some file systems that helps maintain the integrity of the data on the disk by recording changes in a special log (or “journal”) before they are actually committed to the disk. This process ensures that, in the event of a crash or power outage, the file system can return to a previous, consistent state by reapplying the actions stored in the journal or undoing incomplete actions. This reduces the chance of data corruption and makes the system more robust.
Format hard drive or USB to ExFAT
There are two ways to exfat a device in Windows formatting. The first is through Windows Explorer and the second is through a Command Prompt.
Please note that you should save any files on your drive or USB to your computer first. Formatting is a process in which all data is erased from the device.
Via Windows Explorer
Open Windows Explorer. First click on “This PC” then right click on the device you want to format as Exfat and choose “Format”.
Under “File System” select the “exFAT” file system. Then enter a meaningful volume name and enable the “Quick Format” option. Click “Start” to begin formatting and ensure that all data on this device is allowed to be erased.
If you format this drive, all data on the drive will be lost. Click OK if you want to format the drive or Cancel if you want to abort the formatting. Make your choice.
If the device has been formatted to Exfat, you will see the message: Formatting is complete.
Optional: You can now create a assign drive letter to the formatted drive or USB.
Via Command Prompt
You can also format a drive to Exfat via a Command Prompt. This is recommended, for example, if you have limited access to settings in Windows.
To begin open a Command Prompt as administrator. Then type:
diskpart
This will open diskpart. The tool to format the device to exfat.
Then type:
list disk
This will request all connected drives from your computer.
Type now:
sel disk {nummer}
This selects the drive you want to format. Replace {number} with the number of the disk. Check the correct disk by, among other things, the size of the disk in the output.
Optional: If you want to delete all partitions on this disk, type:
clean
Then type:
create partition primary
this will create a new single partition on the drive or USB.
If there is only one partition, then type:
select partition 1
This sets the first and any partition on the disk or USB.
Now to format the partition as Exfat, type:
format fs=exfat quick
If you want to use the disk or USB directly, associate a disk letter with the device. Type for this:
assign letter X
Replace X with the desired drive letter.
Type now:
exit
To exit diskpart.
I hope to have informed you with this. Thank you for reading!