Format As Exfat Or Ntfs Mac OS X

I keep on it my one drive data too since I have 1TB available but my surface pro is just 256GB.

Always yummy as I have 2 or more bootable, plus a Windows install, maybe some portable aps as well.

The only real options youll have to format it to is if youre using Linux, where you can use ext4, BTRFS, Reiser.

It could be even exFAT isnt acceptable:) If it can read both exFAT NTFS go for NTFS.

Format As Exfat Or Ntfs Mac OS X

For external hard drives assuming security isnt super important, ExFAT is the way to go as it works with Win XP on up as well as Mac OS X.

Im really hoping to use the drive to virtualize data more quickly send it along a secondary bus to the processor, but Im still cloudy on doing that.

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Sean GallupGetty Images NewsGetty Images MacBooks are partially compatible with the New Technology File System.

MacBooks can read data stored on NTFS-formatted storage devices, but are unable to write data to NTFS-formatted storage devices.

MacBooks that only share storage devices with other Mac OS X running computers are unlikely to encounter NTFS.

According to PC Magazine, Apples Mac OS X 10.3 version added the ability to read the NTFS format.

Explore this article The File System What MacBooks Can Do Not an Internal Issue Cross Platform Support Options 1 The File System NTFS is a type of file system thats primarily used with Windows computers and storage devices.

Comparatively, Macs run a file system called Hierarchal File System Plus that has similar compatibility issues with Windows-based computers.

File systems are a method for recording and reading information stored on a device like a hard drive, optical disc, or flash drive.

The file system is like an index for data locations on a storage device and helps the computer locate stored information.

If a computer cant understand a file system, it cant make sense of the data stored on a device.

What MacBooks Can Do A MacBook can connect to a NTFS-formatted storage device and copy data thats been written to the device by a PC; however, any changes a MacBook makes to any files cant be moved back to a PC through the NTFS-formatted device.

For example, if youre working on a Photoshop file on a PC, you can copy it to a NTFS-formatted flash drive, connect the flash drive to a MacBook, copy the file to the MacBook and continue working in Photoshop.

However, the data trip is one-way: the MacBook is not able to write to the NTFS-formatted flash drive, so the MacBook cant update the file stored on the flash drive for the PC to come back to later.

Not an Internal Issue A MacBook will not encounter compatibility problems with its internal hard drive being formatted in NFTS; it can only happen with external storage devices.

The Mac OS X operating system needs to run on the HFS file system.

If you swap out the old hard drive for a different hard drive thats been formatted in NTFS, the MacBook will need to clear all data on the hard drive and format it in the HFS file system to work.

Cross Platform Support Options Both PCs and Macs can read storage devices that use the FAT32 and ExFAT file systems, so either format will work as a cross-platform communication solution.

However, if neither FAT32 or ExFAT is an option, MacBooks can enable NTFS-format device writing with the help of third-party software.

Once installed, programs like Paragon NTFS for Mac and Tuxera NTFS for Mac allow the MacBook to read NTFS-formatted storage devices as if the storage devices were formatted in HFS.

Tuxera NTFS is compatible with OS X 10.4 and later whereas Paragon NTFS requires at least OS X 10.5.

PC Magazine: FAT32 Vs.

NTFS: Choose Your Own Format 2 PC Magazine Encyclopedia: Definition of: NTFS 3 PC Magazine Encyclopedia: Definition of: HFS 4 PC Magazine Encyclopedia: Definition of: File System 5 Paragon Software Group: NTFS for Mac OS X 11 Release History 6 Tuxera: Tuxera NTFS for Mac 7 Microsoft: ExFAT File System About the Author Dan Stone started writing professionally in 2006, specializing in education, technology and music.

He is a web developer for a communications company and previously worked in television.

Stone received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Master of Arts in communication studies from Northern Illinois University.

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Format As Exfat Or Ntfs For Mac