external hard disk format for mac linux and windows

The most common choices when you think at a USB hard disk are FAT32, NTFS, ext3 and ext4 (well this one is a less common than the others i suppose), so as first thing let’s take a look at the limits of these filesystems: So, for me the best solution is to have 1 partition and 1 big filesystem. Personally i don’t like too much this solution, sure you can use a native file system in every operating system, but you also have all the possible problems in mounting a different FS, and I’m sure that I happen to have the right documents in the wrong partition. Multi-Partition solutionĪ possible solution is to split your hard drive in multiple partitions and dedicate each one to an Operating system, so for example you could have 25% of your disk with a Fat32, 25% with NTFS and 50% with Ext4. Let’s take a look at some options you have to suit your needs.

Perhaps you have a computer with a dual-boot with a Windows operating system, or perhaps you plan to use that external hard drive also with your Macbook…or connect it to a TV.

There are a lot of options and the main point is once again a simple question: do you want to use this disk with several different operating systems ? Now, once that we bring at home our new gadget the first question for us is: “which Filesystem should i use with this big disk ?”

Disks are becoming cheaper and so it’s becoming common to have on our desk an external (usually USB) hard drive with a size of 1TB or more.

External hard disk format for mac linux and windows