file structure and external drive

I asked a couple of days ago about getting an external HDD.

I know that the WD mybook studio is recommended and it is formated as OS Extended (Journal). I can't easily get one of these. Around here everyone is selling Lacie. These are formatted as FAT 32 drives.

I be using the drive for storage of both Windows and Mac files.

Questions:
What are the pros/cons of using FAT 32 drive? As far as I know there is only the issue of no file being larger than 4 gig (which may occasionally happen).
Are there any other downsides to FAT 32 or benefits of OS Extended?

Thanks

 

This may be a dumb question, but why can't you just re-format it using the file system of your choice?

Greg.

 

that's fair enough, I was just wondering which is better.
By the way, another question: is there any reason why I cannot partition it with a FAT 32 partition and an OSX Entended?

 

You could do both Fat32 and OSX. I think the limit on partitions on one disk is 8, but I could be wrong.

Fat32 has the advantage of being portable to just about anything. Windows, Linux, Mac can all mount and read/write Fat32. But it lacks the extended security and features of the more complex filesystems.

For instance Mac stores additional data for files, i.e. the icon and program association in the resource fork. Fat32 won't support a resource fork, so the Mac will create hidden files to store this data on a Fat32 drive. So it will look and work the same, but it's not the most efficient, which is probably why your software wants you to use the native parition.

I have a 250gb external drive that I leave as Fat32, so I can back up files to it from my Windows or Linux machines, and see them from anywhere. But I can't set NTFS or Linux extended security settings on that drive. If I were using it exclusively for installing programs onto, or just for Windows or Linux, I'd format it NTFS or ext3. So it depends on your use.

 

FAT32 is not as reliable as HFS+ or NTFS. it is prone to failure (losing/corrupted data, or even complete lost of data on the volume). FAT32 doesn't have journaling which is essential. i don't think spotlight works with FAT32. etc.. so basically don't use FAT32 on large volumes (such as external HDD) unless you really, really, really have to.

 

You could try something like MacDrive http://www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive/ if you install that on your PC then you can format your HD to Mac format and still be able to read it from Windows. There's a free trial version if you want to test it out before buying it..

 

I was under the impression that fat32 can't be more 32gb in size - true or false ?

 

False. It's a few TB. Although there are some formatting applications that don't allow you to format more than a few GBs, which is why one should use GParted or PartitionMagic.

 

So does that mean Mac OS can't format a preformatted FAT32 external drive to HFS+ so you can use it with Time Machine?

 

you're thinking about windows xp aren't you? the formatter that came with windows xp doesn't allow formatting for volume biger than 32gb.

huh? whaaaa?
Mac OS can reformat volume wheter it be NTFS, FAT32, to HFS+.

yeah if you use FAT32 you can use Time Machine with that volume. Time Machine only works with HFS+ drives.

 

something i havent seen mentioned....fat32 only supports file sizes UP TO 4GB max.

thats a big blah

 

I have a FAT32 hard drive in my PC at the moment which is 60Gb... it seems to be working ok to me and has done for many years! (it was originally formatted in 2k and now used in a Vista HP x64 machine) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table#FAT32
Is the max supported size lower on a mac or something?

*edit I take it back, I formatted it via DOS utilities not in Win 2K...

 

I think you misunderstood. kgeier82 is talking about the maximum size of a single file, not the total volume. From the same Wikipedia article you linked to:

 

ah sorry I quoted from the wrong post, sorry kgeier82! I meant to refer to the 32gb limit post. (I put it down to having had a couple of drinks at lunchtime on Saturday!)