Home > Article > Computer Tutorials > One article analyzes normal U disk format and file system - comprehensive introduction to FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS
phpXinyi will take you to discuss the normal U disk format and file system in depth, including three common formats: FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS. Understanding the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, and applicable scenarios of each format will help you choose the appropriate USB flash drive format to meet your personal needs. With the continuous development of technology, choosing an appropriate file system is crucial for data storage and management. Let us understand this knowledge together and provide reference guidance for better utilization of USB flash drives.
Tool materials:
System version: Windows 11 (Version 21H2)
Brand model: Kingston DTX 32GB USB flash drive
Software version: Disk management tool (built-in in Windows 11)
FAT32 is currently the most common file system format for U disks, and it has strong compatibility , can be used under various operating systems, such as Windows, macOS and Linux. The advantage of FAT32 is that it is suitable for the storage of small files, but the size of a single file cannot exceed 4GB, and the partition capacity cannot exceed 32GB. If your USB flash drive is mainly used to store small files such as documents and pictures, it is enough to choose the FAT32 format.
exFAT is a file system developed by Microsoft. It is an upgraded version of FAT32 and breaks through the limitations of file size and partition capacity. exFAT supports a single file size up to 16EB (1EB=1,024PB), and the partition capacity is theoretically unlimited. exFAT also has good compatibility and can be used under Windows, macOS and other systems. If you need to store large files on a USB flash drive, such as high-definition videos, game installation packages, etc., exFAT is a good choice.
NTFS is the default file system of the Windows NT operating system family, which provides higher security, reliability and performance. NTFS supports a single file size up to 16TB and a partition capacity up to 256TB. NTFS also has advanced features such as file compression, encryption, and access control. However, NTFS has poor compatibility and may not be directly read and written under non-Windows systems. If your USB flash drive is mainly used in a Windows environment and needs to store large files or protect important data, you can choose the NTFS format.
1. How to format a USB flash drive under Windows system?
First, insert the U disk into the USB interface of the computer. Then, open "This PC", find the disk where the USB flash drive is located, right-click and select "Format". In the formatting window, select the file system (FAT32, exFAT or NTFS), set the volume label and formatting method, and finally click the "Start" button to complete the formatting.
2. Can the data be recovered after the U disk is formatted?
Generally, formatting will cause all data on the USB flash drive to be lost. But if you stop using the USB flash drive in time and use professional data recovery software, it is still possible to recover some or even all of the data. To avoid data loss, it is recommended to back up important files to other storage devices before formatting.
Summarize:
U disk is an indispensable storage device in our daily life. Understanding its file system format is crucial to the correct use and management of U disk. FAT32 has strong compatibility and is suitable for storing small files; exFAT breaks through the limitations of file size and partition capacity and can store large files; NTFS provides more advanced functions, but has poor compatibility. Choosing the appropriate file system format can allow your USB flash drive to get the most out of it. At the same time, you should also develop a good habit of regular backup to avoid accidental data loss.
The above is the detailed content of One article analyzes normal U disk format and file system - comprehensive introduction to FAT32, exFAT, and NTFS. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!