However, the issue is that it isn’t as compatible as the FAT32 and there are certain devices that won’t be able to support it, such as the PS3 and X-Box 360 gaming consoles. It is very frequently used in cases of shared hard drives that are plugged into the PC. It works on Windows, Linux (with FUSE) and Mac OS. This system offers universal support but with the added advantage that it allows exchange of files larger than 4GB. If you are using simple files with small sizes and have a total storage that is less than 2TB then this is a great file system to use. The only problem of this file system is that it cannot support files that are bigger than 4GB and partitions cannot be created for storages larger than 2TB. Pretty much any USB will be pre-formatted with FAT 32 file system since it is so easy to use everywhere. This is the next generation of FAT that has a legacy from back in the DOS era. Have a look at our list of the most commonly used file format systems: 1. Since there are so many different formats available it becomes important to choose one specific format depending upon its merits, demerits as well as what your usage is. However, this highlights the need for file system compatibility since so many people are using it. Many users share and distribute files through a USB drive. The increased use of the USB drive means that it is probably the most popular of storing data and media. Unless you know of the different file format systems and know which format to choose for your USB drive to be sure of compatibility with other systems you will get nowhere. Mac OS users are the ones who are most likely to run into this problem, so if you are a Mac user this article is definitely a must-read.

Most users go by without noticing these small details that is until the actually need to copy files into a storage that is formatted for a different OS type.

Formatting a drive on mac