The file system of an external hard drive depends on the drive and how it was formatted. Most new external drives are formatted with NTFS (New Technology File System) for Windows compatibility.
Here are some common file systems found on external drives:
- NTFS (New Technology File System): The standard file system for Windows. It offers features like security and large file support.
- exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table): A newer file system designed for external drives, offering high compatibility with Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32): An older file system that is widely compatible but has limitations on file size and partition size.
- HFS+ (Hierarchical File System Plus): The standard file system for macOS.
To determine the file system of your external drive, you can:
- Check the drive properties: In Windows, right-click the drive and select "Properties." In macOS, click the Apple icon, then "About This Mac," and then "Storage."
- Use a file system utility: There are free tools available online that can identify the file system.
Note: You can reformat an external drive to a different file system using the Disk Management tool in Windows or the Disk Utility in macOS. However, this will erase all data on the drive.
