硬盘驱动器(Hard drives)可以格式化为各种标准，每个标准都有自己的优缺点。一些格式可以被许多操作系统理解，而另一些格式只适用于少数几个。如果选项令人生畏，请不要担心。我们将引导您了解如何格式化硬盘以获得最大的兼容性。
在了解不同的格式之前，这里先概述一下如何格式化磁盘。
如何格式化磁盘
使用格式化实用程序(formatting utility)或磁盘管理实用程序对硬盘驱动器进行格式化。所有操作系统都内置了此类软件。如果您要安装新的操作系统，安装程序将为您提供格式化系统磁盘的选项。
如果您正在格式化非系统磁盘，您将为每个相应的操作系统使用 format 实用程序：
- 对于Windows，它是磁盘格式实用程序或磁盘管理(Disk Management)。
- 在 macOS 上，它是Disk Utility。
- Linux用户有多种选择，通常取决于所选择的桌面界面。Fdisk是一种流行的命令行实用程序，几乎可以在所有Linux发行版中找到。
如果要彻底格式化磁盘，请不要选择任何类型的快速格式化选项。完整格式可能需要更长的时间，但它会更好地从磁盘中擦除数据。始终仔细检查您是否选择了正确的磁盘和卷进行格式化，因为在大多数情况下数据丢失是不可逆的。
除了选择您想要的磁盘格式类型外，大多数用户可以简单地将其他选项（例如cluster size）保留为默认值。随意(Feel)将卷名更改为适合您的名称。接下来我们将了解最重要的磁盘格式以及哪些操作系统可以读取它们。
NTFS
- 最适合Windows系统盘。
- 大型驱动器上的出色性能，而不是较小的卷。
- (Use)仅用于关键任务、仅限 Windows 的外部驱动器。
- 通常不适合USB拇指驱动器或 SD 卡。
- 只能在没有附加软件的 macOS 系统上读取（不能写入）。
- 使用NTFS 开源(NTFS Open Source)驱动程序NTFS-3G与(NTFS-3G)Linux兼容
- 单个文件大小高达 16TB。
- 最大(Maximum)可格式化驱动器大小为 256TB。
NTFS（新技术文件系统(New Technology File System)）是 Microsoft 自己的文件系统，它始于Windows NT 3.1。它是基于Windows NT沿袭的现代Windows计算机的首选文件系统。它安全、强大、快速，可以处理非常大的文件和驱动器大小。
NTFS的主要缺点是它不能与其他操作系统普遍兼容。这使得它不太适合外部或共享驱动器。
FAT32
- 最适合尽可能广泛的兼容性。
- 适用于几乎所有操作系统。
- 单个文件大小高达 4GB。
- 最大(Maximum)可格式化驱动器大小为 32GB 或 2TB，具体取决于操作系统。
FAT32是最新版本的FAT（文件分配表(File Allocation Table)）文件系统。FAT32适用于DOS 7.0和更新版本的Microsoft操作系统。它不再是您想要在其上运行操作系统的文件系统。
它仍然适用于智能电视(TVs)、IP 安全摄像头和各种其他嵌入式设备等设备。您几乎可以肯定任何东西都会读取FAT32磁盘。此选项的主要缺点是文件不能大于 4GB。这就是为什么在使用格式化为(Which)FAT32的 SD 卡时，诸如摄像机之类的设备会将其记录分成 4GB 的块。
exFAT
- exFAT 具有广泛的兼容性，是外部驱动器的最佳全方位选择。
- 它可以被Windows(Windows)、macOS 和Linux读写。
- 整体表现出色。
- 有限的安全性。
- 不如 NTFS 有弹性。
- 最大单个文件大小为 16EB ( Exabytes )。
- 最大(Maximum)可格式化驱动器大小为 128PB ( PB(Petabytes) )。
与NTFS一样，exFAT 是Microsoft格式。2019 年，exFAT 开源。exFAT 将包含在Linux Kernel 5.7及更高版本中。exFAT 得到广泛支持，它在任何大小的卷上都具有出色的性能，并且没有FAT32的文件大小限制。
exFAT 现在是大于 32GB 的 SD 卡和拇指驱动器的标准格式，这是FAT32的容量限制。Linux和Mac系统可以读写这种格式。只有某些嵌入式设备（相机、智能电视(Smart TVs)等）无法使用该格式。
高频+
- HFS+最适合 macOS High Sierra之前的 macOS 设备。
- 最大(Maximum)文件和卷大小因 macOS 版本而异：2TB-8EB。
- Linux 可以挂载和使用 HFS+。
- 如果没有额外的软件，Windows 无法使用HFS+
HFS+是一个专有的Apple文件，它取代了HFS，并提供更好的性能、功能和文件大小支持。它现在已被APFS取代，只能用于向后兼容无法运行 macOS High Sierra的(Sierra)Mac(Macs)。
APFS
- 最适合现代Mac系统驱动器和仅限 Mac 的(Mac-only)外部驱动器。
- 现代SSD 具有(SSDs)出色的安全性、容错性和性能。
- 如果没有附加软件，Windows 和Linux无法读取APFS驱动器。(APFS)
APFS（Apple 文件系统(Apple File System)）是最新的Apple文件系统，适用于可以运行 macOS High Sierra及更高版本的 macOS 设备。它针对SSD进行了优化，因此与(SSDs)SSD驱动器上的HFS+相比具有显着的性能优势。在传统硬盘上，性能差异可以忽略不计。
APFS是现代 macOS 系统驱动器的正确选择。对于只能与兼容的 macOS 系统一起使用的外部驱动器，这是一个不错的选择。如果这些相同的驱动器需要与WINdows或Linux系统一起使用，另一种格式会更适合。
为了获得最大的兼容性，请选择(Maximum Compatibility Choose)exFAT
基于此信息，如果您希望给定磁盘能够被尽可能多的计算机读取，那么 exFAT 显然是最佳的全方位选择。exFAT 缺乏NTFS或APFS的许多效率、安全性和性能优势。
但是，它不受FAT 32严格的大小限制的影响。我们建议仅将FAT32用于无法使用 exFAT 的特定设备（例如某些相机）。
How to Format a Drive or Disk for Maximum Compatibility
Hard drives can be formatted to various standards, each with their own pros and cons. Some formats can be understood by many operating systems, while others only work with a select few. Don’t worry if the options are daunting. We’ll walk you through how to format a hard drive for maximum compatibility.
Before getting to the different formats, here’s a general overview of how to format a disk.
How to Format a Disk
Hard drives are formatted by using a formatting utility or a disk management utility. All operating systems have such software built in. If you’re installing a new operating system, the installer will give you the option to format the system disk.
If you’re formatting a non-system disk, you’ll use the format utility for each respective operating system:
- For Windows it’s either the disk format utility or Disk Management.
- On macOS, it’s the Disk Utility.
- Linux users have multiple choices, usually dependent on the chosen desktop interface. Fdisk is a popular command line utility found in virtually all Linux distros.
If you want to format a disk thoroughly, then do not choose any type of quick format option. A full format may take much longer, but it better erases data from the disk. Always double-check that you have chosen the correct disk and volume for formatting, since the data loss isn’t reversible in most cases.
Other than choosing the type of disk format you’d like, most users can simply leave other options (such as cluster size) on their default values. Feel free to change the volume name to something that suits you. Next we’ll look at the most important disk formats and which operating systems can read them.
NTFS
- Best for Windows system disks.
- Great performance on large drives, not smaller volumes.
- Use only for mission-critical, Windows-only external drives.
- Not generally suitable for USB thumb drives or SD cards.
- Can only be read (not written to) on macOS systems without additional software.
- Compatible with Linux using the NTFS Open Source driver NTFS-3G
- Individual files sizes of up to 16TB.
- Maximum formattable drive size of 256TB.
NTFS (New Technology File System) is Microsoft’s own file system that started life with Windows NT 3.1. It is the preferred file system for modern Windows computers, which are based on a Windows NT lineage. It’s secure, robust, fast and can handle very large file and drive sizes.
The main drawback of NTFS is that it isn’t universally compatible with other operating systems. Which makes it less suitable for external or shared drives.
FAT32
- Best for the widest possible compatibility.
- Works with virtually all operating systems.
- Individual file sizes up to 4GB.
- Maximum formattable drive size of 32GB or 2TB depending on the OS.
FAT32 is the latest version of the FAT (File Allocation Table) file system. FAT32 works with DOS 7.0 and newer versions of Microsoft operating systems. It’s no longer a file system that you would want to run an operating system on.
It’s still useful for devices such as smart TVs, IP security cameras and various other embedded devices. You can be almost certain that anything will read a FAT32 disk. The main drawback of this option is that files cannot be larger than 4GB. Which is why devices such as video cameras split their recordings into 4GB chunks when using an SD card formatted to FAT32.
exFAT
- exFAT is widely compatible and the best all-round choice for external drives.
- It can be read and written to by Windows, macOS and Linux.
- Great overall performance.
- Limited security.
- Not as resilient as NTFS.
- Maximum individual file sizes of 16EB (Exabytes).
- Maximum formattable drive size of 128PB (Petabytes).
Like NTFS, exFAT is a Microsoft format. In 2019 exFAT went open source. exFAT is to be included in Linux Kernel 5.7 and up. exFAT is widely supported, it has great performance on any size volume and doesn’t have the file size limits of FAT32.
exFAT is now the standard format for SD cards and thumb drives larger than 32GB, which is the volume limit for FAT32. Linux and Mac systems can read and write to this format. With only certain embedded devices (cameras, Smart TVs. etc) not working with the format.
HFS+
- HFS+ is best for macOS devices that predate macOS High Sierra.
- Maximum file and volume size vary by macOS version: 2TB-8EB.
- Linux can mount and use HFS+.
- Windows cannot work with HFS+ drives without extra software.
HFS+ is a proprietary Apple file that replaces HFS and offers better performance, features and file size support. It has now been supplanted by APFS and should only be used for backwards compatibility with Macs that cannot run macOS High Sierra.
APFS
- Best for modern Mac system drives and Mac-only external drives.
- Exceptional security, fault tolerance and performance on modern SSDs.
- Windows and Linux cannot read APFS drives without additional software.
APFS (Apple File System) is the latest Apple file system that works on macOS devices that can run macOS High Sierra and later. It’s optimized for SSDs and so has a significant performance advantage over HFS+ on SSD drives. On traditional hard drives the performance difference is negligible.
APFS is the right choice for modern macOS system drives. It’s a great choice for external drives that will only be used with compatible macOS systems. If those same drives need to be used with WIndows or Linux systems, another format would be better suited.
For Maximum Compatibility Choose exFAT
Based on this information, it’s clear that exFAT is the best all-round choice if you want a given disk to be readable by as many computers as possible. exFAT lacks many of the efficiency, security and performance benefits of NTFS or APFS.
However it doesn’t suffer from the harsh size limits of FAT 32. We recommend FAT32 only for those specific devices (such as certain cameras) that cannot use exFAT.
