Here's a good forum thread on the subject: FAT32 or NTFS? - Linux Mint Forums

 

Thank you for this.
I read it, and these are some informations I found there:

So in some cases, the person in this thread lost their data, for no reason at all.
But as far as I understand, that is not supposed to happen, and it most likely was a failing NTFS support (considering this thread was 2016, it was quite new back then, if I am not wrong?).

Maybe such a failing NTFS support as described in this thread are already fixed, because it's nearly 10 years ago.

Other things that I learned in this thread are, that EXT4 would be in theory best, but my situation is a bit different from the preson in this thread, because they want to stop using Windows entirely, and they don't care about being compatible with Windows anymore, while I really want my disk to be either NTFS or FAT..

Also in this thread was a post that indicated that journaling seems to work on Linux too, as it works on Windows.
But about that I'm not entirely sure.. I really can't find anything about this anywhere, telling whether indexing of NTFS works on Linux as reliable as it works on Windows..


I learned some things from reading it, but I still have no real answer if to chose NTFS or FAT32, because the person in the thread seems to just give up and switch to EXT4, which I sadly can't do..
For me it's really just either NTFS or FAT32..
My hope is that NTFS support is now more stable.

The best thing that could happen is someone coming into this thread here, telling me "I'm using NTFS drives on Linux Mint for 5 years without problem and journaling works just as it does on Windows"

 

EXT4 is Linux only Format and will not be read by a Windows or Mac computer.
The Initialization of the drive and the format are important for working with a Bios that runs Windows, among other OS's.
NTFS has been around since 1999, so it is very stable.
FAT32 is widely accepted across all platforms, the other option is the exFAT format.

When creating a Live Linux drive on a flash drive, the recommended file system format is typically FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32) or exFAT (Extended File Allocation Table). Both of these formats are widely supported by various operating systems and are compatible with most computers.
FAT32 has broader compatibility and can be read and written by almost all operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, it has limitations on file size (maximum individual file size is 4 GB) and partition size (maximum partition size is 32 GB). Which is fine, because you are just making a Linux Installer disk to install Linux to a USB HDD.
exFAT, on the other hand, offers better support for larger files and partition sizes, making it a good choice if you plan to work with larger ISO files or if you want to store additional files on the flash drive. It's also compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, but some older versions of Linux might require additional drivers for full exFAT support.
It's important to note that some Linux distributions, particularly those based on Ubuntu, may provide instructions for creating a Live USB using tools like UNetbootin, Rufus, or Etcher. These tools often handle the formatting and setup of the flash drive for you, ensuring that it is properly prepared for booting and running a Live Linux environment.
Always check the specific instructions provided by the Linux distribution you're using, as they might have recommendations or requirements for the format of the flash drive.

 

@spunk.funk Thanks for the detailed answer.
This answer was very helpful in the context of creating the Live USB.

But what about the general use of let's say an external 1TB HDD?
If i want to use it sometimes on an Windows computer, and sometimes on a Linux computer, what file system would be better in that case?
Usually I would instantly go with NTFS, because of the Windows computer.
But I am a bit worried, that Linux (Mint) will not have a reliable NTFS support and will create problems with the drive.

I could of course make this hypothetical 1TB HDD a exFAT or FAT32 file system, but I really like the benefits of NTFS.
So, how reliable is NTFS on Linux in it's current state?

How are the proportions between having the benefits of NTFS - and having the risks of Linux's support of NTFS?

Are specifically FAT32 and exFAT more reliable on Linux, or are they just rather just "tolerated" by Linux?

 

If you install Linux to a SSD/HDD or USB HDD, Linux creates it's own partitions and formats them ext4 file system, which is not recognized by Windows or Macs Not file systems FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT.

The Differences Between Persistent Live USB and Full Install USB
If you attach the USB HDD with Linux installed on it, you can choose to Boot that drive and run Linux from that external drive on that computer. But you cannot Browse the Linux drive from Windows. But you can Browse a Windows partition from Linux.
You can make a Linux Live USB HDD with Persistence instead of installing Linux.

SOLVED - Portable but customizable Linux Mint: Is a...

EDIT: Check reply #14, there I explain it: I went for the full install. It's easier than all tutorials in the internet tell you. Persistent Live is good too, but for daily use it's just slightly better to use the full install. It feels more "complete" and "at home" like this. Linux Mint is...

www.techsupportforum.com

 

And what about any other drive?
For example if I get myself an external HDD just for media and office documents.
I want it either to be FAT or NTFS, because I want to be able to use it on Windows, too.
Usually I would go for NTFS, because I prefer the benefits of it, especially the journaling.

Will NTFS journaling and all these benefits work for Linux reliable?
And is Linux's current support for NTFS reliable, or is FAT the better option?

 

To create a USB hard drive with Linux and persistence, you typically use a file system that supports persistence and is compatible with Linux. The most commonly used file systems for this purpose are:

ext4: The ext4 (fourth extended filesystem) is a widely used and stable file system in the Linux ecosystem. It supports journaling, which helps with data integrity and recovery. It's a good choice for creating a persistent Linux installation on a USB drive.

btrfs: Btrfs (B-tree filesystem) is a modern file system with features like data compression, snapshots, and built-in RAID support. It can be a good choice if you want to take advantage of advanced features and are comfortable with potential complexities.

xfs: XFS is a high-performance file system known for its scalability and fast performance. It's commonly used on servers and large storage systems but can also be used for a USB drive with persistence.

F2FS: F2FS (Flash-Friendly File System) is designed specifically for NAND-based flash storage devices, such as USB drives and SSDs. It's optimized for flash memory and can provide good performance and longevity on such devices.

When creating a USB hard drive with Linux and persistence, you'll need to consider a few steps:

Create a Live USB: Use a tool like "dd" or a dedicated software like Rufus, Etcher, or Unetbootin to write a Linux ISO image onto the USB drive. This will create a bootable live USB drive.

Allocate Persistence: Some tools like Rufus or Unetbootin allow you to allocate a certain amount of space for persistence during the creation of the live USB. Make sure you allocate enough space for your needs.

Format the Persistence Partition: Once the USB drive is created, you may need to format the persistence partition with the desired file system. You can use the "mkfs" command with the appropriate options for your chosen file system (e.g., mkfs.ext4, mkfs.btrfs, etc.).

Modify Boot Configuration: Depending on the Linux distribution you're using, you might need to modify the boot configuration to ensure it recognizes and utilizes the persistence feature. This might involve modifying boot parameters or configuration files.

It's important to note that creating a persistent Linux installation on a USB drive can be more prone to wear and tear on the drive, which may impact its longevity. Additionally, USB drives might have slower performance compared to internal drives, so performance might not be optimal.

 

But none of these seem to be compatible with Windows.
So what about any other drive, that is not for the purpose of creating a Live USB?
For example if I get myself an external HDD for storing media and office documents.
It has to be either FAT or NTFS, because I want to be able to use it on Windows, too.
Usually I would use NTFS, because I prefer the benefits of it, especially the journaling.

When using NTFS, will journaling and all these benefits work for Linux reliable?
And is the current support for NTFS from Linux reliable, or is FAT the better option?

 

FAT32 is the most universal File system that can be recognized by Windows, Mac, and even Linux. There are limitations to it though

FAT32 vs. exFAT vs. NTFS: What's the Difference?

Not sure which format to go with?

www.howtogeek.com

 

NTFS would be perfect for me.
I always use NTFS.

The only thing stopping me right now is, that I don't know if Linux has a reliable support of NTFS drives.

FAT seems to have a longer history of being supported on Linux, but does that mean that it's working more reliable on Linux than NTFS is?
Both are not native to Linux, but which support/reverse engineering of these both is better or worse?


I am not talking about the benefits of FAT32 or NTFS.
That's why I asked the question "Which of the 2 can Linux Mint handle better".
I didn't ask which is subjectively better, instead I try to find out which of these both is more reliable on Linux.

I know very well about the benefits of either.
To me it is always NTFS, because I use no other systems than Windows and Linux, and the journaling is a very good feature to me.
But if someone will tell me "FAT32/exFAT is much more reliable on Linux, because NTFS support is full of errors", then I would tolerate using a FAT file system.
So as I said, I try to find out which of these 2 "Windows file systems" is the better for daily use on Linux, if I can only chose between these both.

How reliable is NTFS on Linux in it's current state?

Is FAT32 more reliable on Linux than NTFS?

Is the journaling on NTFS drives working on Linux?

 

Linux can interact with NTFS partitions and provides read and write access through the NTFS-3G driver, full journaling support like that found in native Linux file systems may not be available or as effective. If journaling is a critical requirement for your use case, you might want to consider using a native Linux file system on your Linux system, while still being able to access NTFS drives for data exchange or compatibility purposes. Always ensure you have backups and be cautious when working with file systems from different operating systems to avoid data loss or corruption.

Which Linux File Systems Are Not Journaling - Processing Therapy

When installing linux on USB Drive, which filesystem should I use to format for best performance?

I'm planning on installing Linux on a USB drive, and I was wondering which filesystem I should use to format the drive for best performance (overall responsiveness), and life of the drive?

unix.stackexchange.com

You should ask your questions in Google read all the info you find and make your own decision.

 

It sems like the conclusion is, that journaling is really not working for NTFS on Linux.
But it also seems that neither of these FAT32, exFAT or NTFS seem to be really safe and perfectly supported.
They rather seem to be just "tolerated" by Linux.

So if there is no strong idication that FAT32 is much better supported than NTFS on Linux, I rather go either with NTFS and keep backups.

I'm still open to opinions and if someone has some experiences, I am very interested to listen to them.
Best case would be someone telling me "I'm using NTFS on Linux for 5 years and never had a problem" or someone telling "Don't use NTFS on Linux, it's very unstable and broken".
So if someone is out there using NTFS drives on Linux, please share your experiences, I really am curious!

 

I have 5 hard drives in my Computer and an external drive. All of them are formatted in FAT32, and I have never had an issue. My Daily Operating System is Linux Mint, and has been since Microsoft ended support for WINDOWS 7

 

If you are going to be using Windows as well as Linux ... go for FAT32

If you are expecting to use Linux ONLY then EXT4 ... It's, shall we call it "The Linux equivalent", to NTFS.

Whilst years back there was an app for Windows to "SEE" Linux partitions it is only recently that I see Win10 appears to have something related to Linux in the installed programs list. I haven't used it yet to understand what it is.
Linux could always see Windows created folders and files. Windows could not unless it was a FAT32 data partition. Until now, if you plug in a bootable Linux USB, you will see the drive but you cannot ser the contents, EVEN IF THE DRIVE IS FAT32.

There is also every possibility that you will need to take control of information stored in drives created in windows before you will be able to use or open them.

 

The simple answer is that there is no 100% guarantee that you won't have problems when utilising a file system (NTFS) designed for one OS (Windows) on an OS (Linux) that was designed to operate with an entirely different file system (Ext4).

So if you're waiting for someone to tell you anything different, then you're going to be waiting a very long time.

For the most part, Linux will work fine with NTFS files, and most people will experience few problems, but everyone's use and needs are different, and therefore it's impossible for anyone here to give you complete assurance that you will not have issues.

In the end the choice of what file system you decide to use is up to you ....... because only you know fully what your use and needs are, and what level of "inconvenience" you're willing to tolerate.

Personally I run Linux in a VM, which gives me a level of flexibility that a "hard installed" system does not. Whether that's a practical proposition for your needs I could not possibly say.

 

I have several usbs, bootable for various Linux flavour installs and bootable where it is installed. From theusb flash it takes a little longer to load. The install drives are handy because Linux runs in memory as a live session. Handy to use in "TRY BEFORE INSTALL" mode if only to see if a device has a hardware issue, also there are options prior to booting into the distro to run a memory test.
During the TRY or Live session, a ything you download or save had better be saved to another device or partition where you can navigate to for later use. When you power down anything saved to default folders in the live session will be lost .. and not recoverable. A new live session is totally fresh.

 

You can add persistance to a live USB with some Linux distros when you create them, to preserve things from one boot to the next , but generally the "storage capacity" for this is very limited.