Better File System

[TheStu]

My desktop is currently running Vista 64 Ultimate, Win 7 64 Beta, and OS X 10.5.6.

My MacBook runs OS X 10.5.6 and Win 7 32 Beta.

I just got an 8GB jumpdrive and was considering putting exFAT onto it since that would allow for larger than 4GB files (which I have to transfer on occasion). However, exFAT does not work with OS X.

Now, OS X can read NTFS and read/write FAT.
Windows can neither read nor write HFS+, the file system on my Mac.

So, is there a file system out there that I can put on my jumpdrive that will let me transfer 4GB+ files and still have it be usable (read and write) by as many systems as possible?

 

[Samalama]

I believe ext2 can be used on both Windows and OSX, as well as its intended OS, Linux.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Samalama
I believe ext2 can be used on both Windows and OSX, as well as its intended OS, Linux.

And that allows for larger than 4GB files? If so then thank you greatly... now I just need to figure out how to format it ext2... without having linux installed. Though I guess a LiveCD would do it.

 

[soonerproud]

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Samalama
I believe ext2 can be used on both Windows and OSX, as well as its intended OS, Linux.

And that allows for larger than 4GB files? If so then thank you greatly... now I just need to figure out how to format it ext2... without having linux installed. Though I guess a LiveCD would do it.

You will need to install the ext2 driver on Windows before it can read/write to it.

 

[Samalama]

Originally posted by: soonerproud

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Samalama
I believe ext2 can be used on both Windows and OSX, as well as its intended OS, Linux.

And that allows for larger than 4GB files? If so then thank you greatly... now I just need to figure out how to format it ext2... without having linux installed. Though I guess a LiveCD would do it.

You will need to install the ext2 driver on Windows before it can read/write to it.

Yep, and here's a link for the driver TheStu mentioned. Oh, and with a 4kB block size, ext2 will support a max file size of 2tB.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Samalama

Originally posted by: soonerproud

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Samalama
I believe ext2 can be used on both Windows and OSX, as well as its intended OS, Linux.

And that allows for larger than 4GB files? If so then thank you greatly... now I just need to figure out how to format it ext2... without having linux installed. Though I guess a LiveCD would do it.

You will need to install the ext2 driver on Windows before it can read/write to it.

Yep, and here's a link for the driver TheStu mentioned

Thanks soonerproud and samalama, i'll try this out when I get home from work.

If this works then I may partition it so that there is a small FAT section with the driver on it so that any new machines can use it.

 

[Samalama]

Originally posted by: TheStu

If this works then I may partition it so that there is a small FAT section with the driver on it so that any new machines can use it.

Good thinking 🙂