USB sticks and other media can have different file systems: exFAT, NTFS and FAT32. NTFS is one of the most popular, but even this file system has its own advantages and disadvantages.
NTFS and FAT32
As you know, today the Windows operating system offers users two types of file systems, they are: FAT32 and NTFS. A file system should be understood as a way of organizing data on a particular medium. The file system can be changed to: USB sticks, hard drives (including removable ones) and other media. The topic of changing the file system is most relevant specifically for USB flash drives. The thing is that the FAT32 file system is more suitable for files with a small size (large files are simply not supported by this system). NTFS, in turn, allows you to upload files with both small and large volumes, while the speed of work (reading, viewing, copying) will not change.
Is it worth formatting to NTFS: advantages and disadvantages
USB drives with the NTFS file system installed allow you to access small files much faster and show high performance when working with large files. With regard to security, such a file system as NTFS, in contrast to others, shows high reliability of information storage. In addition, NTFS is the most reliable file system (that is, failures and shortcomings when working with such flash drives are much less common).
Unfortunately, NTFS has a number of disadvantages as well. For example, the main disadvantages of this file system include a lower operating speed (compared to FAT32). This is due to the fact that NTFS allows you to work with both large and small amounts of information. The next and final drawback of this file system is the high memory requirements.
Of course, all the advantages and disadvantages are conditional and are far from always critical when choosing a particular file system for a USB flash drive.
File system change
In order to format this or that media and change the used file system, you can use one of the following options: use either standard Windows operating system tools or special utilities. Of course, the first option is much faster and easier than the second. To do this, just open "My Computer", right-click on the removable media icon. A context menu will open, in which you should select the "Format …" item. After clicking, a new window will appear. Here you have to select directly the file system that will belong to the flash drive. To do this, you need to click on the "Format" button and select NTFS or FAT32 from the list that appears, depending on your preferences. In order to complete the procedure, you will need to click on the "Formatting" button (if you select "Quick Format", the file system will not change). Then you just have to wait until the end of the procedure.
