Should I Format My USB Flash Drive?
Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Should I Format My USB Flash Drive?

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Banned
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    32

    Should I Format My USB Flash Drive?

    I will be getting a usb flash drive soon, the Corsair 32GB Flash Voyager GTR. I will use it to make an image (backup) of my whole computer. Now, what should I format it as? NTFS? FAT? or FAT32? What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? And which format is fastest for the highest copy-to speed possible, given that I want to backup my computer, which is 27GB big?
    Last edited by tedalin; December 15th, 2010 at 11:17 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered User HipHoper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Israel
    Posts
    1,747
    Hi Tedalin,

    Frankly, I don't think that usb flash drive is a safe enough product for keeping computer backup.I would prefer external 2.5 usb drive for lot of reasons and it's quite cheap these days (500GB will probably cost as your 32GB drive).
    That been said, For that size of file (27GB) NTFS is your only option, Since the other formats does not support files greater than 4GB in size as I recall.
    FYI : Some USB flash drives need to be formatted with special tools in order to use their maximum speed due to their design (Happen to me with Patriot Xporter XT 16GB - After format speed dropped to 1/4, And after format with special utility speed returned).

    Good luck

  3. #3
    Banned
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    32
    Quote Originally Posted by HipHoper View Post
    Hi Tedalin,

    Frankly, I don't think that usb flash drive is a safe enough product for keeping computer backup.I would prefer external 2.5 usb drive for lot of reasons and it's quite cheap these days (500GB will probably cost as your 32GB drive).
    That been said, For that size of file (27GB) NTFS is your only option, Since the other formats does not support files greater than 4GB in size as I recall.
    FYI : Some USB flash drives need to be formatted with special tools in order to use their maximum speed due to their design (Happen to me with Patriot Xporter XT 16GB - After format speed dropped to 1/4, And after format with special utility speed returned).

    Good luck
    Hi, HipHoper. Yeah, I'm planning on formatting my usb flash drive when I get it. I want to make an backup image of my entire computer. So, according to the file size (27 GB), NTFS is the way to go. I read somewhere that XP can format a flash drive to NTFS.

    But theres something i dont understand. I got an old 8GB usb flash drive that I used to make an image of my hard drive, which was 7GB. That usb flash drive was formatted to fat32. So, how is it possible that I was able to copy a file greater than 4GB onto it, when you say that fat32 doesn't allow files greater than 4GB?

    ..
    Last edited by tedalin; December 15th, 2010 at 06:46 PM.

Similar Threads

  1. Code 10 - Maxtor HD - I tried all what i know
    By kraouf in forum Hard Drive/IDE/SCSI Drivers
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: September 18th, 2012, 05:35 PM
  2. USB flash drive partition HELP
    By po_jo_45 in forum Removable/Backup Device Drivers
    Replies: 47
    Last Post: April 2nd, 2009, 12:57 PM
  3. Replies: 1
    Last Post: April 10th, 2006, 10:55 AM
  4. USB Flash Pen Drive
    By mintman4 in forum USB/Firewire
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: September 23rd, 2005, 04:39 PM
  5. Replies: 0
    Last Post: January 13th, 2005, 02:07 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •