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How to format Seagate External Hard Drive for both Mac & PC USING WINDOWS VISTA? I got a Seagate External Hard Drive so I can back up my first laptop which runs on Windows Vista- yes, I know it's the worst operating system but it's a long story as to why I am still using it. When you connect the drive to your PC reformat the PC volume. Mar 22, 2012 - Compare the different options for formatting an external hard drive to work with Windows and Mac. And, no: the answer isn't always FAT32.
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Most external hard drives come formatted with the FAT file system, which makes the drive compatible with multiple operating systems. As such, the drive is immediately usable out of the box. If you choose to do a format, a quick format changes the file system while the full format also checks the drive for bad sectors. However, if you do not intend to change the file system, a format is not necessary.
Quick Format
A quick format allows you to overwrite any files on the drive, but it does not fully erase them; with the right software, the old files could be recovered. In Windows you have the option to do a quick format into either the FAT or NTFS formats. A full format is generally preferred over a quick format; the latter is mostly used for its speed.
Full Format
A full format erases any files from the disk, changes (or maintains) the file system and checks the disk for bad sectors. A full format takes significantly longer than a quick format. Windows supports both FAT and NTFS for both quick and full formats. While a full format deletes files from the drive, it is not a secure solution for removing data; a secure format requires external software.
Choosing a File System
Windows supports two file systems: NTFS and FAT. For an external drive, FAT is the most common file system, as it is read/write compatible with Windows, OS X and Linux. FAT only supports drives up to 2 terabytes, and cannot handle files larger than 9GB; NTFS supports drives up to 256TB, with a maximum file size of 16TB. NTFS also has security options not available to the FAT file system.
How to Format an External Drive
Connect your external drive to Windows and open up the Disk Management tool. Disk Management shows a list of all connected drives, including your internal hard drive. Right-click on the space representing your external hard drive, then select 'Format.' Choose either 'NTFS' or 'exFAT' for your file system, and choose 'Quick Format' if that is what you have decided to use. Leave the option blank to do a full format. Enter a name for your drive and click 'OK.'
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About the Author
Ashley Poland has been writing since 2009. She has worked with local online businesses, supplying print and web content, and pursues an active interest in the computer, technology and gaming industries. In addition to content writing, Poland is also a fiction writer. She studied creative writing at Kansas State University.
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Poland, Ashley. 'Quick Format Vs. Full Format for a New External Hard Drive.' Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/quick-format-vs-full-format-new-external-hard-drive-79123.html. Accessed 07 June 2019.
Poland, Ashley. (n.d.). Quick Format Vs. Full Format for a New External Hard Drive. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/quick-format-vs-full-format-new-external-hard-drive-79123.html
Poland, Ashley. 'Quick Format Vs. Full Format for a New External Hard Drive' accessed June 07, 2019. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/quick-format-vs-full-format-new-external-hard-drive-79123.html
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