Partition Size Limits

FAT32 offers the best compatibility for PC and Mac operating systems, including cross-platform compatibility with the MAC OS X. However, FAT32 has inherent limitations in regards to file size, partition size, and performance.

Limitations under Windows, Mac OS 9, and Mac X:

• A file cannot be transferred to a FAT32 partition if the file is larger than 4GB.
• Apple’s Time Machine backup utility will not store data on FAT32 partitions.

Limitations under Windows 2000/XP/Vista:

• A FAT32 partition cannot be created that is larger than 32GB.
• A file cannot be transferred to a FAT32 partition if the file is larger than 4GB.
• FAT32 file system performs more slowly than NTFS (Windows) or Mac OS Extended (HFS Plus, Mac).

Using an external hard drive with Windows:

Note: When using an external drive with Windows 2000/XP/Vista it is recommended that you reformat the drive to the NTFS file system.

Using an external hard drive on a Mac:

Note: It is recommended that you format the drive in the Mac OS Extended file system (HFS Plus).