NTFS vs FAT vs exFAT

From: http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs_vs_fat.htm

Criteria

NTFS5

NTFS

exFAT

FAT32

FAT16

FAT12

Operating SystemWindows 2000
Windows XP
Windows 2003 Server
Windows 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 7Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows 2003 Server
Windows 2008Windows Vista
Windows 7Windows CE 6.0
Windows Vista SP1
Windows 7
WinXP+KB955704DOS v7 and higher
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Windows 2003 Server
Windows Vista
Windows 7DOSAll versions of Microsoft WindowsDOSAll versions of Microsoft WindowsLimitationsMax Volume Size264 clusters minus 1 cluster232 clusters minus 1 cluster128PB32GB for all OS.2TB for some OS2GB for all OS.4GB for some OS16MBMax Files on Volume4,294,967,295
(232-1)4,294,967,295
(232-1)Nearly Unlimited419430465536 Max File Size264 bytes
(16 ExaBytes) minus 1KB244 bytes
(16 TeraBytes) minus 64KB16EB4GB minus 2 Bytes2GB (Limit Onlyby Volume Size)16MB (Limit Onlyby Volume Size)Max Clusters Number264 clusters minus 1 cluster232 clusters minus 1 cluster42949672954177918655204080Max File Name LengthUp to 255Up to 255Up to 255Up to 255Standard - 8.3
Extended - up to 255Up to 254File System FeaturesUnicode File NamesUnicode Character SetUnicode Character SetUnicode Character SetSystem Character SetSystem Character SetSystem Character SetSystem Records MirrorMFT Mirror FileMFT Mirror FileNoSecond Copy of FATSecond Copy of FATSecond Copy of FATBoot Sector LocationFirst and Last SectorsFirst and Last SectorsSectors 0 to 11Copy in 12 to 23First Sector andCopy in Sector #6First SectorFirst SectorFile AttributesStandard and CustomStandard and CustomStandard SetStandard SetStandard SetStandard SetAlternate StreamsYesYesNoNoNoNoCompressionYesYesNoNoNoNoEncryptionYesNoNoNoNoNoObject PermissionsYesYesYesNoNoNoDisk QuotasYesNoNoNoNoNoSparse FilesYesNoNoNoNoNoReparse PointsYesNoNoNoNoNoVolume Mount PointsYesNoNoNoNoNoOverall PerformanceBuilt-In SecurityYesYesYesminimal ACL onlyNoNoNoRecoverabilityYesYesYesif TFAT activatedNoNoNoPerformanceLow on small volumesHigh on LargeLow on small volumesHigh on LargeHighHigh on small volumesLow on largeHighest on small volumesLow on largeHighDisk Space EconomyMaxMaxMaxAverageMinimal on large volumesMaxFault ToleranceMaxMaxYesif TFAT activatedMinimalAverageAverage

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