I'm setting up a dual-boot system with Windows on a 1TB SSD and Linux on a partition of a 4TB HDD. I plan to use the other partition for shared storage between the two OSs for my files and projects. Since I'll mainly be using Linux, I'm wondering what filesystem would work best for that shared partition. Would ext4 work? I've heard there are ways to read ext4 on Windows, so that might not be a huge problem. Could you guys suggest the best filesystem for my situation, considering performance, encryption needs, and file recovery? What are the main differences between ext4, NTFS, and exFAT?
2 Answers
I'd go with exFAT for your shared storage. It's widely compatible and works across Windows and Linux. However, you lose the POSIX permissions, so keep that in mind if you're worried about security. It won't support encryption either, which seems important for you. If you need something a bit more secure, you might have to explore NTFS, though it can be slower on Linux. Just make sure you have backups!
I recommend using ext4 for your Linux system because it's reliable and well-supported. While Windows can read ext4 with third-party tools, you might run into issues. For the shared partition, if encryption is crucial, consider NTFS since it does allow for that, but make sure to test how it performs on your Linux setup first!
Thanks! I’ll give NTFS a shot for the shared drive since I need that encryption.
Yeah, I agree about exFAT being easy to use, but if security is your concern, NTFS might be a better fit for shared storage. Just be aware of the performance trade-off.