From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Aug 22 20:54:35 2008
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B20FC10657A8
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:54:35 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Received: from wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl
	[IPv6:2001:4070:101:2::1])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6F10B8FC23
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:54:32 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Received: from wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (localhost [IPv6:::1])
	by wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (8.14.2/8.14.2) with ESMTP id m7MKsOJk037195;
	Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:54:24 +0200 (CEST)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Received: from localhost (wojtek@localhost)
	by wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl (8.14.2/8.14.2/Submit) with ESMTP id
	m7MKsMFL037192; Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:54:24 +0200 (CEST)
	(envelope-from wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl)
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:54:22 +0200 (CEST)
From: Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
To: Andrew Gould <andrewlylegould@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <d356c5630808221113x7e931338k532c9a8f1f126aac@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <20080822225136.O37126@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>
References: <d356c5630808221113x7e931338k532c9a8f1f126aac@mail.gmail.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Cc: FreeBSD Questions Mailing List <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject: Re: OT: most "universal" file system for 1TB external USB2 hard
 drive
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:54:35 -0000

> Windows XP Pro.  If I want all of these systems to be able to read and write
> to the drive, what file system should I use?  I know fat32 is pretty
> universal, but is it advisable?

yes, just don't put too many small files on it as it's wasteful.
and don't put too big files (in order of many GB) too, because it gets 
slow then.

but yes - it's the only FS really portable. not because it's good (exactly 
opposite) but because it's very simple to implement and it's common, so 
every OS has fat16/32 support.


the other solution is to use unix UFS, and install UFS driver for windoze, 
which exist AFAIK (at least i had this for win98 some time ago).