# Does Ubuntu use FAT32 File System?



## 2048Megabytes

Does Ubuntu use the FAT32 File System?  I read in a forum somewhere that it does.  Is this information correct?


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## Cleric7x9

im pretty sure it actually uses NTFS (but that sounds kinda ridiculous so idk)


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## red onion

Ubuntu can read and write to a FAT32 partition, no sweat. It usually installs on an EXT3 or EXT2 file system, which are Linux file systems. It will not install on NTFS, but it will read a NTFS disk. I am not sure about writing to a NTFS partition....that has been known to cause problems.


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## Fear_Of_Dreams

I tried to install it using FAT32 but it said that it could not.  So i installed it using EXT3 (which i think is better to use anyway with Linux)


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## Fear_Of_Dreams

red onion said:


> Ubuntu can read and write to a FAT32 partition, no sweat. It usually installs on an EXT3 or EXT2 file system, which are Linux file systems. It will not install on NTFS, but it will read a NTFS disk. I am not sure about writing to a NTFS partition....that has been known to cause problems.



I can save stuff on my Windows hdd. I can even install stuff on it. (Through Linux)


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## porterjw

Red pretty much hit it spot-on. Also, it can now natively write to NTFS, and there is software in the Repo's that will allow it for (somewhat) older versions (I think backtracking down towards Dapper?).


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## Motoxrdude

Ubuntu uses EXT3 by defualt but it can read FAT32/16. In order for ubuntu to read NTFS you have to remount it with the right permissions. There is a program in the Repositories but I can't exactly remember then name. If you go under Applications>>Add/Remove Programs you can find it in there. There is a drop down box and you have to select something like "Display all available programs" or something like that. Then just search "mount" and you will find it.
Sorry I can't remember the name. I think it is something like "Mount-NFS" or something like that.


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## EvilCheeseGrater

Ubuntu isn't usually installed on a FAT32 paritition. It uses either the EXT2 or EXT3 filesystem. It also needs a SWAP partition (this can be created upon installation with no real trouble. It only needs to be small. Mine is about 3GB but that's quite large for a swap partition).

It can read a number of different filesystem formats, including but not limited to FAT16, FAT32 and NTFS.

Nowadays, Ubuntu doesn't need anything extra installed to enable read/write support for NTFS partitions. It can easily automount NTFS partitions, and indeed, when you plug in any external HDD with an NTFS parition, these are automatically mounted.

It is quite easy to automatically mount any NTFS parititions on the same HDD as well, so you don't have to repetatively use the command line. There are plenty of tutorials on how to do this. The only problem that can arise with mounting these paritions is if windows wasn't shut down properly, so the NTFS partition is still in a "being used" state. However, Ubuntu lets you force the mounting process of these partitions, which will reset the usage state.

Until recently NTFS writing wasn't deemed "safe". However, since Ubuntu including write support natively, I have never had any problems reading or writing to an NTFS partition (i.e. nothing has been corrupted etc.)

So basically, No Ubuntu doesn't use FAT32, yes it can read/write to FAT32, and yes it can read/write to NTFS. In fact, Linux in general has better multi-filesystem support than Windows.


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## diroga

yes it can be installed on FAT. it normaly is when installed to usb flash drives


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## EvilCheeseGrater

diroga said:


> yes it can be installed on FAT. it normaly is when installed to usb flash drives



Yeah, but isn't that normally FAT16 not FAT32?

Meh, details


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## diroga

Code:
	

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1        3982     2006825    b  W95 FAT32


I have always used FAT32 for my usb flash drive linux installs.


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## EvilCheeseGrater

diroga said:


> Code:
> 
> 
> Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sdb1   *           1        3982     2006825    b  W95 FAT32
> 
> 
> I have always used FAT32 for my usb flash drive linux installs.


 
Interesting...

I guess in that case the answer to this thread is "it's not usually installed on FAT32, but it can be"

Actually I've always wondered about FAT32 linux installs. I see no reason why not, but never tried it lol.

You learn something new every day...


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## kardworx

*common readable file system*

It is my understanding that Ubuntu no longer installs on usb (if it ever did). I think you create a fat32 partition so both windows and ubuntu have a commonly readable drive. easy way to have documents etc available whichever way you logged in.


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## wolfeking

couple of things. 1. This thread is 4 years old. Don't bump ancient threads.  2. Ubuntu can be installed to USB using YUMI or a similar program and the flashkey must be formatted in FAT32 for it to work. 3. It is far easier to create a NTFS drive to make it commonly readable. That is what I do and they both read and write to the drive just fine.


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