Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions, with a market share of around 2% for desktop and server use. Linux distributions like Ubuntu use different file systems than Windows, offering alternatives like NTFS and EXT4 for structuring and accessing data on hard drives and partitions.
The two main options for Ubuntu are NTFS (NT File System) and EXT4 (Fourth Extended Filesystem). NTFS was originally developed by Microsoft for Windows, while EXT4 is a native Linux file system. When dual booting Windows and Ubuntu or accessing shared data across platforms, the choice of file system impacts cross-compatibility, performance, features and more.
This article provides a detailed comparison between NTFS and EXT4 to help Ubuntu users choose the right filesystem for their needs.
What is NTFS?
NTFS stands for New Technology File System and was developed by Microsoft for use in Windows NT operating systems starting with Windows NT 3.1. NTFS is the default file system for all modern versions of Windows and Windows Server operating systems.
NTFS is a proprietary journaling file system, which means it keeps track of changes and transactions before committing them to disk, allowing for faster recoverability in case of a crash or power loss [1]. NTFS also supports advanced features like encryption, disk quotas, and symbolic links.
What is EXT4?
EXT4 (fourth extended filesystem) is a journaling file system developed specifically for the Linux operating system. It is the default file system for many popular Linux distributions including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and OpenSUSE.[1] As a journaling filesystem, EXT4 keeps track of changes to the filesystem metadata in a journal prior to committing them to the main filesystem. This prevents corruption and loss of data in case of a system crash or power failure.
Compared to other journaling filesystems like NTFS, tests have shown EXT4 to have faster file creation and deletion times. It also utilizes extent-based block mapping for improved performance with large files and uses delayed allocation for faster data writes.[2] However, maximum volume sizes are limited to 1 exabyte and maximum file sizes are limited to 16 terabytes.
Overall, EXT4 provides a major upgrade over its predecessor EXT3 in terms of speed, efficiency, and features. It remains a robust and reliable filesystem designed specifically for Linux environments.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ext4
[2] http://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/
Compatibility
NTFS has decent cross-platform compatibility, while EXT4 is more limited in this area. On Linux, NTFS volumes can be mounted and read without any additional software. However, write access is limited without specialized NTFS drivers. On Windows, EXT4 volumes cannot be directly accessed at all without third-party software.
Specifically, NTFS volumes can be mounted read-only out of the box on most Linux distributions. This provides full read access to files on NTFS drives. However, by default, most Linux distributions do not enable write support for NTFS due to potential data corruption issues. To enable full read/write NTFS access on Linux, an additional NTFS driver like NTFS-3G is required.
In contrast, Windows does not understand the EXT4 filesystem at all natively. To access EXT4 drives on Windows, a third-party utility like Ext2Fsd is required. This provides read/write access, but requires software installation unlike NTFS read-only access on Linux.
In summary, NTFS has better cross-platform compatibility, with read-only support on Linux out of the box. But full NTFS write support requires additional software. EXT4 is limited to Linux-only without drivers installed on Windows.
Performance
When it comes to performance, there are some key differences between EXT4 and NTFS:
EXT4 tends to be faster at some tasks like formatting and accessing small files. This is because EXT4 uses extents for file storage which improves performance over the traditional block mapping used by NTFS [1]. EXT4 also performs file system checks significantly faster than NTFS as the journaling works differently [2].
However, NTFS performs better with large files and under high loads. This is because NTFS uses B+ tree indexing which scales better than EXT4’s HTree indexing. NTFS also has additional optimizations like file system journaling that improve performance under heavy disk activity.
So in summary, EXT4 is generally faster for light workloads and small files, while NTFS has advantages for large files and high concurrency. The performance difference in most real-world usage is minimal though.
Reliability
Both NTFS and EXT4 utilize journaling, which means they keep track of changes in a journal or log before committing them to the main filesystem. This aids in recovery and prevents corruption in the event of a crash or improper shutdown (Minitool). Journaling enables faster reboot times after crashes since the journal can replay transactions to restore the filesystem to a consistent state.
Some tests have shown EXT4 to be marginally more reliable than NTFS. In a test conducted by Phoronix in 2010, EXT4 had a lower occurrence of filesystem corruption on unexpected power loss across numerous scenarios (Metafilter). However, both filesystems utilize journaling so have good built-in protection against corruption. The reliability difference in practice is minor between mature, modern filesystems like NTFS and EXT4.
Features
NTFS has some features that EXT4 lacks, including native encryption and disk quotas (Partition Wizard). NTFS supports encrypting files and folders natively at the filesystem level, while EXT4 has no built-in encryption capabilities. NTFS can also implement disk quotas to limit how much disk space specific users or groups can utilize. This can help manage storage capacity.
However, EXT4 has some advantages in certain features as well. For example, it utilizes faster filesystem checks called fsck compared to NTFS (Hyperskill). EXT4 uses delayed allocation techniques that can speed up large file writes. Overall, both filesystems have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to features.
Recommendation
NTFS is recommended if dual booting Ubuntu with Windows. NTFS has the best compatibility for Windows and Linux dual boot as EXT4 cannot read Windows formatted NTFS drives, but NTFS can read Ubuntu formatted EXT4 drives.
EXT4 is recommended for Ubuntu only systems for maximum performance. Studies have shown that EXT4 has faster read/write speeds, lower CPU usage, and better scalability compared to NTFS in Linux environments according to Reddit users. The performance gains on EXT4 make it ideal for Linux exclusive systems.
Converting Between Filesystems
If you need to convert between NTFS and EXT4 filesystems, there are a few options available:
To convert from NTFS to EXT4, you can use a partition manager like MiniTool Partition Wizard. With this software, you can convert the filesystem with just a few clicks without losing any data. The steps are:
- Download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard.
- Launch the program and select the NTFS partition you want to convert.
- Right-click on the partition and choose “Convert to” > “EXT4”.
- Click “Apply” to start the conversion process.
To go the other way and convert from EXT4 to NTFS, it’s a bit more involved. You’ll need to backup your data, create a new NTFS partition, copy the data over, and then delete the old EXT4 partition. Software like GParted can help automate this process.
Overall, it’s generally easier to convert from NTFS to EXT4. Converting back to NTFS involves more steps and risks data loss if not done properly. It’s best to decide on the filesystem you want to use from the beginning if possible.
Conclusion
In summary, both NTFS and EXT4 are mature, reliable filesystems with good overall performance. NTFS offers better compatibility with Windows, while EXT4 is optimized for Linux. Key differentiators include EXT4’s faster fsck speeds, journal checksumming for better data integrity, and inherent resistance to fragmentation. However, NTFS provides more robust support for larger volumes and complex permissions.
For most use cases on Ubuntu, EXT4 is likely the better option. It delivers faster performance and is designed for Linux environments. The main reason to choose NTFS would be if you need full compatibility with Windows for dual-booting or external drives. In that case, NTFS may make more sense despite some performance disadvantages. Overall, for dedicated Linux volumes, EXT4 is recommended as the native filesystem optimized for Ubuntu.