USB drive filesystem question

[gilhuguley]

I have just gotten started with my Raspberry Pi. I have the desktop up and functioning, but I realize I have a long way to go and at 75, I don't learn as fast as I did years ago

I tried copying a .mp3 file I downloaded to the Pi to a USB drive. I want to move that file to Windows 10. It is on the USB stick, but Windoze now can't read the stick. I think I have the wrong filesystem on the stick. I have spent two days trying to figure out how to move the file, but without success. How do I format a USB drive so that Win10 can recognize it? Thanks in advance.

[k-pi]

If using Linux & Microsoft, it is best to format the pendrive to have a dos 'FAT' filesystem on it.

Probably easiest for you to format it under Windows, just make sure it is a dos FAT filesystem rather than NTFS, (because NTFS may need extra software to read it on Linux).

[LTolledo]

For small sized USB pendrives (below 64GB) I usually format it to FAT32 so I can transfer files between Rasbian (Linux), Mac and Windows.

But sometimes I have files with long filenames that FAT32 does not support, so some of my lower than 64GB pendrives are formatted to NTFS.
and installed ntfs-3g using the command (make sure to update and upgrade first)

Code: Select all

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get upgrade
$ sudo apt-get install ntfs-3g

with ntfs-3g installed, I am able to access NTFS formatted portable HDDs plugged into my RPis.