File systems and SSDs

[Dave2002]

In recent years Apple has switched to using a newer file system - APFS - optimised for SSDs. I just realised tonight why there might have been a problem with SSDs I have tried to use previously.

One issue with MacOS over the years has been the visibility of file volumes on the desk top. This is usually "fixed" by a setting in the Finder - but one drive I tried some while back did not show up on one of my systems even when the appropriate box was ticked. i thought that the problem might have been due to the SSD I used - made up from a bought SSD module and put into a USB 3 enclosure.

Today I read that APFS only works with some of the more recent versions of MacOS, so the implication of that would be that if I formatted an SSD with APFS it would not be visible on machines with an earlier MacOS version, and therefore not suitable for transfer of files between machines. That at least seems a plausible explanation for the behaviour I noticed some while back.

However, the implication is now that if I want to be reasonably sure of being able to use an SSD not only for backup, but also for data transfer, I should not format it with APFS, but use another file system format. Despite the limitations - and there are some - this is going to mean that for many purposes I will need to have some SSDs formatted with FAT32 as being the most generally powerful and cross compatible file system, so as to not only cope with transfers between Apple systems, but also for transfer of data to WinPCs.

[johnb]

If you decide to use FAT32 just be aware that the file size limit is 4GB.

[Dave2002]

If you decide to use FAT32 just be aware that the file size limit is 4GB.

I know that there are constraints, but at least most of the files will transfer from one system to another. I didn't realise until yesterday that using APFS could make it difficult to transfer files between Apple systems. An APFS formatted drive may not even show up on some Apple systems.

It is sometimes useful to have at least one FAT32 formatted drive in order to transfer files between Apple and Win or Linux. I have on occasion made what I thought was a good copy of a whole bunch of files, such as a presentation or file containing photos, and then discovered that I couldn't read them on the target system. FAT32 generally works. That's the best compromise I've come up with so far.

[Beresford]

Do you have any suggestions for transferring files between a Windows PC and an old iPad (Mk1 - no Files App)? All I have come up with is email, or WeTransfer. I have a lightning to usb cable, but no software to use it, or to find files on the iPad. Time to resurrect Kermit perhaps?

(Sorry to jump into your thread, but it's a similar sort of issue).

EDIT: I've found that a simple ipad to usb wire allows transfer of photos and videos to the pc using Windows Explorer. But not music or anything else either way.