Windows 11 is getting a new file system (ReFS), but Microsoft won't abandon NTFS

Windows 11 Laptop | Image Credit: Microsoft

Windows computers are pre-formatted for NTFS, including the storage drive in the laptop, external hard drive, and USB memory Great. According to references found in the latest Windows 11 preview, Microsoft may be planning to introduce ReFS, a new file system, to replace NTFS on certain systems.

We need to understand what NTFS is before we can discuss the new ReFS file system. Microsoft developed the NT File System (NTFS) in 1992, which can only be used on systems where the license permits.

Windows 11, Windows 10, or earlier versions use the proprietary NTFS file system by default. It stores or organizes files on a hard disk or external hard drive. To better understand how NTFS works, let's take a look at its process: The disk is formatted and divided into partitions, and Windows keeps track of every file stored on the system.

To check the file system, you can right-click on any drive (a Windows drive is recommended) and go to "This PC". You'll notice "NTFS" next to the file system in the Windows 10 device screenshot. The results were similar on Windows 11 PCs.

NTFS file format in Windows 10

The latest preview build of Windows 11 includes support for ReFS (Resilient File System), Microsoft’s latest File system currently used in Windows Server. ReFS is significantly better than NTFS in terms of data availability and scalability.

Windows 11 now runs on ReFS

According to Microsoft’s documentation, “It is designed to maximize data availability, efficiently scaling across different workloads with large data sets and provide data integrity and resiliency to corruption.”

Resilient File Systems outperforms NTFS in many ways, including storage and future innovation. For example, NTFS supports up to 256 TB. On the other hand, this new file system supports up to 35 PB of data. The difference is huge when you factor in conversion factors - 1 PB equals 1024 TB.

We don’t know if this feature means the end of NTFS, but some Windows 11 Enterprise or Business computers may ship with ReFS as the default file system.

That’s because ReFS offers several benefits that will benefit businesses and professionals, including the ability to convert expensive physical file copy operations into fast logical file copy operations. Another feature improves performance and reduces I/O.

Other features include mirror-accelerated parity, file-level snapshots and better security.

However, ReFS is not as good as it looks on paper. It does not have the features currently supported by NTFS, including system compression and encryption support. The lack of support for disk quotas and removable media puts ReFS at a disadvantage on consumer PCs.

ReFS support in Windows 11 is a work in progress

Microsoft is still working on bringing ReFS support to Windows 11, and it doesn’t look like it will be ready for consumers anytime soon.

We may see ReFS as the default file system on some new hardware by the end of the year, but Microsoft's plans can always change.

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