Now that we've covered the physical, let's get logical! Any and every type of storage media needs to be formatted with a particular filesystem. The filesystem chosen will also determine which operating system can be installed on the medium, along with file and partition sizes.

A simple way to think of this is to imagine a blank sheet of paper as any type of new or wiped storage media. We can put several types of information on this piece of paper, but we'll probably first want to organize or prepare the sheet of paper in a way that makes our data easy to understand, access, and even store. We can choose to write on it, from left to right in sentences and paragraphs in English, or we can perhaps create tables, using rows and columns. We can even use printed slides to display our data, or even use images, graphs, and flowcharts. Additionally, we can format your storage media in a way that best suits the data that will be stored and used.

Filesystems ensure that the data is organized in such a way that it can be easily recognized and indexed. Consider the storage space within a filing cabinet with multiple compartments. Some may be used specifically for storing files in alphabetical order, others in chronological order, some compartments for stationery supplies, miscellaneous, and even random items. Although all used for storing different items, they can all be labeled and easily recognized, and also organized in such a way where the contents of each compartment can be easily accessed or even removed.

To install any operating system on a hard drive or removable storage media, the device must first be formatted and prepared for the operating system by choosing the appropriate filesystem. Windows, macOS, Android, Kali, and so on all have filesystems that organize the storage medium so that the OS can be successfully installed.

Some of the more popular operating systems and their filesystems are:

• Microsoft Windows:
  • Filesystem: NTFS (Net Technology File System)
  • Supported versions: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000, NT
  • Maximum volume size: 16 EB (Exabytes)
  • Maximum supported file size: 256 TB
  • NTFS features: Compression, EFS (Encrypted File System), disk quotas

• Macintosh (macOS):
  • Filesystem: HFS+ (Hierarchical File System)
  • Supported versions:  macOS up until version 10
  • Maximum volume size: 2 TB 
  • Maximum supported file size: 2 GB

• Linux:
  • Filesystem: Ext4 (Fourth Extended File System). Several filesystems are available for Linux, but I recommend this one if you are uncertain as to which should be used
  • Supported versions: RedHat, Kali, Ubuntu, and so on
  • Maximum volume size: 1 EB
  • Maximum supported file size: 16 TB