Can I install Ubuntu on an exFAT hard drive?

Question

I would like to know if it's possible to install Ubuntu on an exFAT hard drive, since Windows 8's drive admin utility only allow me to get NTFS and exFAT partitions.

Thanks in advance.

Solution

No, you can't install Ubuntu on an exFAT partition. Linux does not support the exFAT partition type yet. And even when Linux does support exFAT, you still won't be able to install Ubuntu on an exFAT partition, because exFAT does not support UNIX file permissions.

I would use Gparted to create, move and resize partitions, as it supports many more file systems than Windows' admin utility. Gparted can move and copy exFAT partitions, but it can't create, grow or shrink them.

Comments

[Flimm]

Note that you can have multiple partitions, each with its file system, on one hard drive. So it's a bit misleading to say "exFAT hard drive", one should say "exFAT partition on a hard drive" instead.

[Paddy Landau]

You can have a shared NTFS partition, which both Ubuntu and Windows can access. In fact, Ubuntu can access your Windows drive easily. But, as the other commentators have mentioned, you should install Ubuntu itself (and your home folder) into a native Linux format; the default for Ubuntu is ext4.

[sqllyw]

Ok, got it. I still have one more question: can I use an existing blank partition (FAT32) as a boot-loader instead of an USB flash drive or Live DVD/CD? Thanks in advance.

[cipricus]

Now Linux has full access to exFAT, and Ubuntu has the needed tools installed by default. But I don't think that means the system can be installed on a partition with that format.