The default file system for Windows 11 may soon change to a new offering designed with high-end servers in mind, but there’s still a long way to go.
For over thirty years, Windows computers have used NTFS to store all things, including internal and external drives like USB sticks.
However, the release notes for the latest version Windows 11 (version 25276), detailed support for Resilient File System (ReFS).
Windows ReFS vs NTFS
ReFS was first introduced in Windows Server 2012 and is clearly designed with big data in mind. Windows latest (opens in a new tab) notes that NTFS is limited to 256 terabytes (which, frankly, is more than enough for you or me), but there are cases where companies and data centers may need more. ReFS raises the limit to 35 petabytes (over 35,000 terabytes).
Resilient FS promises to be more resilient as it can detect and repair damage while staying online, and is also designed with scalability in mind.
“ReFS is designed to handle very large data sets – millions of terabytes – without compromising performance, reaching a larger scale than previous file systems” Microsoft (opens in a new tab) recorded.
However, there are some downsides, especially when it comes to using ReFS on computers that may be used by consumers. At least for now, it does not support system compression, encryption, and removable media.
While it may be years before ReFS arrives in our home (if at all), its support in Windows 11 may indicate that it is trickling down to some high-end business PCs as it expands beyond the domain of servers, but at the moment NTFS does not nothing to worry about.
Through Windows latest (opens in a new tab)