▁H FS + ▁file ▁system ▁format , ▁which ▁allows ▁it ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁boot ▁disk ▁for ▁a ▁Mac ▁computer . ▁If ▁it ▁is ▁formatted ▁on ▁Windows , ▁the ▁F AT 3 2 ▁format ▁is ▁used . ▁With ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁Windows - compatible ▁i Pod , ▁the ▁default ▁file ▁system ▁used ▁on ▁the ▁i Pod ▁line ▁switched ▁from ▁H FS + ▁to ▁F AT 3 2 , ▁although ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁reform atted ▁to ▁either ▁file ▁system ▁( ex cluding ▁the ▁i Pod ▁Sh uffle ▁which ▁is ▁strictly ▁F AT 3 2 ). ▁Gener ally , ▁if ▁a ▁new ▁i Pod ▁( ex cluding ▁the ▁i Pod ▁Sh uffle ) ▁is ▁initially ▁plug ged ▁into ▁a ▁computer ▁running ▁Windows , ▁it ▁will ▁be ▁formatted ▁with ▁F AT 3 2 , ▁and ▁if ▁initially ▁plug ged ▁into ▁a ▁Mac ▁running ▁Mac ▁OS ▁it ▁will ▁be ▁formatted ▁with ▁H FS + . ▁ ▁Un like ▁many ▁other ▁MP 3 ▁players , ▁simply ▁copying ▁audio ▁or ▁video ▁files ▁to ▁the ▁drive ▁with ▁a ▁typical ▁file ▁management ▁application ▁will ▁not ▁allow ▁an ▁i Pod ▁to ▁properly ▁access ▁them . ▁The ▁user ▁must ▁use ▁software ▁that ▁has ▁been ▁specifically ▁designed ▁to ▁transfer ▁media ▁files ▁to ▁i P ods ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁files ▁are ▁play able ▁and ▁view able . ▁Usually ▁i T unes ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁transfer ▁media ▁to ▁an ▁i Pod , ▁though ▁several ▁alternative ▁third - party ▁applications ▁are ▁available ▁on ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁different ▁platforms . ▁ ▁i T unes ▁ 7 ▁and