What is the maximum allowable file size on a FAT32 partition?

Thanks.

From PSS ID Number: 154997
Description of the FAT32 File System

FAT32 provides the following enhancements over previous
implementations of the FAT file system:

FAT32 supports drives up to 2 terabytes in size.
NOTE: Microsoft Windows 2000 only supports FAT32 partitions up to a
size of 32 GB.

FAT32 uses space more efficiently. FAT32 uses smaller clusters (that
is, 4-KB clusters for drives up to 8 GB in size), resulting in 10 to
15 percent more efficient use of disk space relative to large FAT or
FAT16 drives.

FAT32 is more robust. FAT32 can relocate the root folder and use the
backup copy of the file allocation table instead of the default copy.
In addition, the boot record on FAT32 drives is expanded to include a
backup copy of critical data structures. Therefore, FAT32 drives are
less susceptible to a single point of failure than existing FAT16
drives.

FAT32 is more flexible. The root folder on a FAT32 drive is an
ordinary cluster chain, so it can be located anywhere on the drive.
The previous limitations on the number of root folder entries no
longer exist. In addition, file allocation table mirroring can be
disabled, allowing a copy of the file allocation table other than the
first one to be active. These features allow for dynamic resizing of
FAT32 partitions. Note, however, that although the FAT32 design allows
for this capability, it will not be implemented by Microsoft in the
initial release.


Bill Starbuck (MVP)

x-no-archive: yes

"DougV" <dougv@branscome-inc.com> wrote in message
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What is the maximum allowable file size on a FAT32 partition?

4 Gigabytes for FAT 32. If you are using NTFS, the file can be almost
as big as you want.

x-no-archive: yes

"Bill Starbuck" <no_email@please.com> wrote in message
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On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 07:55:16 -0400, "DougV" <dougv@branscome-inc.com>

In Win9x, AFAIK it is 2G rather than 4G.



A cat will be annoyed by all the yelling and sirens.

"Bill Starbuck" <no_email@please.com> wrote in message
news:mf2oovc6k8pom0f9tt2dca5f69s2npfmpa@4ax.com...
That's odd. I've been happily running two 40GB partitions on my Windows

JP

"Exeter" <exet54@metaluna.net> wrote in message
news:bmhegm02lj@enews4.newsguy.com...
time. No problem
JP

Hi,

Win2k can use partitions over 32GB with FAT32, too. But it won't let you
format a partition as FAT32 if its size is greater than 32GB. This is done
to encourage the usage of NTFS instead of FAT types. But with 9x tools or
thir party utilities you can format these >32GB partitions as FAT32 and
Win2k/XP will utilise them without any problem.

Regards
MP


"Jeremy Poynton" <j.poyntonREMOVE@THISblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:uFYKbqxkDHA.2268@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

"masterprometheus" <masterprometheus666@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OWOMLGykDHA.1488@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
Seagate Disc tools to install format and partition. I've been battered
here before by MVPs telling me it will all go horribly wrong and I will
lose data, but I'm yet to see this happen - and this is a machine that
is used a lot .

Cheers
JP

It is 4Gb for FAT 32 regardless of the OS (strictly, 4Gb less two bytes).
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP W95/W98

"cquirke (MVP Win9x)" <name.goes.here@nospam.iafrica.com> wrote in message
news:c84qovkuejt19v7eopivae2530jtekd4p8@4ax.com...

Doug was enquiring about file size. Whether or not you can successfully use
partitions larger than 32Gb is a different issue, and will not affect the
maximum file size.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP W95/W98

"Jeremy Poynton" <j.poyntonREMOVE@THISblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Op1yzqxkDHA.2616@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

"DougV" <dougv@branscome-inc.com> wrote:

4 gb is the absolute maximum file size.

Many application programs will not use or create data files larger
than 2 gb.


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

I'm afraid I assume he would read the document. Probably unrealistic.


Bill Starbuck (MVP)

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 16:10:22 +0100, "Jeremy Poynton"
Much as a riot squad might "encourage" you to leave a demonstration
:-)

It's actually unforgiveably messy. The NT formatter won't say "I'm
too useless to format a volume that size as FAT32" and not start.
Instead, it will start the format, grind its way along for ages eating
whatever data might have been there, then abort at the end because the
volume is "too big". Seriously amateur-hour programming (if
"accidental"); wastes your time, wastes your data.

That needs a bit of detail, because YMMY on which tools you use...

Win95SR2/98xx FDisk can't see HD over 60G or so
WinME and bug-fixed Win95SD2/98xx FDisk can see up to 99G
Over 99G, all FDisk fall apart because
- they can't display such "large numbers" (an ASCII thing)
- they can't accept such "large numbers" as input (an ASCII thing)
Format will work even if it displays the wrong volume size
Over 128G or so, other genuine HD addressing issues kick in
3rd-party tools may drop "special" MBR code; be careful to avoid that

On 60G and 80G HD I can use bug-fixed FDisk, but for 120G and larger I
use BING, after cancelling its first dialog box that would install it
on the HD otherwise. Thereafter BING goes into partition maintenance
mode, which is all I want in such cases. Try BING; I think you will
love the feature set - it's so much faster than FDisk and Format too!

This MVP won't do that. I hold the contrarian view that until a
maintenance OS exists from which NTFS volumes can be formally cleaned
of malware, and from which data can safely be recovered without
writing to the disk, NTFS is unfit for use in consumer-land.



in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 21:48:31 GMT, Ron Martell <ron@onlinehelp.bc.ca>
Thanks for the clarification on that - and I think I can guess the
reason (if using signed rather than absolute values to indext into the
file, the limit would be halved). Various cues (e.g. BING's use of 2G
as suggested max file size when imaging partitions) made me think 2G.

Most apps that spawn large files (e.g. video or audio editors) have
workarounds, but if you are assembling final output material to burn
onto DVD, you may need support of files over the limit.

If CDR-bound, the limit becomes less relevant :-)



To disable the 'Tip of the Day' feature...

BING ? Where to be found ? Google gives more than you want, even if you
AND NOT out Crosby !

JP

"Jeremy Poynton" <j.poyntonREMOVE@THISblueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

BING = BootIt Next Generation.

http://www.bootitng.com

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 13:51:52 +0100, "Jeremy Poynton"

Sorry - dunno the URL, the full (and more Google-friendly) name is
Boot-It New Generation (now you only have to fend off hits for The
Artist Formally Known As Prince <g> )

Can also try the shareware download repositories such as CNet's
www.download.com or www.tucows.com and look under utilities,
partitioning. It's a partition manager (not Partition Manager tho)



To disable the 'Tip of the Day' feature...

"Ron Martell" <ron@onlinehelp.bc.ca> wrote in message
news:1lc0pvobvui3cg5ib1s9d64e916bhui51m@4ax.com...

JP