FAT32 --what are the limitations?

[whyrichard]

What are the advantages (if any) and disadvantes of a fat32 file system. that is an msdos system, correct?


thanks!
r.

 

[jkballer23]

Well, you can't have hard drives or partitions larger than 132GB I think. I can't remember, but there is a hard drive size limitation.

 

[dr_lha]

The advantages are that if you're installing FAT32 on a drive that moves around a lot and gets plugged into random computers, you can guarantee that any computer can read data off it.

The disadvantages are: Its a primative FS that doesn't support any of the features of a modern operating system.

So, good for pen drives, even iPods if you're going to use them to move data between Mac and Windows computers. Bad for a HD permenantly installed on a Mac.

 

[Benjamindaines]

The advantages are that if you're installing FAT32 on a drive that moves around a lot and gets plugged into random computers, you can guarantee that any computer can read data off it.

The disadvantages are: Its a primative FS that doesn't support any of the features of a modern operating system.

So, good for pen drives, even iPods if you're going to use them to move data between Mac and Windows computers. Bad for a HD permenantly installed on a Mac.

And you can only name the drive in all caps.

 

[grapes911]

Well, you can't have hard drives or partitions larger than 132GB I think. I can't remember, but there is a hard drive size limitation.

The partition limitation is more like 2 TB.

But, a single file can be no bigger than 4 GB minus 1 Byte.