[KLanD]

waldojim, on 28 November 2012 - 05:39 PM, said:

For what it is worth, the article is factually incorrect. Fat32 can be used on drives up to 2TB in size.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/154997

Quote

FAT32 Features
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.

Actually, I think the 32Gb limit is for Win2k only. I have a few FAT32 drives that are 2TB. The problem is the max file size.

[waldojim]

KLanD, on 30 November 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

waldojim, on 28 November 2012 - 05:39 PM, said:

For what it is worth, the article is factually incorrect. Fat32 can be used on drives up to 2TB in size.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/154997

Quote

FAT32 Features
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.

Actually, I think the 32Gb limit is for Win2k only. I have a few FAT32 drives that are 2TB. The problem is the max file size.

Exactly. Windows 2000 cannot (correctly) access >32GB drives as it does not have 4k cluster drivers. The file size limitation is just a known FAT limit..... realistically, most people have no issues here. For a backup drive, the software is usually smart enough to break off the files before the size limits are hit.

[LiveBrianD]

JimH443, on 28 November 2012 - 05:20 PM, said:

gyffesgyffeshcr8, on 28 November 2012 - 02:41 PM, said:

Quote

I have never formatted a flash drive or an external drive. Both come ready to use (on a PC, anyway). After that, there's no need to format - simply go to the root directory, press CTRL-A followed by SHIFT-DELETE. Voila, empty drive.

No.. not until you Empty Trash (at least on a Mac) will the drive reclaim the space you deleted.

By default, on a PC, deletions on a flash drive do not go to the Trash. I don't know if this default can be changed.

I forget the default size of the Trash for an external drive on a PC - I think it's 10%. Whatever it is, anything that overflows that amount will get deleted.

So, technically, you are correct for an external drive - if you want ALL the space back immediately, it is necessary to empty the trash. If you're satisfied with 90% of capacity, that step can be ignored for the moment.

Edit: And, of course, "deleted" isn't really deleted - it's simply marked as "Available."

Not quite - on Windows, hard drives (including externals) have the Recycle Bin, but flash drives do NOT. I think OS X has the trash for flash drives, but I'm not certain.

[LiveBrianD]

waldojim, on 30 November 2012 - 04:19 PM, said:

KLanD, on 30 November 2012 - 11:52 AM, said:

waldojim, on 28 November 2012 - 05:39 PM, said:

For what it is worth, the article is factually incorrect. Fat32 can be used on drives up to 2TB in size.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/154997

Quote

FAT32 Features
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.

Actually, I think the 32Gb limit is for Win2k only. I have a few FAT32 drives that are 2TB. The problem is the max file size.

Exactly. Windows 2000 cannot (correctly) access >32GB drives as it does not have 4k cluster drivers. The file size limitation is just a known FAT limit..... realistically, most people have no issues here. For a backup drive, the software is usually smart enough to break off the files before the size limits are hit.

Let's be honest though, unless you need maximum compatibility and some of the machines might not be updated for exFAT and/or one of them is a Mac (and thus can't write to NTFS drives), why would you want FAT32 on a 2TB drive?

[waldojim]

LiveBrianD, on 30 November 2012 - 04:30 PM, said:

Let's be honest though, unless you need maximum compatibility and some of the machines might not be updated for exFAT and/or one of them is a Mac (and thus can't write to NTFS drives), why would you want FAT32 on a 2TB drive?

You nailed it, then dismissed it in one sentence....

Because sometimes you need a drive that works on darned near everything with some reliability.