Good post.
It's one of my favorite topics, but probably the most difficult to explain.
Fat 16, is the standard file system used. Windows NT uses it as a default, as does DOS, and Windows 95/98. It can use up to 32k per cluster which wastes a lot of file space. Example: If you have a 1k file, it will use up 32k of space regardless. That's why there's a lot of 'slack' space left on Fat 16 drives. Pros: The most common file system, good compatibility with most OS's and operating systems. Cons: Wastes a lot of space, partition limit of only 2Gb.
Fat 32, which can be used on the later releases of Windows 95 and Windows 98 utilizes the cluster sizes more dynamically therefore leaving less 'slack' space as well as increasing file access times. Pros: Faster, more efficient disk usage, and allows for partition sizes above 2Gb. Cons: Not compatible with older file systems, and some older operating systems.
For newer, home systems, I recommend using FAT32 if running Windows 95/98. With Windows NT, that's not possible, but most home users don't use NT...yet.
Rich |
