[SGVLUG] FileSystem Limitations?

[Mic Chow]

I used Gnome Parted to create the partition on the drive and created it 
as FAT32.  There is only 1 partition and it is defined as a primary 
partition.  This is a data drive, there is nothing booting on this drive 
at all.  The disk came vanilla so there was no file system or data to 
keep.  I know that the limitation for FAT32 is significantly large, but 
the 32gigs is a limitation imposed by Microsoft on their version of 
fdisk.  I am hoping to stay with a penguin solution, but I may have to 
resort of a Windoze one too.  I am really trying to no use NTFS if I can 
help it.


I did geocache when I was in TN, but haven't gotten around to it in CA.  
It is also a Neal Stephenson reference.

Mic
North Hollywood, CA
N34° 8'33.02"
W118° 21'39.62"



Claude Felizardo wrote:
> What partition type did you use?    I installed Linux on my computer
> here at work (it originally came with winXP) and I created an extra
> FAT32 partition so I can transfer files between the two OS's.   I used
> 0x0b for "W95 FAT32" but you could also use 0x0c for LBA.  Perhaps you
> used 0x1b or 0x1c which would make it hidden?  What tool did you use?
> I use fdisk.
>
> Also, for windoze, you might need to make sure you are using a primary
> partition (partition number 1-4) instead of a logical partition on the
> extended partition (partition #5 or greater).
>
> Here's part of the output from fdisk -l /dev/sda:
>
> Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
>
>   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sda1               1           6       48163+  de  Dell Utility
> /dev/sda2   *           7        3139    25165822+   7  HPFS/NTFS
> /dev/sda3            3140        8368    42001942+   b  W95 FAT32
> /dev/sda4            8369       30394   176923845    5  Extended
> /dev/sda5            8369        8890     4192933+  82  Linux swap / 
> Solaris
> /dev/sda6            8891       10978    16771828+  83  Linux
>
> According to wikipedia, the filesystem limit for FAT32 is 8 TB with a
> max file size of 4 GB.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vfat
>
> btw, what's with the ballistic missile address or are you into 
> geocaching?
>
>
> On 7/13/07, Mic Chow <zen at netten.net> wrote:
>> So the thread about weapons and the results are interesting, but how
>> about something different.
>>
>> I am curious how do they commercially format large drives with the File
>> System FAT32, specifically drives greater than 200 gigs.
>>
>> The situation is that I am help a friend recover data from an external
>> drive.  I have recovered the data using my Linux box.  I have replaced
>> it with another drive.  The new drive is also an external drive; both
>> drives are EIDE in an USB enclosure.  The drive is 250 (marketing)
>> Gigs.  This user would more than likely connect this drive to various
>> systems, of course the predominant system with be some variation of
>> Microsoft.  I used Ubuntu Linux to format the drive as a single
>> partition with a FAT32 File System.  I intended this external drive to
>> be the same easy connection as most commercial drives so that the user
>> can connect it to any system, Microsoft, Mac, Linux, etc.  After
>> formating the drive is seen in Linux as a single 250 Gig Partition in
>> FAT32 just fine.  Data can be saved and deleted from the drive like it
>> should.  However, on a Windows 2000 Pro or XP (SP2) box the drive is
>> seen, but the File System is not understood.  I could easily chalk it of
>> to stupidity of Microsoft and their attempts at File Systems.  Since
>> they created FAT32 several years ago, you'd think they actually know how
>> to read the damn thing.  So besides mounting the 250gig drive on the
>> Windows box and reformatting it as NTFS what are my options.  I'd really
>> like to know how companies such as Seagate, Maxtor, Western Digital,
>> IOmega, etc. format their drives and ship them out the door in FAT32.
>>
>> Thanks in Advance.
>>
>> Mic
>> North Hollywood, CA
>> N34° 8'33.02"
>> W118° 21'39.62"
>
>