Fat32 Hardrive?

Todd_Z · 2005-11-08 02:31:34

I am about to build myself a new computer with windows, and two versions of linux on it. My main OS will be linux, but I want all distros and windoze to have read/write access to the slave hardrive [which is 250 gigs]. I have heard that FAT32 has a maximum of 8?32? gigs, but ntfs prevents the linux distros from writing, its readonly under linux. Anyone have any ideas on how to get this to work?

iBertus · 2005-11-08 03:34:49

You could just split the 250GB drive into several smaller ~30GB partitions. IMHO, this is the simplest solution.

Todd_Z · 2005-11-08 03:39:34

I was afraid of that answer... I can't imagine that there is nooo way to have a full-sized partition that is readable/writable from both op systems on a dual boot...

Dusty · 2005-11-08 03:50:16

this page says the max size for Fat32 is 128 GB:

http://linux.org.mt/article/filesystems#N10055

alternatively, you can access ext2 and ext3 systems from windows using this:

http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm

Dusty

iBertus · 2005-11-08 04:21:40

Although the max may be 128GB, I don't think I would actually do that. I've heard that FAT becomes can't cope with large volumes and becomes inefficient.

T-Dawg · 2005-11-08 11:41:12

Theoretically, FAT32's size can range from 2GB to 2TB but physically formating that size is a different story. Thats probably why all you guys have different numbers on its max size.
Plus FAT32 doesn't have journaling like NTFS does. You might want to format it as NTFS and for full NTFS write support in the kernel (shouldn't be to much longer).

lanrat · 2005-11-08 11:49:55

IIRC Theoretical size of fat32 partition is about 2TB. But it's just windows xp that doesn't allow formatting more than 32GB of fat32 partition. This way they try to force you to use ntfs.

Windows can however fully use (read, write etc) a larger fat32 partition (it's even mentioned in the help). You just need to create fat32 partition with some other tool like partition magic or... linux mkfs.vfat :-) It works quite well (first create a partition with cfdisk or fdisk, set partition type to 0C W95 FAT32 (LBA) and then use mkfs.vfat -F 32 .... to format it - read mkfs.vfat manpage first).

Just remember that large fat32 partitions are not very efficient. But they are very "stable".

Todd_Z · 2005-11-08 20:30:08

Sounds like I'm going to do a 256 gig partition and a ~94 gig partition on Fat32 then, hopefully the 256 wont be bad for the speed/efficiency issue.

Gullible Jones · 2005-11-08 21:52:47

Max size of FAT32 is a few terabytes. You're thinking FAT16, the max size of that numbers in gigabytes.

fdac · 2005-11-10 23:08:48

I had the same issue. Wanted a large partition to share between various OSes, mainly for media files.

My solution was to make an Ext3 partition for the shared data in linux, then install the fs-driver for windows to allow XP to access the ext3 filesystem.

A link to the driver is in this thread:

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=15922

Cheers
Francis

skale · 2006-12-28 22:26:53

I wouldn't use the fs-driver, I had a bad experience with it. My brother was using the windows side (with fs-driver) when he downloaded a virus which deletes all saved pictures and replaces them with porn. With fs-driver, the virus could convert with impunity. I lost all saved pictures. It also changed my bookmarks into porn. Don't use fs-driver.

ndlarsen · 2006-12-29 00:23:12

skale wrote:

I wouldn't use the fs-driver, I had a bad experience with it. My brother was using the windows side (with fs-driver) when he downloaded a virus which deletes all saved pictures and replaces them with porn. With fs-driver, the virus could convert with impunity. I lost all saved pictures. It also changed my bookmarks into porn. Don't use fs-driver.

I fail to see how this could possible be the driver's fault, it merely proves that it is working as intended. IMHO, the cause is lack of security.
Anyway, back on track, for ease of use there are IMO only two valid options. Either format the shared drive as NTFS and mount it with ntfs-3g from linux or format the shared drive as ext3 and mount it from windows with ext3 ifs. Both options will provide full read/write support, I have used both without any issues. I cannot recomend using fat32 for the shared drive due to the reasons mentioned above as well as the upper limit of files sizes at about ~3.5 - 4 gb (cannot recall the accurate limit).

Romashka · 2006-12-29 20:24:47

FAT32 partitions with >30GBs are slow. When some big file (a movie, for example) is written/deleted it does way too much seeking to update all cluster allocation data chain in FAT. Increasing a size of cluster will help, but not much.
So I highly recommend to split big HDD to few partitions anyway.

Also, I recommend to try Ext2FS driver for Windows

Misfit138 · 2006-12-29 22:50:16

ndlarsen wrote:

the upper limit of files sizes at about ~3.5 - 4 gb (cannot recall the accurate limit).

That is correct. FAT32 limits the maximum file size to 4GB...so burning a 4+ GB DVD is no good.

iphitus · 2006-12-30 07:34:29

The various Ext2FS drivers for windows are better in theory, not practice. I found them unreliable and buggy.

James

skale · 2007-01-01 05:47:29

ndlarsen wrote:

skale wrote:
I wouldn't use the fs-driver, I had a bad experience with it. My brother was using the windows side (with fs-driver) when he downloaded a virus which deletes all saved pictures and replaces them with porn. With fs-driver, the virus could convert with impunity. I lost all saved pictures. It also changed my bookmarks into porn. Don't use fs-driver.
I fail to see how this could possible be the driver's fault, it merely proves that it is working as intended. IMHO, the cause is lack of security.
Anyway, back on track, for ease of use there are IMO only two valid options. Either format the shared drive as NTFS and mount it with ntfs-3g from linux or format the shared drive as ext3 and mount it from windows with ext3 ifs. Both options will provide full read/write support, I have used both without any issues. I cannot recomend using fat32 for the shared drive due to the reasons mentioned above as well as the upper limit of files sizes at about ~3.5 - 4 gb (cannot recall the accurate limit).

It's not the driver's fault, it's mine. But it is something to watch out for, as Windows will have full write permission to everything.

Arch Linux

#1 2005-11-08 02:31:34

Fat32 Hardrive?

#2 2005-11-08 03:34:49

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#3 2005-11-08 03:39:34

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#4 2005-11-08 03:50:16

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#5 2005-11-08 04:21:40

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#6 2005-11-08 11:41:12

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#7 2005-11-08 11:49:55

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#8 2005-11-08 20:30:08

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#9 2005-11-08 21:52:47

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#10 2005-11-10 23:08:48

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#11 2006-12-28 22:26:53

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#12 2006-12-29 00:23:12

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#13 2006-12-29 20:24:47

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#14 2006-12-29 22:50:16

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#15 2006-12-30 07:34:29

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

#16 2007-01-01 05:47:29

Re: Fat32 Hardrive?

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