File systems

Question 1

File systems

Answer 1

• Before data can be written to the partition,
it must be formatted

• Operating systems expect data to be written
in a particular format
• FAT32 and NTFS is popular

• Many operating systems can read (and perhaps write)
multiple file system types
• FAT, FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, etc

Question 2

FAT

Answer 2

• FAT - File Allocation Table
  
  • One of the first PC-based file systems (circa 1980)
• FAT32 - File Allocation Table
  
  • Larger (2 terabyte) volume sizes
  • Maximum file size of 4 gigabytes
• exFAT - Extended File Allocation Table
  
  • Microsoft flash drive file system
  • Files can be larger than 4 gigabytes

Question 3

NTFS and CDFS

Answer 3

• NTFS – NT File System
• Extensive improvements over FAT32
• Quotas, file compression, encryption, symbolic links,
large file support, security, recoverability

• CDFS - Compact Disk File System
  
  • ISO 9660 standard
  • All operating systems can read the CD

Question 4

Ext File System

Answer 4

• ext3
  
  • Third extended file system
  • Commonly used by the Linux OS
• ext4
  
  • Fourth extended file system
  • An update to ext3
  • Commonly seen in Linux and Android OS

Question 5

NFS

Answer 5

• Network File System
• Access files across the network as if they were local
• NFS clients available across many operating systems

Question 6

HFS+ / HFS Plus

Answer 6

• Hierarchical File System
• Also called Mac OS Extended
• Replaced by Apple File System (AFPS) in
macOS High Sierra (10.13)