DOS ain't dead - exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3)

exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) (Developers)

posted by Rugxulo , Usono, 19.02.2009, 02:41

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/955704

Article ID: 955704 - Last Review: January 27, 2009 - Revision: 1.0

Description of the exFAT file system driver update package

This article discusses the key features and benefits of the extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) file system driver for Windows XP. In response to OEM feedback and to Independent Software Vendor (ISV) feedback, Microsoft released the exFAT file system driver for Windows XP on January 27, 2009. The exFAT file system is the successor to FAT32 in the FAT family of file systems. The exFAT file system is a new file system format that addresses the growing needs of mobile personal storage on different operating systems. The exFAT file system handles large files, such as those that are used for media storage, and it enables seamless interoperability between desktop computers and devices, such as portable media devices. Because of this functionality, you can easily copy files between the desktop and external devices or between the desktop and other operating systems. After you download the file that is described in the "More Information" section, you will be able to format external media in the exFAT format. Additionally, you will be able to format external media that is larger than 32 GB, and exFAT-formatted media will be recognized on the computer. More improvements of the exFAT file system are described in the "More Information" section.

The exFAT file system incorporates several improvements over FAT32. However, it keeps the simplicity of FAT-based file systems. These improvements include the following key advances: * Support for very large files and storage devices * Support for performance improvements * Support for extensibility features for future innovation * Added compatibility for flash media The exFAT file system driver brings file system support parity to the following operating systems: * Windows Vista * Windows XP * Windows CE The exFAT file system driver incorporates advanced structures for future scalability. The exFAT file system uses 64 bits to describe file size. This allows for applications that depend on very large files. The exFAT file system also allows for clusters as large as 32MB, effectively enabling very large storage devices. Specifically, exFAT adds the following features: * Support for volumes that are larger than 32 GB, the theoretical maximum volume size for FAT32 in Windows XP o The theoretical maximum volume size is 64 ZB. o The recommended maximum volume size is 512 TB. * Support for files that are larger than 4 GB, the theoretical maximum file size for FAT32 in Windows XP o The theoretical maximum file size is 64 ZB. o The recommended maximum file size is 512 TB. The exFAT file system driver incorporates the following advanced structures to improve performance: * A cluster bitmap for fast allocation * A per-file contiguous bit for fast file access * Better contiguous on-disk layout (useful for recording movies) * Support for Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) time stamps The exFAT file system driver is designed for extensibility to enable the file system to keep pace with innovations in storage and changes in usage and to enable OEMs and ISVs to add extensions seamlessly. Specifically, exFAT adds the following features: * Adds template-based metadata structures to enable custom extensions * Enables implementations to persist these extensions without having to know their format The exFAT file system driver adds increased compatibility with flash media. This includes the following capabilities: * Alignment of file system metadata on optimal write boundaries of the device * Alignment of the cluster heap on optimal write boundaries of the device

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Complete thread:

GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 03:40 (Developers)
- GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Steve, 21.12.2007, 05:38
- The Death Of FAT32+ - Japheth, 21.12.2007, 07:24
  - --- DEATH --- - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 22:13
    - --- DEATH --- - sol, 21.12.2007, 22:30
      - --- DEATH --- - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 22:46
        --- DEATH --- - Steve, 21.12.2007, 23:22
    - Rest in Peace, Fat32+! No Resurrection possible! - Japheth, 21.12.2007, 23:12
      - -- DEATH -- (anyone has a solution for >4GiB files in DOS ?) - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 23:46
        First get all facts! - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 00:15
        --- DEATH --- - DOS386, 22.12.2007, 00:24
        --- DEATH --- - sol, 22.12.2007, 05:17
        --- DEATH --- - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 09:45
        --- DEATH --- - Steve, 22.12.2007, 10:08
        DOS API extension for files > 4 GB - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 10:28
        --- DEATH --- - sol, 23.12.2007, 23:29
        --- DEATH --- - Matjaz, 24.12.2007, 10:03
        DOS File System efforts - Japheth, 24.12.2007, 17:06
        DOS File System efforts - Rugxulo, 24.12.2007, 19:53
        DOS File System efforts - sol, 25.12.2007, 02:17
        DOS File System efforts - Japheth, 25.12.2007, 09:10
        DOS File System efforts - Rugxulo, 26.12.2007, 21:34
        HPFS for DOS - Rugxulo, 09.09.2008, 22:48
        --- DEATH --- - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 08:57
  - 1 a later, DOS fs enh committee, please report what you got - DOS386, 29.12.2008, 02:41
    - Just noise? - Japheth, 29.12.2008, 08:07
      - NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - DOS386, 30.12.2008, 23:06
        NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - Japheth, 31.12.2008, 11:46
        NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - sol, 02.01.2009, 01:59
        NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - Rugxulo, 02.01.2009, 04:25
    - better DOS file system? - Rugxulo, 29.12.2008, 23:16
      - better DOS file system? - ecm, 30.12.2008, 21:48
    - 1 a later, DOS fs enh committee, please report what you got - Steve, 02.01.2009, 07:01
- GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Laaca, 11.01.2009, 14:14
  - exFAT - ecm, 11.01.2009, 17:30
  - GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 12.01.2009, 19:25
    - GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - sol, 15.01.2009, 05:26
      - GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 15.01.2009, 06:13
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - sol, 15.01.2009, 06:24
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 16.01.2009, 01:49
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - sol, 16.01.2009, 07:03
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 18.01.2009, 00:14
        4desasters 4u, DOSsers - DOS386, 24.01.2009, 09:42
        FAT+/FAT/patents - ecm, 24.01.2009, 13:59
        4desasters 4u, DOSsers - Japheth, 24.01.2009, 21:01
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Laaca, 14.02.2009, 13:59
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Rugxulo, 19.02.2009, 02:41
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Japheth, 20.02.2009, 09:07
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Laaca, 20.02.2009, 20:16
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Zyzzle, 21.02.2009, 01:56
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - sol, 21.02.2009, 05:32
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Rugxulo, 21.02.2009, 05:40
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Laaca, 21.02.2009, 15:57
        exFAT in FreeDOS unlikely (but FD fixed 4 GB files) - Rugxulo, 15.03.2009, 15:55
        exFAT in FreeDOS unlikely (but FD fixed 4 GB files) - ecm, 15.03.2009, 20:36
        exFAT in FreeDOS unlikely (but FD fixed 4 GB files) - Rugxulo, 17.03.2009, 00:28
        exFAT specification - tom, 17.03.2009, 19:31
        exFAT specification - Laaca, 21.03.2010, 15:42
        former-FAT - DOS386, 22.03.2010, 08:15