FAT! What is that?
FAT32 is one of the main features of Windows 98. However, FAT32 was initially introduced in OEM Service Release 2 (OSR2) of Windows 95 in the Fall of 1996. So if you have a newer version of Windows 95 then you are more likely to have it.
FAT stands for File Allocation Table. It is a system of managing data on secondary storage devices like Floppy Diskettes, Hard Disk Drives, etc. The current system of FAT was invented way back in 1977 with early IBMs with MS BASIC in ROM. FAT, with various enhancements from that period, can support a single Disk Volume up to 2Gb. Also, as the Disk Volume increases, the efficiency of FAT keeps going down. A detailed discussion upon FAT vs. FAT32 in Disk Efficiency can be found at Project 9 FAT32 Resource Page.
Major features
of FAT32 are:
Greater Efficiency in Disk Usage
Supports Disk Volumes up to 4 Tetrabytes
Robustness
Flexibility
Better Performance
FAT32 seems like a feature that you
will like to use instantly. It is not installed as default in Windows 98.
There are few things that you should consider before going in for FAT32:
1. Hard Disk
Space:
FAT32 needs a partition of MINIMUM
260Mb. In case you happen to have a partition lower than that, although
it is unlikely these days, you cannot use FAT32 on it. Windows98 FAT32
convertor requires at least 512Mb partition to convert.
continued...