Hacking Fat/Fat32, does it matter?

[NeSchn]

Do I have to format my card before using?

 

[test84]

in Windows:
FAT = FAT16
FAT32 = FAT32
NTFS = NTFS.

done.
finished.
go home.
why are you still reading?
uhh. dont read anymore.
please.
I'm begging.
...
still?
HUH?
NO!
DIE!
MOWHAHAHA!
you are dead man,
dead.
and without a DS.
...
*whistling*
...
still here?
ok read these stuff, I'm gonna get back to FF X.

 

[Merino]

So I get that regular MicroSD card should be formatted in FAT16 with 64k clusters for the best speed.
But how exactly should I format my 4gb MicroSDHC card?
Will FAT16 64k work or should I format in FAT32?
Aswell, I tried formatting in FAT32 with 64k clusters but it wouldn't let me (unable to format message at the end of formatting). FAT32 with 32k clusters worked fine.

 

[azotyp]

sdhc will work faster with fat 16 filesystem
you format it using command line in windows

format g: /FS:FAT ( do fat16 ) where g: is your flash drive

 

[Gamithh]

sdhc will work faster with fat 16 filesystem
you format it using command line in windows

format g: /FS:FAT ( do fat16 )Â where g: is your flash drive

Yep - open a command window and type 'format /?' and you'll get a list of commands.
On XP Pro I get:
-----------------------------
C:\>format /?
Formats a disk for use with Windows XP.

FORMAT volume [/FS:file-system] [/V:label] [/Q] [/A:size] [/C] [/X]
FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/F:size]
FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q] [/T:tracks /N:sectors]
FORMAT volume [/V:label] [/Q]
FORMAT volume [/Q]

volume Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),mount point, or volume name.
/FS:filesystem Specifies the type of the file system (FAT, FAT32, or NTFS).
/V:label Specifies the volume label.
/Q Performs a quick format.
/C NTFS only: Files created on the new volume will be compressed by default.
/X Forces the volume to dismount first if necessary. All opened handles to the volume would no longer be valid.
/A:size Overrides the default allocation unit size. Default settings are strongly recommended for general use.
NTFS supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K.
FAT supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,(128K, 256K for sector size > 512 bytes).
FAT32 supports 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16K, 32K, 64K,(128K, 256K for sector size > 512 bytes).

Note that the FAT and FAT32 files systems impose the
following restrictions on the number of clusters on a volume:

FAT: Number of clusters

 

[lcdec]

I have notice when using the scrollbar on my DSTT has more lag when my microsd card is FAT32, also my DSTT starts up faster when using FAT.

 

[Omgwtfisthat]

^Same here Icdec, I formatted to FAT32 and it lagged just to go up and down my games list.

 

[test84]

I've got a 1GiB microSD for my DSTT and I use alot of homebrews + small drawing files, Which format you suggest? FAT16 with 64kb clusters? I assume FAT16 is faster but using lots of small files will waste alot of space.

And yes, I want fast booting/loading times.

 

[twit21]

You know, the speed difference between FAT16 and FAT32 is so miniscule that you're not even going to be able to measure it with a stopwatch. If you can't measure it with a stopwatch, then it's not noticeable. I say format FAT32 and then RDWHAHB.

 

[test84]

RDWHAHB!!!

so whats this war against 64KB FAT16 and FAT32? misleading? bored? word?

 

[twit21]

RDWHAHB!!!

so whats this war against 64KB FAT16 and FAT32? misleading? bored? word?

Lol you understood the acronym? Man after my own heart, if you did.

When you're dealing with volumes under 2GB, the FAT16/FAT32 amounts to po-tay-to/po-tah-to. Here's a good comparison for you to look at.

 

[test84]

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Homebrew?

on topic: i went to diskmngmnt.smc but my card wasnt listed there to format it as FAT16 with 64K clusters. (its currently on FAT32)

EDIT:
came back to FAT16, its waste space is only 2mg (with having ALOT of small files) and FATsort works on it perfectly (DriveSort didnt) and browsing is faster too. BTW its not 64K cluster, its the default (couldnt find a way for format it that way)

 

[retiredjerk]

so i guess anything above 4GB must be fat32 correct? im using a 8GB with fat32 and my 4gb also has fat32. I've always formated with 64 kb cluters but i didnt realize 4GB would support FAT. Great thread. thanks for the info. Oh and to the guy above, here is the command to format with fat and 64k clusters. "format F: /fs:FAT /A:64k"

 

[twit21]

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Homebrew?

Man after my own heart. I maintain a guide that you may be interested in, if you're a homebrewer yourself. I'm tooting my own horn a bit, but that guide did get me interviewed on Basic Brewing Radio, and I'm quite proud of what the new version of my site is evolving into.

retiredjerk so i guess anything above 4GB must be fat32 correct?

That's right.

 

[retiredjerk]

nice sake guide. its pretty much the only alcohol i can take anymore. it gives that nice buzz. very interesting read twit21

 

[test84]

thnx twit, but I dont drink.

on topic: does DriveSort work ok with people? mine doesnt work well and shows some random files and random places and that ruins the sort process's result.

 

[twit21]

Drivesort works fine for me on my FAT32 1GB card. Open drive -> Folder menu -> Sort -> Folder menu again -> Save -> Close drive.

Dunno what else to tell you.

 

[kratokrato]

the scrolling is much faster & smoother with FAT16, tested & confirmed.

 

[neogba]

My A-Data 4GB Class 6 MicroSD HC and the DSTT included reader did not put programs that all worked in the DSTT. I reformated it again as FAT32 and copying was slow going. I use Kubuntu but my test XP computer(with full updates, even the SDHC ones) said it was not a USB 2.0 device!

It mostly worked but I going to reformat to the default FAT16 (Just FAT) instead for speed and reliability. I'm thinking this is a limitation of the DSTT, if not the reader. Perhaps it's the less overhead.

Oh yeah, there's a tiny 4MB, empty partition at the beginning of this flash drive and I do not know why. Perhaps it is cluster size leftover? The Kubuntu "QTparted" program showed it to me.

Windows commmand (Assuming it's g. BE CAREFUL!
Maybe use fdisk for a new partition then,

format g: /FS:FATDefaults to FAT16

Kubuntu (Open systems):
I used cfdisk for new partitioning
(Then Assuming it's unmounted and sda1. BE CAREFUL!):

sudo mkfs.vfat -F 16 /dev/sdx1

The lowecase -c checks it too.

BTW: If FAT32, it must be specified...QUOTE

sudo mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/sda1

with sda1

testing: hold on...

 

[test84]

neogba, try formatting it with a SD adapter through a Camera or Pocket PC.
they sometimes do surface format and some time solve problems.
and I heard good things about Panasonic's SD Formatter too. (available in temp's download section)