File Systems
The Next Generation FAT File System – exFAT.
What is exFAT?
The exFAT file system is the next generation file system in the FAT (FAT12/16, FAT32) family. While retaining the simplicity advantages of FAT32, exFAT overcomes FAT32’s 4 GB file size limit and scales up past FAT32’s 32 GB formatter limit. In addition, exFAT is designed to enable cross operating system and cross-device (such as cameras and phones) interoperation. Such interoperation will be possible as manufacturers build support for exFAT into their devices.
Who Should Use exFAT?
The scenarios are targeted at early adopters and developers interested in understanding the next generation FAT file system.
Benefits of exFAT
Retains the relative simplicity of its predecessors (FAT12/16, FAT32).
Overcomes FAT32’s 4 GB file limitation.
Overcomes FAT32’s 32 GB formatter limit.
Key Scenarios Scenario 1 – Format storage greater than 32GB in capacity: Goal of the scenario:
Format storage greater than 32 GB in capacity with the exFAT file system.
Specific hardware requirement:
Removable storage (Flash or hard disk) greater than 32 GB in capacity.
Prerequisites or specific configuration for the scenario:
None.
Step-by-step scenario description:
1. Open Windows Explorer.
2. Right-click your removable storage and select Format.
3. Select exFAT from the File system drop-down list.
4. Check the Quick Format checkbox.
5. Click Start.
Expected results:
Windows will format the storage using the exFAT file system.
Exceptions:
No known exceptions.
Scenario 2 – Use files greater than 4 GB in size: Goal of the scenario:
Use the exFAT file system for files greater than 4 GB in size.
Specific hardware requirement:
Removable storage (Flash or hard disk) greater than 4 GB in capacity formatted for the exFAT file system.
Prerequisites or specific configuration for the scenario:
None.
Step-by-step scenario description:
1. Open Windows Explorer.
2. Browse for files greater than 4 GB in size (for example, optical disc and hard drive images, home videos, databases, and so on).
3. Right-click the file that is greater than 4 GB in size and select Copy.
4. Browse to the exFAT-formatted storage.
5. Right-click in Windows Explorer and select Paste.
Expected results:
Windows will copy the file that is greater than 4 GB in size to the exFAT-formatted storage.
Exceptions:
No known exceptions.
What’s New in NTFS?
Hot-pluggable media support on NTFS was introduced in Windows Vista. There are changes that have gone into Windows Vista SP1 to handle potential data loss scenarios that can occur while ejecting NTFS formatted removable media.
Who Should Use NTFS feature enhancements?
The scenarios are targeted at early adopters and application developers.
Benefits of new features in NTFS
Improves the reliability of the file system on hot-pluggable media by letting the user to choose the action on ejecting the media on NTFS file system.
Key Scenarios Scenario1: Check if saved data gets saved to disk
1. Insert a USB flash drive in Windows Vista.
2. Format it as NTFS (from diskmgmt.msc)
3. Open an Explorer window where all the drives are listed.
4. Open the flash drive in a second Explorer window.
5. Create a text file on the drive with a single line using Notepad.
6. Save and close it.
7. Open it and add an additional line
8. Save and close
9. Leave the drive window open
10. Right-click the drive letter in the first Explorer window and choose eject.
11. When the drive window closes (the eject operation closes the window which should mean all changes have been flushed to it) remove the drive.
12. Put the drive back into the system and check to see if the changes were saved.
Scenario2: Check if saved data gets saved to disk on surprise removal
1. Insert a USB flash drive in Windows Vista.
2. Format it as NTFS (from diskmgmt.msc)
3. Open Device Manager by running devmgmt.msc
4. Select Properties of Flash Drive under Disk Drives
5. Click the Policies tab and select Optimize for quick removal option and click OK
6. Open the flash drive in a second Explorer window.
7. Create a text file on the drive with a single line using Notepad.
8. Save and close it.
9. Open it and add an additional line
10. Save and close
11. Leave the drive window open
12. Pull the USB flash drive out
13. Put the drive back into the system and check to see if the changes were saved.
Scenario3: Verify that an Eject of removable media does not cause data loss
1. Insert a USB device that can be media ejected and be NTFS formatted
2. Format it as NTFS (from diskmgmt.msc)
3. Open an Explorer window where all the drives are listed.
4. Open the USB drive and create a file and leave the file open in notepad
5. Leave the drive window open
6. Right-click the drive letter in the first Explorer window and choose eject.
7. You should see a UI asking for Cancel, Try Again or Continue
8. Click Cancel
9. This will leave the explorer window and the file that was open in the same open state
10. Verify that the data is not lost and file system integrity is maintained.
11. The file system integrity is verified by running chkdsk on the drive and chkdsk should not report any errors.
Scenario4: Verify that an Eject of removable media does not cause data loss
1. Insert a USB device that can be media ejected and be NTFS formatted
2. Format it as NTFS (from diskmgmt.msc)
3. Open an Explorer window where all the drives are listed.
4. Open the USB drive and create a file and leave the file open in notepad
5. Leave the drive window open
6. Right-click the drive letter in the first Explorer window and choose eject.
7. You should see a UI asking for Cancel, Try Again or Continue
8. Click Try Again
9. This will pop up the same UI as in step 7 repeatedly as long as “Try Again” is selected as a handle to the file in the volume is open.
10. Verify that the data is not lost and file system integrity is maintained.
11. The file system integrity is verified by running chkdsk on the drive and chkdsk should not report any errors.
Scenario5: Verify that an Eject of removable media does not cause data loss unless user forces the issue
1. Insert a USB device that can media ejected and be NTFS formatted
2. Format it as NTFS.
3. Open an Explorer window where all the drives are listed.
4. Open the USB drive and create a file, edit it and leave the file open in notepad
5. Leave the drive window open
6. Right-click the drive letter in the first Explorer window and choose eject.
7. You should see a UI asking for Cancel, Try Again or Continue
8. Click Continue
9. This will forcefully eject the media out of the device. This could lead to data loss as you may lose your edits.
Scenario 5 might lead to data loss.
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