A question on the new FAT32 partitions available in the OEM version of Windows 95. I have read a number of articles in your (and other) magazines, however none has mentioned if FAT32 is backward compatible with FAT16, or if the two types of partition can exist on one hard disk. I have asked this question of Microsoft, but received two conflicting answers.
I currently run a system with two primary partitions (one with DOS/WFWG 3.11 and one with Win95) and an extended partition divided into a number of logical drives for applications and data. This enables me to boot to either WFWG 3.11 or Windows 95 (with System Commander controlling the boot process and hiding one primary partition from the other), and access all applications and data from either OS. I am considering upgrading to a new system with a 3.2Gb hard drive, so obviously require FAT32 if I want to access the whole drive. However, I still want to maintain my current setup to boot to WFWG 3.11, which will only read a FAT16 partition.
- Jack Frost
With an unformatted drive you have to create partitions before doing anything else. Any formatting program, whether for OS/2, DOS, Windows 95, Windows NT or LINUX, works with these partitions, not the drive. The partitions can be formatted independently. You could consider formatting the whole hard drive using FAT16 by creating two or more separate partitions of less than 2Gb each. You are buying a new system, and the only way to obtain Windows 95 OEM Release 2 is to buy it with the system. Your new computer may come with lots of new goodies pre-installed. The last thing you want to do is have to delete everything to repartition the hard drive. Software packages such as PowerQuest's PartitionMagic (Checkmark Technologies: (02) 9957 6970), can create and resize partitions dynamically without any loss of data.
If you use the dual boot feature of Windows 95 you will have to install both DOS/WFWG and Windows 95 on the same partition. Using System Commander you can have Windows 95 on the FAT32 partition. System Commander is a must for anyone who needs to boot three or more operating systems, and useful for people with two. As you are unlikely to install more DOS/WFWG programs, the FAT16 partition's size can easily be worked out in advance. Data files are best kept on the FAT16 partition so that both operating systems can read the data. However, if you use large files (eg graphics, sound samples or database files), keeping them on the FAT32 partition will take advantage of its superior performance.
- Roy Chambers
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Category: Win95
Issue: Apr 1997
Pages: 159
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