COS3102 OPERATING SYSTEMS

MR TUMWEBAZE WILSON
NAME REGISTRTION NUMBER

KABUYE SHARIF 2023-08-22230

KIZZA HERBERT 2023-08-17630
CHRIZESTOM
MASEREKA GERALD 2023-08-20187
SEMESTER 2:2 2025 BCS EVENING

Table of Contents
A) What is the FAT32 File System?........................3
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B) Discuss Disk Space Management of the FAT32

File System.........................................................4

C) What is the NTFS File System?.........................6

D) Discuss Disk Space Management of NTFS File

System...............................................................6

E) Advantages and Disadvantages of the NTFS File

System...............................................................8

F) Difference between FAT32 and NTFS in

Operating System................................................9

g) Key Differences Between FAT32 and NTFS File

Systems............................................................10

h)
References…………………………………………………………
…11

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A) What is the FAT32 File System?
FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32) is a file system introduced in 1996 as an
upgrade to FAT16 developed by Microsoft for windows operating systems.

16 implies number of bits used to identify each cluster on the disk

 It uses a 32-bit addressing system, allowing for larger partitions and

files compared to its predecessor.
 It is widely used in USB drives, memory cards, and other removable
storage devices due to its compatibility with various operating systems
and devices.
 It’s a file system the organizes data on a disk drive
 It replaced fat 12 which was for floppy disks

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B) Discuss Disk Space Management of the
FAT32 File System
1.cluster based allocation:
A cluster is the smallest unit of disk space that can be allocated to store a
file.

 Fat32 divides the disk into fixed size units called clusters or allocation
units.
 Each file occupies one or more clusters depending on its size.
 cluster size is detesrmined during formatting and can range from 4kb
to 32kb
 Smaller cluster sizes are more efficient for storing smaller files but may
lead to increased fragmentation.
 Larger cluster sizes reduce fragmentation but can result in wasted
space, known as slack space, when storing smaller files.

2.file allocation table:

FAT32 uses the File Allocation Table (FAT) to keep track of which clusters
(units of disk space) are used and which are free.

 Each entry in the FAT corresponds to a cluster on the disk and stores
the cluster number of the next cluster in the file, forming a linked list of
clusters.

3. Fragmentation:

Fragmentation is when a file is divided into smaller pieces and scattered

across different parts of the disk

 FAT32 is prone to fragmentation, which occurs when files are not

stored in contiguous clusters.
 Contiguous Clusters: When a file is stored in sequential clusters
(e.g., clusters 1, 2, 3), it is considered to be contiguous.
 Non-Contiguous Clusters: When a file is stored in non-sequential
clusters (e.g., clusters 1, 5, 10), it is fragmented and stored in non-
contiguous clusters.
 Fragmentation can slow down read/write operations as the system
needs to seek multiple locations on the disk to access a single file.
 Periodic defragmentation can help improve performance by
reorganizing fragmented files into contiguous clusters

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4.Free Space Management:

 The free space on a FAT32 volume is managed by marking the

FAT entries of unused clusters as "free."
 Tools like CHKDSK (Check Disk) can be used to identify and
correct file system errors, reclaiming lost clusters and improving
free space management.

5.Limitations of FAT32

 Larger cluster sizes for bigger partitions, leading to wasted space

(slack space).
 No support for advanced features like compression or encryption, file
permissions.
 Higher fragmentation compared to modern file systems like NTFS or
exFAT.

Other key features include disk utilities, maximum file and partition
sizes

C) What is the NTFS File System?

NTFS (New Technology File System) is a modern file system introduced
with Windows NT in 1993.

 Its widely supported by many platforms including windows, Linux, BSD

 It is the default file system for Windows operating systems.
 It supports advanced features like file permissions, encryption,
compression, and journaling for improved reliability.
 NFTS replaced the older FAT system

D) Discuss Disk Space Management of NTFS

File System
Master File Table (MFT):

 The MFT is a special file that keeps records of all files and directories
on an NTFS volume.
 Each file and directory has an entry in the MFT, which includes
metadata like file size, timestamps, and permissions….

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Cluster Size:

 NTFS uses clusters to allocate disk space, similar to other file systems.
 Cluster sizes can vary, with default sizes depending on the volume
size. Smaller clusters reduce wasted space (slack space), while larger
clusters can improve performance.
 Cluster sixe is determined during formatting and can range from
512bytes to 64kb…..

Disk Quotas:

 Disk quotas are limits set on the amount of disk space a user or group
can use on a file system.
 NTFS supports disk quotas, allowing administrators to limit the amount
of disk space that users can consume.
 Quotas can be set per user or per group, helping manage and control
disk usage on shared volumes

File Compression:

 NTFS supports file and folder compression, allowing files to take up

less space on the disk.
 Compressed files are decompressed on-the-fly when accessed, which
can slow down performance slightly….

Free space management:

NTFS tracks free clusters using a bit map (a data structure where each bit
represents a cluster)

When a file is created NTFS searches its bit map for free clusters and
allocates them to the file. When a file is deleted, its clusters are marked as
free in the bit map making them available for reuse.

Other key features include sparse files, file fragmentation, shadow

copies

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E) Advantages and Disadvantages of the NTFS
File System
Advantages
 Large File and Partition Support*: Supports files up to 16 Exabyte
and partitions up to 256 terabytes.
 Security: Provides file-level permissions and encryption (via EFS).
 Reliability: Uses journaling to recover from crashes or errors.
 Advanced Features: Supports compression, disk quotas, and
symbolic links.
 Efficient Space Management: Smaller cluster sizes reduce wasted
space.
 6.compatibility: its widely compatible with many operating systems
like windows11/10/8.1/8/7/ Xp, Linux and even macos
 7.faulty tolerance: it can automatically repair files and folders from
power failure
 8.compression: it supports file compression to speed up the system

Disadvantages:

1.Compatibility: Not fully compatible with non-Windows operating systems

(e.g., macOS, Linux).

2. Overhead: The advanced features can lead to higher overhead, making it

less suitable for small storage devices.

3.Complexity: More complex than FAT32, which can make data recovery
harder in some cases.

Overhead refers to the additional resources or efforts required to support a

particular activity or system

F) Difference between FAT32 and NTFS in

Operating System
FAT32

 Older file system, widely compatible with various operating systems

and devices.
 Limited file size (max 4GB per file) and partition size (max 8TB).

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  No built-in security features like file permissions or encryption.
 Simple structure, making it faster for small storage devices.

NTFS

 Modern file system, primarily used in Windows operating systems.

 Supports large file sizes (up to 16 Exabyte) and partition sizes.
 Includes advanced features like file permissions, encryption,
compression, and journaling.
 Better reliability and recovery options due to its journaling feature.

g) Key Differences Between FAT32 and NTFS

File Systems
Feature FAT32 NTFS
Max File Size 4GB 16 Exabyte
Max Partition Size 8TB 256 Terabytes
Security No file permissions or File permissions,
encryption encryption (EFS)
Reliability No journaling or Journaling for crash
recovery features recovery
Compression Not supported Supported
Compatibility Works with almost all Primarily Windows,
OS and devices limited support
elsewhere
Cluster Size Larger clusters, more Smaller clusters, less
wasted space wasted space
Use Case Removable drives, Modern Windows
older systems systems, internal drives
I Exabyte is equal to 1 billion gigabytes or 1000 petabytes

FAT32 is simple, compatible, and suitable for small storage devices but
lacks advanced features.

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NTFS is modern, secure, and efficient, making it ideal for internal drives and
systems requiring advanced functionality.

Common uses of NTFS

Windows OS installation; the default file system for windows system drives
(c:)

Internal\external drives: for large storage needs i.e. gaming libraries

Common uses of fat32

Gaming consoles like PlayStation

Removable storage devices e.g. Usb drives

References
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/fat32-vs-exfat-vs-ntfs-which-format-is-best-
for-your-storage-drive

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/difference-between-fat32-and-ntfs/

www.deepseek.com

https://www.diffen.com/difference/FAT32_vs_NTFS

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/computer_fundamentals/
difference_between_fat32_exfat_and_ntfs_file_systems.htm