FAT is a computer file system used to store information about files, mainly on portable media. It minimizes the amount of seek required from a drive by storing information in clusters and directory tables. Developed in 1976-1977, it has undergone several advances and supports several gigabytes and even terabytes of storage space. FAT ensures quick access to files, leading to an increase in performance and efficiency.
A file allocation table (FAT) is a system that computers use to store information about files. The location where this information is stored can range from an internal hard drive to a flash memory card. The File Allocation Table system is mainly used for storing information on portable media, such as flash memory cards. In the past it was also used for internal hard drives.
There are many types of computer file system architecture. The file allocation table was developed in 1976-1977 by Bill Gates and Marc McDonald. Over the years, several advances have been made to the system. The original FAT system was limited to storing no more than 32 megabytes of information, but later versions have added support for several gigabytes and even several terabytes of storage space.
Most internal hard drives require computers to move a needle inside the drive to a specific location and read a small segment of information. The wear and tear involved in this process made it necessary to develop a method for storing file information on the hard drive. The FAT system was designed to minimize the amount of seek required from a drive.
The FAT system stores information in a series of clusters. The file allocation table itself is the area on the hard drive that stores information about each cluster on the drive. By storing this information in a single area, the operating system can find the closest free sections of memory without searching the entire drive. This helps avoid increased wear and tear on the memory device.
In addition to a file allocation table, there are directory tables. These special files store information about where on the drive the files in them are located. Directory tables also include file name and property information. Some of the properties stored are the file extension, file attributes and creation date and time. Other properties may also be stored, depending on the particular version of the FAT system and operating system being used.
The File Allocation Table system ensures that files can be found and accessed anywhere on a drive with minimal seek time. This not only helps minimize wear and tear on the physical components of the drive, but also ensures quick access to files. This leads to an increase in performance and efficiency. The simplicity and availability of the FAT system make it ideal for use on storage devices accessed by many different operating systems.
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