Pros vs. Cons of FAT32?

[JimSmith94]

Are there any advantages to formating the SD card to FAT32, other than being able to flash a ROM from it? I don't know if I'll ever flash a ROM that way, but I'm about ready to copy a bunch of tunes and install some GPS maps to my 6 GB SanDisk SDHC, and wonder if there would be any advantage(s).

[dwertz]

Are there any advantages to formating the SD card to FAT32, other than being able to flash a ROM from it? I don't know if I'll ever flash a ROM that way, but I'm about ready to copy a bunch of tunes and install some GPS maps to my 6 GB SanDisk SDHC, and wonder if there would be any advantage(s).

I could be wrong but I thought it was to make the partitions larger then 2 gig. Just like when Windows 95 was in the transition from going from FAT16 to FAT32. FAT16 can see only 2 gig FAT32 can see up to 32gig. I remember having an 8 gig hard drive that had 4 partitions of 2 gig each with FAT16. FAT32 uses smaller clusters (4 KB for memory up to 8 GB), resulting in 10 to 15 percent more efficient use of space. That is all I am aware of. Maybe someone else has some insight.

[JimSmith94]

So does that mean that my 6GB SDHC is already FAT32? If I put it in a card reader on my PC, will properties tell me what it is?

[dwertz]

So does that mean that my 6GB SDHC is already FAT32? If I put it in a card reader on my PC, will properties tell me what it is?

If you are seeing 6 gig on the memory card as one partition then yes it should be in FAT32. I think the PC properties will just say FAT.

[meccanoble]

my 8 gb was fat32 by default. I think all SDHC cards are fat32. I think i seen an option to format to NTFS. Any benefit over that? :)

[madman34]

If you are seeing 6 gig on the memory card as one partition then yes it should be in FAT32. I think the PC properties will just say FAT.

My 2 gig was FAT in the PC, got a 8 gig last weekend and it came FAT32 from Sandisk, as the post above is correct FAT (16) is limited to 2.1 gigs per partition because the File Allocation Table is able to handle only that, but FAT 32 is needed for more than that, and your PC will show that under Properties for the device.

[dwertz]

my 8 gb was fat32 by default. I think all SDHC cards are fat32. I think i seen an option to format to NTFS. Any benefit over that? :)

I am not sure that Windows Mobile could even recognize NTFS.

[madman34]

I am not sure that Windows Mobile could even recognize NTFS.

Don't bother as I bet it would not even read or write it, and there would be no advantage anyway as mostly NTFS (Windows NT Filesystem) is mostly for file privilage and security anyway, no speed or capacity help at all.

[Asphyx]

Pros
1 - Fat32 is compatible with just about any device you would put it in
2 - Uses space more efficiently than Fat
3 - Bootloader can read it

Cons
1 - Has a limit of 2GB filesize.
2 - Not as efficient as NTFS in using space. Will waste space proportional to number of files saved.

Very short list...I'm sure there are some more in both categories.
I keep it Fat32 simply because if I need to trasfer a file from one computer to another (I have an 8GB card) I don't have to worry about compatability issues.

And as someone else said I'm pretty sure NTFS isn't even readable by any phone.