Editing FAT filesystem and Linux (section)

== Feature comparison ==
{{anchor|Differences, advantages, and disadvantages}}
All of the Linux filesystem drivers support all three FAT types, namely [[FAT12]], [[FAT16]] and [[FAT32]].  Where they differ is in the provision of support for [[long filename]]s, beyond the [[8.3 filename]] structure of the original FAT filesystem format, and in the provision of Unix file semantics that do not exist as standard in the FAT filesystem format such as [[file permissions]].<ref name="StanfieldSmith"/>  The filesystem drivers are mutually exclusive.  Only one can be used to mount any given disk volume at any given time.  Thus the choice among them is determined by what long filenames and Unix semantics they support and what use one wants to make of the disk volume.<ref name="Smith1">{{cite book |title=Linux in a Windows world |author=Roderick W. Smith |publisher=[[O'Reilly Media, Inc.]] |year=2005 |isbn=0-596-00758-2 |pages=449}}</ref>

=== {{Not a typo|msdos}} ===
The ''{{Not a typo|msdos}}'' filesystem driver provides no extra Unix file semantics and no long filename support.  If a FAT disk filesystem is mounted using this driver, only 8.3 filenames will be visible, no long filenames will be accessible, nor will any long filename data structures of any kind on the disk volume be maintained.  The ''{{Not a typo|vfat}}'' filesystem driver provides long filename support using the same disk data structures that [[Microsoft Windows]] uses for [[VFAT]] long filename support on FAT format volumes, but it does not support any extra Unix file semantics.  The ''{{Not a typo|umsdos}}'' filesystem driver provides long filename support, and extra Unix file semantics.  However, it does so using on-disk data structures that are not recognized by any filesystem drivers for any operating systems other than Linux.<ref name="StanfieldSmith"/><ref name="Ward"/><ref name="Smith1"/><ref name="Negus">{{cite book |title=Linux bible: boot up to Ubuntu, Fedora, KNOPPIX, Debian, SUSE, and 11 other distributions |series=Bible Series |author-first=Christopher |author-last=Negus |publisher=[[John Wiley and Sons]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-470-08279-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/linuxbiblebootup0000negu/page/159 159] |url=https://archive.org/details/linuxbiblebootup0000negu/page/159 }}</ref>

=== {{Not a typo|umsdos}} ===
The key advantage to ''{{Not a typo|umsdos}}'' out of the three is that it provides full Unix file semantics.  Therefore, it can be used in situations where it is desirable to install Linux on and run it from a FAT disk volume, which require such semantics to be available.  However, Linux installed on and running from such a disk volume is slower than Linux installed on and running from a disk volume formatted with, for example, the [[ext2]] filesystem format.<ref name="StanfieldSmith"/><ref name="StroberElling">{{cite book |title=Linux, unleashing the workstation in your PC |series=The Complete Linux Kit, Rainer Maurer |author-first1=Stefan |author-last1=Strobel |author-first2=Volker |author-last2=Elling |edition=3rd |publisher=Springer |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-387-94880-5 |pages=43}}</ref>  Further, unless a utility program is regularly run every time that one switches from running Windows to running Linux, certain changes made to files and directories on the disk by Windows will cause error messages about inaccessible files in Linux.<ref name="McCune">{{cite book |title=Integrating Linux and Windows |series=Open source technology series |author-first=Mike |author-last=McCune |publisher=[[Prentice Hall PTR]] |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-13-030670-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/integratinglinux0000mccu/page/7 7&ndash;9] |url=https://archive.org/details/integratinglinux0000mccu/page/7 }}</ref>

=== {{Not a typo|vfat}} ===
''{{Not a typo|vfat}}'', although lacking full Unix file semantics and lacking the ability to have Linux installed on and running from a FAT disk volume, does not have the aforementioned disadvantages of ''{{Not a typo|umsdos}}'' when it comes to simply sharing data on a FAT disk volume between Linux and other operating systems such as Windows.  Its data structures are the same as those used by Windows for VFAT long filenames, and it does not require running a synchronization utility in order to prevent Windows and Linux data structures from becoming disjointed.  For this reason, it is the most appropriate of Linux's FAT filesystem drivers to use in the majority of situations.<ref name="StanfieldSmith"/><ref name="Smith1"/><ref name="McCune"/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! FS-Driver !! Long filenames !! Unix file semantics !! Comment
|-
| {{Not a typo|msdos}}|| {{no}} || {{no}} || 8.3 filenames only
|-
| {{Not a typo|vfat}}|| {{yes}} || {{no}} || Uses same data structures that Windows uses
|-
| {{Not a typo|umsdos}}|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} || Can host Linux; may need maintenance when switching OS
|}