[Discuss] linux version FAT32

[David Bronaugh]

David Lee wrote:
> Good morning.
>
> I'm trying to re-install my Ubuntu Linux distro after installing a new drive.
> Master drive 120 g
> Slave (new) 300 g
>
> After 3 months windows free, it was suggested I "put XP back on".
> Windows doesn't give me the option of formatting in fat32, unless I create partitions less than 40g (when installing)
>
> I don't mind C being ntfs.60 g, 60 g linux on master
>
> Now, prevailing wisdom dictates that one should format partitions in their own systems.
>   
I'm not sure *whose* wisdom this is, because so far as I can tell, it's 
wrong. You can format fat32 in Linux just fine, and unlike XP, it won't 
impose arbitrary limits to try and make you switch to NTFS...

Also, have you considered running Windows under VMWare on Linux, thereby 
avoiding this whole mess?
> So my question is: why have fat32 format option available in linux?
>   
This question only makes sense if you remove the preceding statement 
regarding prevailing wisdom; otherwise it's a rhetorical question.

Assuming the preceding statement to be false, it's fairly obvious; some 
people want to have fat32 partitions accessible by Windows created from 
Linux, not Windows, because either they hate Windows with a fiery 
burning passion, or they simply don't have it available.
> The 300 g drive can be formatted (100g vfat---rest Ubuntu) by linux, but would I have any problems sharing this partition with windows?
>   
If it's formatted as VFAT/FAT32, you're not going to have problems 
REGARDLESS of what operating system you format it in.

David