File system

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 FILE SYSTEM
• A file system is a required part of the operating system that
determines how files are named, stored, and organized on a
volume. A file system manages files and folders, and the
information needed to locate and access these items by local
and remote users.
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 supports the NTFS file
system on basic and dynamic disks. Basic disks and volumes
are the storage types most often used with Windows
operating systems. Dynamic disks offer greater flexibility for
volume management because they use a database to track
information about dynamic volumes on the disk and about
other dynamic disks in the computer.
• During the format of a volume you can choose the type of file
system for the volume. When you choose the NTFS file
system, the formatting process places the key NTFS file data
structures on the volume, regardless of whether it is a basic
or dynamic volume.
 File format system
• FAT (File Allocation Table), the original, old 16 bit DOS
system is probably used in 90% of all PC’s. It is also
called FAT16 contrary to:

• FAT32 a new addition to FAT, which Microsoft

introduced with Windows 95 B – The December -96
version(OSR2).

• HPFS (High Performance File System) from OS/2. It is

an advanced 32 bit file system, which in all respects is
far superior to FAT, except for possible usage. It can
only be used with OS/2.

• NTFS from Windows NT. A 32 bit file system like

HPFS, but not compatible with it. NTFS can,
• unfortunately, only be used in Windows NT. If it was
available for use in Windows 95, it would be far to
preferable to FAT and FAT32.
• NTFS from Windows NT. A 32 bit file system like
HPFS, but not compatible with it. NTFS can,
unfortunately, only be used in Windows NT. If it was
available for use in Windows 95, it would be far to
• preferable to FAT and FAT32.
• NetWare is a server operating system from Novell. It
has its own 32 bit file system. For that reason, the Novell
server, contrary to NT or OS/2 servers, cannot be used
as a work station. The file system is much faster than
FAT, but it works only with Novell servers (typically file
servers).
• UNIX servers have their own filing system. Here the
use of upper/lower case in file naming is significant.
• Read in the following pages about the concepts of these
file systems.
 NTFS Architecture
• During format and setup of a volume file
system on a hard disk, a master boot
record (MBR) is created. The MBR
contains a small amount of executable
code called the master boot code as well
as a partition table for the disk. When a
volume is mounted, the MBR executes the
master boot code and transfers control to
the boot sector on the disk, allowing the
server to boot the operating system on the
file system of that specific volume.
 The partition table contains a number of fields used to describe the
partition. One of these fields is the System ID field, which defines the
file system, such
• As NTFS, on the partition. For NTFS volumes, the system ID is 0x07.

The following table

describes the components
of an NTFS file system.
NTFS Architecture Components on an x86-based System

Component Description
• Master Boot Code Startup Process
• The MBR contains a small amount of executable code called the master boot
code, the disk signature, and the partition table for the disk. During startup, the
master boot code performs the following activities:
• Scans the partition table for the active partition.

• Finds the starting sector of the active partition.

• Loads a copy of the boot sector from the active partition into memory.

• Transfers control to the executable code in the boot sector.

• Boot Sector Startup Process

• Computers use the boot sector to run instructions during startup. The initial
startup process is summarized in the following steps:
• The system BIOS and the CPU initiate the power-on self test (POST).

• The BIOS finds the boot device, which is typically the first disk the BIOS finds,
unless the controller is configured to boot from a different disk.

• The BIOS loads the first physical sector of the boot device into memory and
transfers CPU execution to that memory address.

• If the boot device is on a hard disk, the BIOS loads the MBR. The master boot
code in the MBR loads the boot sector of the active partition, and transfers CPU
execution to that memory address. On computers that are running Windows
Server 2003, the executable boot code in the boot sector finds Ntldr, loads it
into memory, and transfers execution to that file.
• NTFS Physical Structure
• The following information describes how clusters and sectors are
organized on an NTFS volume, how the boot sector on the volume
determines the file system, and how the Master File Table (MFT)
organizes structures on the volume.
• Clusters and Sectors on an NTFS Volume
• A cluster (or allocation unit) is the smallest amount of disk space
that can be allocated to hold a file. All file systems used by Windows
Server 2003 organize hard disks based on cluster size, which is
determined by the number of sectors (units of storage on a hard
disk) that the cluster contains. For example, on a disk that uses 512-
byte sectors, a 512-byte cluster contains one sector, whereas a 4-
kilobyte (KB) cluster contains eight sectors.
• Computers access certain sectors on a hard disk during startup to
determine which operating system to start and where the partitions
are located. The data stored on these sectors varies depending on
the computer platform.
• Sequence of Clusters on an NTFS Volume
• Clusters on an NTFS volume are numbered sequentially from the
beginning of the partition into logical cluster numbers. NTFS stores
all objects in the file system using a record called the Master File
Table (MFT), similar in structure to a database.
• On NTFS volumes, clusters start at sector zero; therefore, every
cluster is aligned on the cluster boundary. Contiguous clusters for
file storage allow for faster processing of a file.
Limitations of Cluster Sizes on an NTFS
Volume
• Because NTFS uses different cluster sizes
depending on the size of the volume, each file
system has a maximum number of clusters it
can support. The smaller the cluster size, the
more efficiently a disk potentially stores
information because unused space within a
cluster cannot be used by other files. And the
more clusters a file system supports, the larger
the volumes you can create and format by using
a particular file system. NTFS uses smaller
cluster sizes, which makes it a more efficient file
organization structure.
The table Default NTFS Cluster Sizes lists NTFS volume
and default cluster sizes.
 Maximum Sizes on an NTFS Volume
• Before you format an NTFS volume, evaluate the types of files to be
stored on the volume so that you can determine whether to use the
default cluster size.
• When formatting NTFS volumes, you can specify a cluster size of
up to 64 KB using the Disk Management snap-in. If you format a
volume, but do not specify a cluster size, default values are used. If
you want to change the cluster size after the volume is formatted,
you must reformat the volume.
• Before you choose a cluster size other than the default, note the
following important limitations:
• For Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and
Windows Server 2003, the cluster size of FAT16 volumes ranging
from 2 gigabytes (GB) through 4 GB is 64 KB, which can create
compatibility issues with some applications. For example, setup
programs do not compute free space properly on a volume with 64-
KB clusters and cannot run because of a perceived lack of free
space. For this reason, you can use either NTFS or FAT32 to format
volumes larger than 2 GB.

• Because file compression is not supported on cluster sizes greater

than 4 KB, the default NTFS cluster size for Windows Server 2003
never exceeds 4 KB.
 NTFS own area for disk Administration

NTFS/

Thus, the disk is divided in:

l Sectors, occupied by NTFS administrative data.
l Sectors, which are user available for data
storage (the data area).
NTFS Volume Components
 NTFS Volume Components

Software
Application,
DOS
Difference between NTFS
and FAT32
• NTFS
• 1)Allows access local to w2k w2k3 XP win NT4 with SP4
& later may get access for some file.
• 2)Maximum size of partition is 2 Terabytes & more.
• 3)Maximum File size is upto 16TB.
• 4)Security of File & folder Encryption is possible only in
NTFS.
• 5.)To save disk space. Disk Quota for users.
• 6.)Support for Dynamic Disks--To Create mirror
raidLarge volume support.
• FAT 32
• 1)Fat 32 Allows access to win 95 98 win millenium win2k
xp on local partition.
• 2)Maximum size of partition is upto 2 TB.
• 3)Maximum File size is upto 4 GB.
• 4)File & folder Encryption is not possible.
 Encrypting File System
• Encrypting File System (EFS) provides the
core file encryption technology for storing
files on NTFS file system volumes.
Security features such as logon
authentication and file permissions protect
network resources from unauthorized
access.