Common problems with FAT

• Combined file-allocation and freespace administration (no redundancy) may cause:

• • • Lost clusters, allocated but no directory link
    • Cross-links, clusters that are in more than 1 chain
    • Undelete will be UNRELIABLE for fragmented files because the cluster allocation is unknown after the file is erased. (clusters marked FREE)

• OS/2 specific EA related problems:

• • • stored in one huge file “EA DATA . SF”
    • Linked from an index in the FAT directory entry, can be damaged by other OS's or defragmenters