Time: Mon Jun 02 21:20:42 1997
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Date: Tue, 03 Jun 1997 04:11:37 -0700
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar]
Subject: SNET: SLF: FAT16 problem: demonstration and proof


->  SearchNet's   SNETNEWS   Mailing List

Dear Friends,

Several people have asked me for a safe
method of demonstrating the problem with 
FAT16 partitions.  I happened to stumble
upon the perfect test, when I was doing
general maintenance last weekend.  I was
deleting unwanted files in the CACHE 
directory utilized by NETSCAPE to store
web files which are downloaded from the 
Internet.  I did a DOS DIR command, both
before and after deleting all those files.
The DIR command shows the sum of the 
individual file sizes, in bytes, and 
also the amount of space available within
that partition.  The discrepancy between
the sum, and the difference between space
available before the deletion, and space
available after  the deletion, tells the
story.  

Here's a sequence which will work on your
system:

1.  find the DOS directory where your web 
    browser caches files which are downloaded

2.  copy these into a temporary directory
    which you will delete later, when you
    are all done with this experiment

3.  do a DOS DIR command first, and note the
    summary results below the last filename

4.  delete all of these files with the DOS
    ERASE command

5.  then, do another DOS DIR command, and 
    again note the summary results below the
    last filename

6.  be sure to write down the results,
    so you can do a little arithmetic

7.  compute the total overhead, as shown in
    the following example:

[This text is formatted in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.]

C:\MYDIR>cd \temp

C:\TEMP> mkdir test.dir

C:\TEMP> cd test.dir

C:\TEMP\TEST.DIR> copy c:\windows\primenet\netscape\cache\*.* /v

C:\TEMP\TEST.DIR> dir

 Volume in drive C is primary486
 Volume Serial Number is C729-1F9C
 Directory of C:\TEMP\TEST.DIR

.            <DIR>         11-23-96   6:21p
..           <DIR>         11-23-96   6:21p
FAT      DB         98,304 06-03-97   3:03a
M0PP3BTC             3,506 06-01-97  10:21a
M0PP3BTH GIF            54 06-01-97  10:21a
M0PP3C1H             6,929 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1J GIF         5,188 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP7QHG DAT            43 06-03-97   2:55a
M0PP3BTU            34,824 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BU0 GIF         4,519 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BU1 GIF         4,542 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BU2 GIF           351 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BU6 GIF         1,439 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BU8 GIF           895 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BU9 GIF           151 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUA GIF         1,341 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUC GIF         1,734 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUD GIF         3,178 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUE GIF         2,732 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUF GIF         3,013 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUG GIF         1,754 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUH GIF           259 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUI GIF        25,434 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUJ GIF           890 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUK GIF         7,267 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUP GIF         4,162 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUQ GIF         1,470 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BUU             7,546 06-01-97  10:22a
M0PP3BVR HTM         8,494 06-01-97  10:23a
M0PP3BVT GIF           268 06-01-97  10:23a
M0PP3BVU GIF           205 06-01-97  10:23a
M0PP3BVV GIF         1,636 06-01-97  10:23a
M0PP3C00 GIF           270 06-01-97  10:23a
M0PP7QHS             1,553 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QHT GIF           148 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP3C1K GIF         1,402 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1L GIF           638 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1M GIF         1,698 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1N GIF         2,042 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1O               382 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1P GIF        14,618 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C1Q GIF           855 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C34 HTM        16,975 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C35 GIF         1,523 06-01-97  10:24a
M0PP3C3V HTM         9,971 06-01-97  10:25a
M0PP3C40 GIF         1,035 06-01-97  10:25a
M0PP3C68 HTM        30,615 06-01-97  10:26a
M0PP3C94             4,563 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C95 GIF         3,027 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C96 GIF           679 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C97 GIF         8,779 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C98 GIF           742 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9A GIF         1,614 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9B GIF           923 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9C GIF         1,057 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9D GIF           574 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9E GIF           923 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9F GIF         1,169 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9G GIF         1,006 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9H GIF         1,037 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9I GIF         1,868 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9J GIF         1,018 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9K GIF         1,009 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9L GIF         1,026 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9M GIF           991 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9N GIF         1,063 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9O GIF         1,543 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9P GIF         1,186 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9Q GIF         4,568 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9R GIF           586 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9S GIF         6,266 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9T GIF         1,282 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9U GIF            78 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3C9V GIF         1,336 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3CA0 GIF         1,134 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3CA1 GIF         1,250 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3CA2 GIF         1,233 06-01-97  10:28a
M0PP3CBC HTM         6,252 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBE               385 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBI HTM        49,844 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBK GIF         4,739 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBM GIF         1,063 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBN GIF         1,031 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBO GIF           300 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBP GIF           285 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBQ GIF         1,048 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBR GIF           266 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBS GIF         2,216 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBT GIF           972 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBU GIF           241 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CBV GIF           879 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC0 GIF         1,098 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC1 GIF         2,000 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC2 GIF         1,116 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC3 GIF           441 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC4 GIF         1,085 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC5 GIF         1,037 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC6 GIF           293 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC7 GIF         1,052 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC8 GIF         1,054 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CC9 GIF           287 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCA GIF           304 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCB GIF         1,043 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCC GIF           970 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCD GIF         1,119 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCE GIF           645 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCF GIF        18,018 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCG GIF           626 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCH GIF           304 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCI GIF           298 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCJ GIF           275 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CCK               419 06-01-97  10:29a
M0PP3CER             1,539 06-01-97  10:31a
M0PP3CES GIF         4,392 06-01-97  10:31a
M0PP3CET GIF        14,520 06-01-97  10:31a
M0PP3CEU GIF         1,166 06-01-97  10:31a
M0PP3CFA HTM         1,554 06-01-97  10:31a
M0PP3CFB GIF         1,924 06-01-97  10:31a
M0PP3CGM HTM        34,854 06-01-97  10:32a
M0PP7QHE GIF        49,932 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QHF GIF        33,870 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QHU GIF           216 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QHV GIF           229 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QI4 HTM        11,812 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QIE HTM        25,421 06-03-97   2:56a
M0PP7QKT HTM        29,108 06-03-97   2:57a
M0PP7QLP HTM        18,868 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QLR GIF           567 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QLS GIF            38 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QLT GIF            63 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QLU GIF            47 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QLV GIF            43 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QM0 GIF            40 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QM1 GIF            53 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QM2 GIF         1,485 06-03-97   2:58a
M0PP7QNS HTM         7,698 06-03-97   2:59a
M0PP7QS1             9,660 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QS3 JPG         1,472 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QS4 GIF         1,182 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QS5 GIF         1,041 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QS6 GIF         1,050 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QS7 GIF         1,107 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QS8 JPG         7,884 06-03-97   3:01a
M0PP7QSL HTM        13,860 06-03-97   3:02a
M0PP7QSP GIF         1,043 06-03-97   3:02a
M0PP7QSQ GIF         1,076 06-03-97   3:02a
      146 file(s)        751,202 bytes
                     239,140,864 bytes free

C:\TEMP\TEST.DIR>erase *.*
All files in directory will be deleted!
Are you sure (Y/N)?y

C:\TEMP\TEST.DIR> dir

 Volume in drive C is primary486
 Volume Serial Number is C729-1F9C
 Directory of C:\TEMP\TEST.DIR
.            <DIR>         11-23-96   6:21p
..           <DIR>         11-23-96   6:21p
        2 file(s)              0 bytes
                     244,088,832 bytes free


Now, do the arithmetic:

free bytes AFTER  deletion:   244,088,832
free bytes BEFORE deletion:  -239,140,864
                             ------------
                difference:     4,947,968
bytes used BEFORE deletion:      -751,202  (see DIR output)
                             ------------
                difference:     4,196,766
                 / # files:         / 146
                             ------------
TOTAL WASTED SPACE, FAT16:         28,745 bytes per file
                             ============

So, if you have 1,000 files with FAT16,
you are wasting 1,000 x 28,745 = 28.7 MB!

Your numbers may vary;  the average will be
closer to a mean waste per file of 32K
(0.50 x 64K).


/s/ Paul Mitchell
http://www.supremelaw.com


========================================================================
Paul Andrew, Mitchell, B.A., M.S.    : Counselor at Law, federal witness
email:       [address in tool bar]   : Eudora Pro 3.0.2 on Intel 586 CPU
web site:  http://www.supremelaw.com : library & law school registration
ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech,  at its best
             Tucson, Arizona state   : state zone,  not the federal zone
             Postal Zone 85719/tdc   : USPS delays first class  w/o this
========================================================================


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