Creating a FAT partition
 

What is the command to create a fat filesystem? I currently have an unused ReiserFS partition that I want to use for sharing between Windows and Linux. Is there a command that would just write over an existing partition with an empty fat partition? I can't do it from Windows because Windows no longer detects my linux partitions.

I have tried various obvious ones (to me) and searched google, but I can't find the command.

You need to make the filesystem with "mkfs":
mkfs -t vfat -F 32 /dev/hdxY

mkdosfs -F 32

or

mkfs

man:mkfs and man:mkdosfs to know more.

Thanks; that worked. I have two problems, though.

1. Windows doesn't detect the partition (It didn't before, either). My Computer has A:, C: (Windows), then H: and I: (CD and DVD). There are three partitions in between that were created from the Windows installer but overwriten numerous times by various flavors of Linux. I don't know how to get Windows to see the second partition again.

2. I put the new fat partition in /etc/fstab (Debian) with the default mounting options. How can I allow all users to access a partition in /etc/fstab?

If your windows is xp or 2k, I guess there is a tool to manage disks and parts, in the system admin section. Right click "MyComputer" icon, and choose "Manage".



2. I put the new fat partition in /etc/fstab (Debian) with the default mounting options. How can I allow all users to access a partition in /etc/fstab?

You have to add the "user" option in the line regarding this partition. The "default" option won't let users write to it.

Is it OK to put default,user? If not, what other important options from default should I add?