Alternative to FAT32 for sharing files with Windows
 

Hi there, I'm going to be setting up a dual boot system, as follows:

250GB drive

60GB partition (NTFS) for Windows XP
60GB partition (ReiserFS) for Mandrake Linux (including extra partitions)
130GB free space for files

I've considered setting up a FAT32 partition in the free space so that I can share files between the two operating systems, but I've heard of many limitations of the FAT32 filing system when addressing such a large amount of storage space. Is there a better filing system or other solution for setting up a shared space in a dual boot system such as this?

Not that I know of. There shouldn't be any type of problems with a fat32 drive of 130 gigs. I have a 80gig fat32 dirive that I share and it has no problems.

Yes - you can get software that allows Windows to read ext2/3 partitions.

Read, yes. But what about write?

Thanks for the info, I'll probably use both methods to cover all eventualities. I've also discovered RFStool whilst looking at Explore2fs, this is a similar tool which allows access to Linux partitions formatted in ReiserFS.

A few more follow ups for you if you don't mind...

1. Just to confirm, is ReiserFS the better filing system to use over EXT3?
2. In Windows, I know I can map the "My Documents" area to a different partition. Can this be done in Linux also (Mandrake), and would there be any problems with both operating systems using the same folder as their documents storage area on the FAT32 partition?

Nope, but you'll have to have mandrake mount using the SMB mount and then it will write to it natively. I don't know how mandrake works, but for fedora I would delete my /home/userdir and put a system link there to point to /mnt/blabla <---your smbmount Then if you broswse to /home/usrdir you get the other dir

command line would be

ln -s /home/dir /mnt/fatdrive or something to that effect.