Find out FAT type

jlluis · 09-19-2003, 12:34 PM

How can I find out if some partition is FAT 12, 16 or 32?
All I know is that /etc/mtab reports it as vfat.
I have tried to mount it with -t vfat
-o fat=12 => ok
-o fat=16 => ok
-o fat=32 => mount complains.

jlluis · 09-19-2003, 12:46 PM

I apologize.
I did not mean the "partition type",
which fdisk says is type "b" (win95-FAT32),
I meant the "filesystem type".
Cheers.

Skyline · 09-19-2003, 12:54 PM

Its probably FAT32 - you could always try mounting it with:

mount –t vfat –o rw /dev/hda1 /mnt/windows

make sure you substitue in your partition name and mount point.

jlluis · 09-19-2003, 01:08 PM

Yes, that's right.
I can mount it with:
mount -t vfat /dev/sde1 /home/stick
but still, I don't know the filesystem type.

jlluis · 09-19-2003, 01:18 PM

Solved, I hope :-)

I have issued:
# dosfsck -v /dev/sde1
and it replys,
...
2 FATs, 16 bit entries
...
So I deduce it is FAT 16.

If anyone wishes to add any comment, please feel free to do so.

aus9 · 10-04-2003, 08:12 AM

hullo

On mandrake you can also use
mount -t auto /dev/(your partition number) /(your mount folder)
I have an IDE so its mount -t auto /dev/hda /mnt/secret squirrel
Auto will try ext3 then 2 then reiserfs and I think then vfats.

2) If you create a tomsboot disk and run fdisk you can see options to list all the types.

whansard · 10-04-2003, 08:58 AM

fat-12 is for partition sizes 16 megs and below.
between 16 megs and 2048 megs is fat-16.
fat-32 is usually 512 megs and up, but you can make
one smaller i think.