What Does File Allocation Table (FAT) Mean?
A file allocation table (FAT) is a file system developed for hard drives that originally used 12 or 16 bits for each cluster entry into the file allocation table. It is used by the operating system (OS) to manage files on hard drives and other computer systems. It is often also found on in flash memory, digital cameras and portable devices. It is used to store file information and extend the life of a hard drive.
Techopedia Explains File Allocation Table (FAT)
FAT16 was introduced in 1983 by IBM with the simultaneous releases of IBM’s personal computer AT (PC AT) and Microsoft’s MS-DOS (disk operating system) 3.0 software. In 1987 Compaq DOS 3.31 released an expansion of the original FAT16 and increased the disc sector count to 32 bits. Because the disc was designed for a 16-bit assembly language, the whole disc had to be altered to use 32-bit sector numbers.
