Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!husc6!cmcl2!nrl-cmf!ames!killer!tness7!petro!swrinde!dpmizar!com50!ems!pwcs!viper!john
From: john@viper.Lynx.MN.Org (John Stanley)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: 12-bit or 16-bit FAT entry
Message-ID: <1084@viper.Lynx.MN.Org>
Date: 3 Jul 88 02:05:38 GMT
References: <5930009@hpcupt1.HP.COM>
Reply-To: john@viper.Lynx.MN.Org (John Stanley)
Organization: DynaSoft Systems
Lines: 32

In article <5930009@hpcupt1.HP.COM> andrews@hpcupt1.HP.COM (Edward E. Andrews) writes:
 >How can I determine whether the FAT is using 12-bits or 16-bits per entry?
 >Is there a DOS call that specifically states: 12(16)-bit FAT, or does it
 >need to be infered (e.g. via DOS version [>3.2] or disk size [>32M])?

  There are several ways to determine this.  The easiest way is to
check the number of clusters on the disk.  If it's less than 4096 it's
-probably- using 12 bit FAT entrys.  This isn't a sure thing, but it
will work 99% of the time...

  If you plan on doing much more at this level I'd recommend you go
out and buy two books:

	Advanced MS-DOS
	Microsoft-Press
	Ray Duncan
	$22.95

	Programmers Guide to the IBM PC
	Microsoft-Press
	Peter Norton
	$19.95

  Both are excelent for the beginner as well as being good solid
reference manuals that I use regularly.  The two books complement each
other.  If something isn't clear in one the other generaly covers it
well and vica-verca...

--- 
John Stanley (john@viper.UUCP)
Software Consultant - DynaSoft Systems
UUCP: ...{amdahl,ihnp4,rutgers}!meccts!viper!john