How 'squishy' is FAT32?

[qdvx]

Hi all,

Looks like all the Windows forums got folded together! (It's been a while since I've been here.)

I am about to upgrade a not-so-new XP-he SP2 Dell laptop to a faster/larger HD. Storage currently runs on FAT32.

Chkdsk reports two 'allocation invalid' errors consistently. Chkdsk /F (on initial boot) reports no errors.

I rolled the image over to the new HD. Runs fine, but check disk offers the same differing results, depending on whether I run Chkdsk from the DOS prompt (two files with invalid allocations--not the same files as before) or on boot-up (no errors).

I pulled the new HD & stuck it in a Win98se system. ScanDisk reports one long name not properly associated with a file, but otherwise okay.

I have never observed these kinds of inconsistencies with a file system. Currently (over night) I am running a media/surface tester (spinrite 6.0).

Any thoughts on why is my FAT32 volume is providing insistent results - depending on how a check the file system - and what I should do about it?

Thanks in advance...
qdvx

[qdvx]

Re: How 'squishy' is FAT32?

Results from repeated 'Chkdsk c:' runs showing varying error status...
[ latest entry at top ]

no errors

no errors

[ flushed 'Recycle Bin' of deleted ...\Local Settings\Temp\*.* (perhnaps 1500 files). ]

errors:
\Windows\Prefetch\CMD.EXE-087B4001.pf first allocation unit is not valid. The entry wiull be truncated.
\Windows\Prefetch\CHKDSK.EXE-2CC4C59D.pf first allocation unit is not valid. The entry wiull be truncated.

errors:
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\OBJECTS.MAP.N EW first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\INDEX.MAP.NEW first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.

errors:
\Windows\Prefetch\CMD.EXE-087B4001.pf first allocation unit is not valid. The entry wiull be truncated.
\Windows\Prefetch\CHKDSK.EXE-2CC4C59D.pf first allocation unit is not valid. The entry wiull be truncated.

errors:
\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs.edb first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\OBJECTS.MAP first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\OBJECTS.MAP.N EW first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\INDEX.MAP.NEW first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\INDEX.MAP first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.

no errors

errors:
\Windows\Prefetch\CHKDSK.EXE-2CC4C59D.pf first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\OBJECTS.MAP first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.
\Windows\System32\wbem\Repository\FS\INDEX.MAP first allocation unit is not valid. The entry will be truncated.

>>> Any idea why 'allocation unit not valid' errors come and go???

Thanks,
qdvx