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Can a FAT based file system be modified to support multiple references to a file (i.e. aliases) by using the same FAT block sequence in directory table entries?

murat
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No because then when any reference was deleted, the file would be added to free space and possibly reused. This would result in two different files sharing space with any write to one corrupting the other.

This could work if the file system was immutable. For example if it was written to an unwritable medium.

David Schwartz
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Surely, you can have directory items points to same FAT records, but there are two things you should keep in mind:

1) never run any standard check disk utilities otherwise you get it wrong

2) you have to implement own delete operation to remove records from directory which points to the same item that you delete.

UPD: answer consider that question has 'can be modified' approach

evilruff
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  • Thanks very much for your answer, you claim that FAT based file systems can be modified to support the same feature by using the same FAT block sequence in directory table entries, could you please give a bit more details ? – murat Apr 23 '13 at 21:45
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    I think I already explained everything I wanted to say. If you going to make such kind of patch (which should be really well though, otherwise you can end up in troubles), you should consider to read something about FAT FS internals and then go on coding =) Again you should keep in mind that such approach should really have a very good reason to be implemented – evilruff Apr 23 '13 at 21:49
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The FAT File System stores all information about a file in a single structure inside a directory, except the addresses of disk blocks that contain file data. Disk block numbers of all files are kept in a File Allocation Table (FAT).

Since the link information and file container information are bound together in a single structure, FAT file system does not support multiple links to a single file. It does not support symbolic links either, though it could have. However, Windows supports shortcuts that are similar to symbolic links.

murat
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