1

According to this article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb933993.aspx

the FILESTREAM type is used for NTFS systems. Does that mean it can't be used on FAT systems?

CJ7
  • 22,579
  • 65
  • 193
  • 321

2 Answers2

1

Let me forumlate it nicely:

There is not a single reason on this planet to ever use FAT for that. How can such a question ever come up?

FAT is unsafe, prone to corruption, does not support metadata / streams and in general is not recommended for anything than transportable items - such as SSD cards because most for example cameras suport FAT only.

SQL Server databases are high performance and I Can not imagine why anyone would like to have any item on a FAT partition for a server. MS thinks the same. And no, removable media are a terrible location for a SQL Server database part.

And yes, NTFS requirement OBVIOUSLY means no FAT.

TomTom
  • 61,059
  • 10
  • 88
  • 148
  • You can format USB and external devices with NTFS if you want of course. Maybe OP want to run a database off such device [/shudders] – gbn Nov 25 '11 at 05:27
  • Yeah. Firing level offense for a database admin. OUCH. – TomTom Nov 25 '11 at 05:28
  • I may wish to install SQL Server on some old computers running XP Home or the like, which may still have a FAT file system. – CJ7 Nov 25 '11 at 05:53
  • Ah - no. XP home for a SQL Server? May I laugh all the way to my work (just getting out)? Whoever decided to install XP home on a FAT partition... just deserves an award for clueless user. Really. FAT should not have been used in any system partition for ages. – TomTom Nov 25 '11 at 07:23
0

Correct, it means it can't be used on a system drive that is FAT. It must be used on a drive that is NTFS or you will get an error like this:

Msg 5134, Level 16, State 2, Line 1

The path that is specified by 'Z:\FATFormatted\yourfile.jpg' cannot be used for FILESTREAM files because it is not on a supported file system.

Chris Townsend
  • 3,042
  • 27
  • 31