Compact Flash - FAT file system: starting sector

[kartoffel]

Hi there

I just formatted a Compact Flash card using Windows 2000. With a little application I wrote, I'm now trying to read the entire content of the flash card, sector by sector, in order to understand the FAT structure as I want to be able to format the card myself using my application.

However, when I read the content of the card, I dont understand why is that the first partition starts at sector 32? Why not at sector 0? I get this for every Flash Card I formatted. I read the Microsoft's Hardware White Paper on the FAT file system and it doesn't mention anything about this.

Can anyone help me on that?

Thanks

alex

 

[edfair]

The first track contains a master boot record and a partition table. Sounds like the card is organized as 32 sectors per track.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[kartoffel]

Edfair

Actually, the Boot Sector (or reserved sector, or 0th sector) starts at sector 32. Is that the same as the Master Boot record?

By the way, the file system used is FAT16.

Thanks a lot for your help!

alex