Microsoft 32-bit file access: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:47, 8 May 2007

Revision as of 07:58, 18 March 2008

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32-bit file access and the introduction of Long File Names in Windows 95 reduced DOS to the role of a [[boot loader]] for Windows.

32-bit file access was implemented using the [[File Allocation Table#Long_File_Names_.28VFAT.2C_LFNs.29|VFAT]], VCACHE, and [[IFSHLP.SYS|IFSMgr]] [[VxD]] drivers.

32-bit file access should not be confused with '''[[32-bit disk access]]'''. Although both technologies are similar, 32-bit disk access (also known as ''FastDisk'') pre-dates [[Windows for Workgroups]] 3.11. 32-bit file access provided a 32-bit code path for Windows to directly access the disk bus by intercepting the [[MS-DOS]] Int 21H services while remaining in 386 [[protected mode]] and at CPU speeds, rather than handling the Int 21H services in real mode by MS-DOS. 32-bit disk access relatively offers less performance and is less likely to work on many computers than 32-bit file access. 32-bit file access does not need 32-bit disk access.