[SGVLUG] FileSystem Limitations?

[Mic Chow]

So the thread about weapons and the results are interesting, but how 
about something different.

I am curious how do they commercially format large drives with the File 
System FAT32, specifically drives greater than 200 gigs. 

The situation is that I am help a friend recover data from an external 
drive.  I have recovered the data using my Linux box.  I have replaced 
it with another drive.  The new drive is also an external drive; both 
drives are EIDE in an USB enclosure.  The drive is 250 (marketing) 
Gigs.  This user would more than likely connect this drive to various 
systems, of course the predominant system with be some variation of 
Microsoft.  I used Ubuntu Linux to format the drive as a single 
partition with a FAT32 File System.  I intended this external drive to 
be the same easy connection as most commercial drives so that the user 
can connect it to any system, Microsoft, Mac, Linux, etc.  After 
formating the drive is seen in Linux as a single 250 Gig Partition in 
FAT32 just fine.  Data can be saved and deleted from the drive like it 
should.  However, on a Windows 2000 Pro or XP (SP2) box the drive is 
seen, but the File System is not understood.  I could easily chalk it of 
to stupidity of Microsoft and their attempts at File Systems.  Since 
they created FAT32 several years ago, you'd think they actually know how 
to read the damn thing.  So besides mounting the 250gig drive on the 
Windows box and reformatting it as NTFS what are my options.  I'd really 
like to know how companies such as Seagate, Maxtor, Western Digital, 
IOmega, etc. format their drives and ship them out the door in FAT32.

Thanks in Advance.

Mic
North Hollywood, CA
N34° 8'33.02"
W118° 21'39.62"