Definition: FAT (File Allocation Table)


A data table stored at the beginning of each partition on the disk that is used by the operating system to determine which sectors are allocated to each file and in what order.




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Fragmented

In parts. A fragmented file does not have its content stored sequentially on the media. The file's content may be stored in small segments scattered over an area of the disk. The file system keeps track of where the data is stored and the user does not normally notice a file is fragmented. Fragmentation is common on hard drives, but usually data is stored sequentially on tapes.

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