Windows 3.x

Windows 3.x is not a true, independent multi-tasking operating system. It runs on top of DOS and for the mostpart, uses DOS facilities and routines for disk access. Therefore, it uses the same FAT file system that DOS does.

The last version of Windows 3.x, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, includes an enhancement called "32-Bit File Access". This is really a poorly-named feature that refers to the use of 32-bit protected mode routines for accessing the disk, instead of using the standard 16-bit DOS routines. In fact, this is really the first implementation of the VFAT file system used by Windows 95, although not all of the VFAT features are included--only the use of 32-bit access routines. The only thing different here is how the disk is accessed; the file system structures are "plain" FAT.

Next: Windows 95