Topic: exFAT (aka FAT64)
It would be nice if GParted Live CD allow me to create exFAT (aka FAT64) partitions.
1 2009-05-11 09:56:37 (edited by MietekN 2009-05-11 10:07:42)
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
Are there any GNU/Linux tools available to work with FAT64 file systems?
3 2009-05-19 07:12:54 (edited by MietekN 2009-06-08 09:09:48)
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
gedakc wrote:
Are there any GNU/Linux tools available to work with FAT64 file systems?
Linux kernel exFAT read only beta patch: http://userweb.kernel.org/~hirofumi/exfat/exfat.tar.gz
Standalone module driver that you can build outside the kernel as long as you have a
recent version of the kernel sources installed (currently 2.6.27) can be found at:
http://www.munted.org.uk/programming/exfat.tar.bz2
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
A bug report has also been raised requesting exfat (fat64) support:
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
An enhancement to detect exfat file systems was included in the GParted 0.10.0
release on November 1, 2011.
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
Is GParted now able to legally use exfat? Perhaps, but perhaps not.
Key points:
- Recently Microsoft joined the Open Invention Network.
- Members of OIN have a patent non-aggression pact with other members.
- GParted is also a member of OIN. Search for GParted.
This article indicates that OIN members might be able to use exfat without fear of patent litigation:
Microsoft opened its patents by joining the Open Invention Network (OIN). What does that really mean?
However, this article implies that the exfat patent was not included in the patent portfolio included with Microsoft joining OIN:
Software Freedom Conservancy - Thoughts on Microsoft Joining OIN's Patent Non-Aggression Pact
It appears that it is unclear whether the exfat patent was included in the portfolio shared with OIN members.
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
'Just updating this request with a current link to Microsoft Legal Resources - exFAT.
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
A post in Merge Request #30 included a link to a recent article regarding Microsoft, exFAT, and an OIN license.
An Internet search yielded the following English version of the article:
ZDNet.com: Microsoft readies exFAT patents for Linux and open source.
This sounds like good news, but is likely very early days.
So far I have not discovered any similar announcements on the Open Invention Network - Press Releases or any changes to Microsoft.com: exFAT licensing.
If the article is genuine, even it states:
When the next edition of the Linux System Definition is released in the first quarter of 2020, any member of the OIN will be able to use exFAT without paying a patent royalty
And as such it appears that legal coverage will not be available until the first quarter of 2020 at the earliest.
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
For reference, the Microsoft blog post:
* exFAT in the Linux kernel? Yes!
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
mfleetwo wrote:
For reference, the Microsoft blog post:
* exFAT in the Linux kernel? Yes!
And to quote from the linked post:
[Microsoft] also support the eventual inclusion of a Linux kernel with exFAT support in a future revision of the Open Invention Network’s Linux System Definition, where, once accepted, the code will benefit from the defensive patent commitments of OIN’s 3040+ members and licensees.
So I hope that GParted will soon allow for creating exFAT partitions.
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
FYI: I am still waiting for major distros positions regarding usage of exFAT.
For example RedHat legal go ahead is still pending as per Bug 1824156 - Review Request: exfatprogs - Userspace utilities for exFAT filesystems .
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
The Open Invention Network (OIN) recently included exfat and exfatprogs in the OIN Linux System Definition - scroll to and click on Table 10 and search for exfat.
We are still waiting on RedHat legal go ahead as per Bug 1824156 - Review Request: exfatprogs - Userspace utilities for exFAT filesystems.
Re: exFAT (aka FAT64)
From reviewing Bug 1824156 - Review Request: exfatprogs - Userspace utilities for exFAT filesystems it appears that RedHat legal has given the go ahead to include exfatprogs in their distro. This means that the last barrier to including exfat support in GParted has now been lifted.