The starting point of our discussion should be the thesis that all the data that the file contains is a certain logical structure. It serves as the basis for software, with the help of which each specific file is processed. The organization of the file system, allows, for example, to correctly display information on the display, provides options for selection, correction. This is achieved by the fact that each element of such a system is a unique sequence of codes that separates it from another element. Saving and maintaining in steady state the structure of the system is provided either by the corresponding application or by the file system itself.
In the first option, all the procedures with the file are performed by the application, which initiates the corresponding requests to the system. This method is widely used in modern file systems - Windows, NetWare. In the second, the structure of the file is provided by the OS itself, which recognizes it as a unique sequence of code entries. For this, each OS has information about the structure of each type of file.
A physical organization is a model of the location of files on a medium (physical device). The most important parameters of the effectiveness of such an organization are:
- speed of access to information;
- the value of the address information;
- level of disk fragmentation;
- maximum file size.
Such an indicator as fragmentation reflects how disrupted the organization of the file system is due to the dispersal of files of the same type over disk space.
The hard drive itself is constructed of magnetic plates designed to record any information on them. The recording process consists in applying certain marks to the surface of the plates, while an inaccurate labeling causes an error in the disk file system. Errors must be corrected using the available programs and tools of the system itself, if the errors are not corrected, the disk is usually formatted, and all data from it is erased. The disk file system includes clusters, which are considered as a standard unit of disk space. A cluster is a cell of a certain volume that takes part in the processing of the information contained in it. The size of this cell is determined either automatically or by logical formatting. A cluster of clusters constitutes a disk partition, i.e. part of the physical medium. The unique organization of the file system on disk involves partitioning the physical device in order to:
- there were size restrictions on the part of the specific OS installed on the computer;
- allocate space between users or split the disk into thematic sections;
- It is necessary to install another operating system.
Modern operating systems are able to effectively support a variety of types of partitions, distributing them according to their functional purpose. The most common type allocation model is the creation of the primary, primary, and secondary partitions.
Partitioning a disk is performed using a logical formatting procedure. This file system organization is the process of transforming media space to the requirements of a particular operating system. In this case, it is very important to comply with formatting standards, which establish the rules for the numbering of disks, their naming and status. Most often, modern operating systems break a disk into two areas - system and data space (data). The first is used to manage the data area. The second is intended for placing information about files and directories. Information used during the initial boot of the computer is always located on the first (boot) sector of the disk.