Disk and File Systems

All operating systems include support for a variety of file
systems. Modern file systems are made up of directories. While the
idea is similar in concept across all general purpose file systems, some
differences in implementation exist.

Two examples of this are the character that is used to separate
directories and case sensitivity. By default, Microsoft Windows
separates its path components with a backslash and its file names are
not case sensitive.

However, UNIX and Linux derived operating systems along with
Mac OS use the forward slash and their file names are generally case
sensitive. Some versions of Mac OS (those prior to OS X) use a color
for a path separator.

File systems are either journaled or non-journaled. A journaled
file system is a safer alternative in the event of a system crash. If a
system comes to an abrupt stop in a crash scenario, the non-journaled
system will need to be examined by the system check utilities. On the
other hand, a journaled file systems recovery is automatic.

The file systems vary between operating systems, but common
to all these is support for file systems typically found on removable
media like CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. They also provide for the
rewriting of CDs and DVDs as storage mediums.

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Memory Management