Chapter 10. Windows File Systems

The file system is the structure used by the OS to name, store, organize, secure, and of course locate files on the various storage devices that can be connected to a computer. The primary goal of a file system is to allow the efficient storage and retrieval of data in the form of files, to control access to those files, as well as to keep them safe and secure. Good file systems store not only the file itself, but also metadata for the file. Metadata literally translates as “data about data,” and is used by the file system to help categorize, organize, control, manipulate, secure, and protect the files. Simple examples of file metadata include the date and timestamp that a file was created, file attributes, pointers ...

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