On a FAT16 based Windows system, what is the typical maximum partition or hard drive size that can be addressed using standard sector and cluster sizes?

Introduction / Context:
File systems define how an operating system organizes and addresses data on a storage device. FAT16 is an older file system that was used by early versions of DOS and Windows. One of its limitations is the maximum partition size that can be addressed with its cluster and table structure. Knowing these limits is important for understanding legacy systems and for exam questions on operating systems and storage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The file system in question is FAT16, not FAT32 or NTFS.
• We are discussing typical Microsoft implementations of FAT16 on Windows systems.
• Standard assumptions about sector size and maximum cluster counts apply.
• We are interested in the practical maximum partition size commonly quoted for FAT16 in Windows.

Concept / Approach:
FAT16 uses a 16 bit field for cluster numbers. This limits the total number of addressable clusters. Combined with typical sector sizes and cluster sizes used by Windows implementations, this results in a maximum practical partition size of about 2 gigabytes. While some nonstandard configurations and other operating systems have pushed this limit slightly, exam questions and Microsoft documentation usually state 2 gigabytes as the maximum supported partition size for FAT16 in common use.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that FAT16 uses 16 bit entries to represent clusters in the file allocation table.Step 2: Recognize that this limits the number of clusters that can be addressed to a value that is on the order of tens of thousands.Step 3: Combine this limit with typical cluster sizes, such as 32 kilobytes, to compute the maximum addressable partition size.Step 4: The resulting practical limit used by Windows implementations is around 2 gigabytes for FAT16 partitions.Step 5: Compare this figure with the options and choose the one that matches 2 gigabytes.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you have worked with older Windows versions such as Windows 95 or early Windows 98 in FDISK, you may have noticed that creating partitions larger than 2 gigabytes required switching to FAT32. Documentation and many textbooks likewise mention that FAT16 partitions on Windows are limited to about 2 gigabytes. This real world experience confirms the theoretical calculation based on cluster count and cluster size.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is incorrect because 32 gigabytes is a limit associated with some FAT32 formatting tools, not with FAT16. Option C, 8 gigabytes, exceeds the typical practical FAT16 limit for Windows and would require nonstandard cluster sizes or implementations. Option D, 500 gigabytes, is far beyond what FAT16 can support and is associated with newer file systems such as NTFS.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse FAT16 and FAT32 limits or assume that all FAT based systems have similar capacities. Another pitfall is to rely on theoretical maximums without considering what particular operating systems actually implement in practice. For exam purposes, it is safest to remember the commonly cited Windows limit of about 2 gigabytes for FAT16 partitions, which is widely accepted in introductory courses.

Final Answer:
The typical maximum partition size for a FAT16 based Windows system is approximately 2 gigabytes, which corresponds to option A.