From: "Wojciech Galazka" <wojciech DOT galazka AT polkomtel DOT com DOT pl>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Support for files > 2 GB
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 14:01:15 +0200
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Eli Zaretskii wrote: <2593-Wed18Oct2000192447+0300-eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il>...
>> From: "Wojciech Galazka" <wojciech DOT galazka AT polkomtel DOT com DOT pl>
>>
>> Well, how about a DVD disc  5.4 GB in size with one big file fit onto it?
>> Or files from another filesystem than can be accessed through a
redirector?
>> As I understand that DOS doesn't support files of that size ?
>> Could we work over this 'limitation'?
>
>We cannot work around any limitation of file-oriented system calls
>provided by DOS or Windows for DOS programs.
>
Perhaps, by enhancing the filesystem calls interface?


>But even with FAT32 you cannot go beyond 4GB (give or take a few
>bytes), probably because the offset is a 32-bit entity.

I was thinking of a design a a MSCDEX type redirector that can handle ext2fs
filesystem or more generally an interface that gives access to files larger
than 4 GB. I don't think specifically about the FATxx filesystems as they
are completely unsuitable for large files but rather for filesystem-free
interface. I understand that this would be some sort of a 'nonstandard' and
'extension'  to the original DOS but I didnt't find any solution that
address that DOS limitation. So it's time to invent. :)

>I don't think
>there's any way around that limitation (does Windows 9X even allow
>larger files?).

Win32 API that is present on Windows 9x does not  handle files larger than
2^31-2, or 2 gigabytes less two. This is because all file pointer values are
signed values. So should do DOS under Windows 9x