FAT12 / FAT16
| Format | FAT12 / FAT16 |
|---|---|
| Short name | FAT12/16 |
| Category | filesystem |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, QNX |
| Crush support | Supported (RawImageVFS) |
| Status | Reviewed |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-12 |
Forensic relevance
The 12- and 16-bit File Allocation Table variants, found on small volumes, old media, floppy images and some embedded devices. Directory entries have the same layout as on FAT32. The boot sector's filesystem-type string is informational only; per the specification the FAT type is decided by the cluster count.
Signatures
| Offset | Hex | ASCII (non-printable as .) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| offset 54 (0x36) | 46 41 54 31 32 20 20 20 | FAT12 | Filesystem type string 'FAT12 ' (informational field) |
| offset 54 (0x36) | 46 41 54 31 36 20 20 20 | FAT16 | Filesystem type string 'FAT16 ' (informational field) |
| offset 54 (0x36) | 54 46 41 54 31 36 20 20 | TFAT16 | Filesystem type string 'TFAT16 ' (informational field; Windows CE transaction-safe FAT) |
Known extensions
None recorded
References
- File Allocation Table (FAT) format (libyal/libfsfat) https://github.com/libyal/libfsfat/blob/main/documentation/File%20Allocation%20Table%20(FAT)%20format.asciidoc
- ForensicsWiki — FAT https://forensics.wiki/fat/
- abrignoni/qnxprobe — MBR/GPT, LVM2 and filesystem reader for raw images (QNX6/QNX4, ETFS, EFS, ext2/3/4, F2FS, FAT32/16/12, exFAT, NTFS, HFS+, APFS, QNX IFS, SquashFS, JFFS2, UBI/UBIFS, YAFFS) https://github.com/abrignoni/qnxprobe
Cite this entry
Crush Format Reference, “FAT12 / FAT16”. https://kalink0.github.io/crush-forensics/formats/fat12-16/ — source: crush/data/build_formats_db.py at commit 640a2a9928f4e36a976b89901512a8dce824d093, built 2026-10-21 06:46:19 UTC.
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