Arch Linux

eleius

Member

Registered: 2017-04-25

Posts: 28

Slow copy operation to USB disks

When I move a file to an external (USB 2.0) HDD and run the "sync" command, it takes a lot of time before it finishes and I can finally disconnect the volume.

If I try the command: watch -n 0.5 grep -e Dirty: -e Writeback: /proc/meminfo

I see "dirty" memory decreasing very slowly (about 200kb/sec)

lsusb -vvv gives:

Bus 001 Device 013: ID 18a5:0214 Verbatim, Ltd Portable Hard Drive
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0
  bDeviceSubClass         0
  bDeviceProtocol         0
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x18a5 Verbatim, Ltd

Any idea what could be causing this?

x33a

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2009-08-15

Posts: 4,587

Re: Slow copy operation to USB disks

Does it happen with all of your USB drives? Which filesystem are you using on that?

HiImTye

Member

From: Halifax, NS, Canada

Registered: 2012-05-09

Posts: 1,072

Re: Slow copy operation to USB disks

typically, data writes to the USB buffer very quickly (you'll get to 100% almost immediately), and then the speed to write to the USB device is determined by the USB version of the USB port and USB device you're using, so it can take a lot of time to write out to the device.

Last edited by HiImTye (2017-06-02 16:16:39)

ugjka

Member

From: Latvia

Registered: 2014-04-01

Posts: 1,962

Website

Re: Slow copy operation to USB disks

if the filesystem is fat use "flush" mount option

eleius

Member

Registered: 2017-04-25

Posts: 28

Re: Slow copy operation to USB disks

Does it happen with all of your USB drives? Which filesystem are you using on that?

Ntfs. Just tried on a different (3.0 usb, ntfs) hdd, and it's a lot faster. So maybe the problem is the other drive.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 78,887

Re: Slow copy operation to USB disks

Plasma desktop? Tried to disable baloo?

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eleius

Member

Registered: 2017-04-25

Posts: 28

Re: Slow copy operation to USB disks

Plasma desktop? Tried to disable baloo?

It's Gnome 3.24 but it doesn't seem related to the DE.