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#1 2009-02-09 21:05:15

Thalskarth
Member
Registered: 2008-12-02
Posts: 37

Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

Hi. I have an 8Gb USB Stick (USB key or pendrive).

I will use it to store my backups and ocassionaly to move some files between PCs. I don't use windows so i don't need niether want compatibility, so i don't want to use FAT32.

So, wich file system is recomended to use on an usb key??

Should i use ext3, reiserfs, xfs, jfs??? or maybe ext4???


Has any of them any implication with the lifetime of the usb?

Thanks

Last edited by Thalskarth (2009-02-12 03:05:33)


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#2 2009-02-09 21:07:32

BoppreH
Member
Registered: 2009-02-04
Posts: 47

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

Isn't there any chance that you might need to stick it at a Windows based computer?

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#3 2009-02-09 21:14:00

Xyne
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Registered: 2008-08-03
Posts: 6,963
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Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

Wouldn't a journalling filesystem reduce the lifetime of the USB stick?


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#4 2009-02-09 21:16:03

Wintervenom
Member
Registered: 2008-08-20
Posts: 1,011

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

Go with ext2.  You generally do not want a journaled filesystem on a Flash device.  It may cut the device's lifespan by up to fifty percent or more.

Last edited by Wintervenom (2009-02-09 21:17:28)

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#5 2009-02-09 21:16:31

Nikitka
Member
From: Zelenograd, Moscow, Russia
Registered: 2007-12-26
Posts: 11

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

IMHO, journalling file system is needless on a usb key.
ext2 is a good choice.

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#6 2009-02-09 22:10:01

Thalskarth
Member
Registered: 2008-12-02
Posts: 37

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

BoppreH wrote:

Isn't there any chance that you might need to stick it at a Windows based computer?

I use it for backups, so i wont need it. i have another one much smaller for that cases wink

Xyne wrote:

Wouldn't a journalling filesystem reduce the lifetime of the USB stick?

Wintervenom wrote:

Go with ext2.  You generally do not want a journaled filesystem on a Flash device.  It may cut the device's lifespan by up to fifty percent or more.

I was afraid of something like that... thanks for the advice smile

so, ext2 would be the best option, wouldn't it?


Thanks to all for your help smile


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#7 2009-02-11 12:24:17

Thalskarth
Member
Registered: 2008-12-02
Posts: 37

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

sorry for the double post.... but i'm having a little problem.

Finally, i formated the usb key with and ext2 file system... and now, every time i plug it onto my PC is mounted with root permision.

In other words, with my single user i can't write the usb key, only the root user can. I tried to modify the permision, trough the root acount, but it doesn't change anything.

is there a way to resolve this? i don't want to be a root user every time i need to use the usbkey?


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#8 2009-02-11 12:31:03

adamlau
Member
Registered: 2009-01-30
Posts: 418

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

If you are a typical single user on your own box, change the permissions on the mount directory. Usually '/media/disk'. If you have already done so and are still experiencing difficulties (I cannot tell by your post), then you may be experiencing the HAL/PolicyKit issue a number of us have encountered. The resolution (there are actually a few, depending upon the condition of your problem) should be towards the bottom of the HAL Wiki http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/HAL .

Last edited by adamlau (2009-02-11 12:31:34)


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#9 2009-02-11 14:09:51

whompus
Member
From: Durham. UK
Registered: 2005-08-09
Posts: 256

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

To access usb drives/sticks as a normal user

# chgrp storage /media/disk
# chmod 775 /media/disk
# gpasswd -a <user_name> storage

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#10 2009-02-11 20:36:08

ataraxia
Member
From: Pittsburgh
Registered: 2007-05-06
Posts: 1,553

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

Wintervenom wrote:

Go with ext2.  You generally do not want a journaled filesystem on a Flash device.  It may cut the device's lifespan by up to fifty percent or more.

There's also the factor that the journal takes up space, which can be significant for such a small device.

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#11 2009-02-11 20:43:16

damjan
Member
Registered: 2006-05-30
Posts: 451

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

you can also use ext4 without a journal (did that patch got included in 2.6.28??)

anyway, when you mount Linux native filesystems they retain their own permisions (think, same as /home) .. so once mounted, you can change the group or the owner of all files and directories starting from the usb root.

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#12 2009-02-12 03:05:14

Thalskarth
Member
Registered: 2008-12-02
Posts: 37

Re: Wich file system is recomended for an usb key? [SOLVED]

whompus wrote:

To access usb drives/sticks as a normal user

# chgrp storage /media/disk
# chmod 775 /media/disk
# gpasswd -a <user_name> storage

i've tried this and it worked!!... thanks for the help smile


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