mkfs.ext3 or mkfs.msdos

[Karl Larsen]

Bart Silverstrim wrote:
> James Gray wrote:
>
>   
>> FWIW, you might want to do a little research into filesystems on flash 
>> media as some (like ext2/3) are not particular "nice" to them when you 
>> considered the finite write cycles.  Superblocks really aren't very 
>> friendly to flash media, and to date, there aren't any filesystems (that 
>> I've seen anyway) that have a wide compatibility base and designed 
>> specifically for use on flash drives.
>>     
>
> Did you have a gander at
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory#Flash_file_systems
>
> ?
>
> -Bart
>
>   
    I did gander and found this as very important:

In practice, flash file systems are only used for "Memory Technology 
Devices <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_Technology_Device>" 
("MTD"), which are embedded flash memories that do not have a 
controller. Removable flash memory cards 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_card> and USB flash drives 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive> have built-in controllers 
to perform wear-levelling <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wear-levelling> 
and error correction <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Error_correction> so 
use of a specific flash file system does not add any benefit. These 
removable flash memory devices use the FAT 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Allocation_Table> file system to 
allow universal compatibility with computers, cameras, PDAs and other 
portable devices with memory card slots or ports.

    If I read this right, it means "wear-leveling" is built in to a 
special controller on the devise. The file system on the devise is the 
one that works with the most systems, a FAT file system.

    So I am back to saying lets forget ext2/3 for these devices and 
either keep what they come with, or, if now ext3, make them a FAT file 
system that most things can load.


Karl


-- 

	Karl F. Larsen, AKA K5DI
	Linux User
	#450462   http://counter.li.org.
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