Recently I needed to move some files from one laptop to another. Firstly, I used a stick that had NTFS on it and it failed to unmount/mount. It was my mistake. I know that NTFS is not the best choice. I formatted it to FAT32, but the transfer was extremely slow. So, I formatted it to ext4 and finally everything works as it should, but, of course, I won't be able to use these sticks with Windows machines, my audio system or TV. ExFat is another file system from Microsoft. Do you have the same problems with FAT32 and NTFS or it's just a problem with my USB sicks?
Solved Best filesystem for USB sticks
- Thread starter Tritone
- Start date
Solved issue
You can get a free ext2 filesystem driver for Windows (at least you -used- to be able to get such). I do keep a USB stick or two around that's formatted with a Windows native file system for sharing files, since not all Windows users (really, none of them) will have the ext2 driver. But I use ext4 on most of my USB sticks. I'm not using them so much that the journaling is going to wear them out appreciably faster.
you format the usb drive to what you need. if you need windows support. fat32 is usually fine unless you have files over 2 gig. then exfat but as already mentioned you have issues. I have never had issue with ntfs which is also good for transfers to windows. all the other formats either need special drivers in windows to work or just used for linux which reads them fine.
Ext4 will work as long as you are only going from one linux system to another, If at any point you need those file on Windows you'll have problems. I've never had a probblem with fat32 on usb's .
909mjolnir
Member
Does anybody know if F2FS is working on Windows?
The other big advantage of exFat over fat32, is file size. fat32 only supports files smaller than 4GB.
You can't copy a 8GB iso file to a fat32 USB drive, even if the drive is 32GB.
There really is no reason not to use exFat.
You can't copy a 8GB iso file to a fat32 USB drive, even if the drive is 32GB.
There really is no reason not to use exFat.
I looked up f2fs mostly because I never heard of it. but I hear it is supposed to be readable in linux but I never saw an option to format in that. I doubt it works in windows. M$ doesn't even give options beyond their own file systems. You will probably get f2fs to work after you purchase a patch or driver to use it.
To make Windows read Linux filesystems.
For $30.00 US
www.paragon-software.com
For free
www.diskinternals.com
I still say use exFat.
For $30.00 US
Linux File Systems for Windows | Paragon Software
Plug hard disk with ExtFS/Btrfs/XFS partitions and work with media on Windows.
www.paragon-software.com
For free
Freeware Linux Reader™ for Windows
Need to access files on Linux? Easy! Here is a freeware tool for extracting files from Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, HFS and ReiserFS partitions in Windows.
www.diskinternals.com
I still say use exFat.
spending money for something that M$ should have put in to start with really grinds me the wrong way. That is like buying a car and then they offer you some extras, like steering wheel, fuel tank. all for a small extra fee.To make Windows read Linux filesystems.
For $30.00 US
Linux File Systems for Windows | Paragon Software
Plug hard disk with ExtFS/Btrfs/XFS partitions and work with media on Windows.
For free
Freeware Linux Reader™ for Windows
Need to access files on Linux? Easy! Here is a freeware tool for extracting files from Ext2/Ext3/Ext4, HFS and ReiserFS partitions in Windows.
I still say use exFat.
I agree exfat or fat32 or ntfs which you need not pay extra for, will work great.
If you use ntfs, you lose file ownership and permissions. Both the linux permissions on the windows, and windows permissions on the linux side. You can't boot from a ntfs partition. ntfs performance is usually slower on linux that other file systems. If you must use ntfs in Linux, make sure you are using a 5.15 kernel or newer! Old kernels can cause corruption. I recommend ntfsfix before you mount them.
www.techrepublic.com
Linux kernel 5.15 is available, and it has something special for NTFS users | TechRepublic
The latest Linux kernel has been released with a couple of features that should have serious appeal to business users and admins alike.
www.techrepublic.com
Last edited:
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Many moons ago, (around 5 or perhaps 6 years) I transferred a handful of files.....mainly written data/communications from government agencies/.eml files etc ......to a partition of around 600GB on a 2TB drive
The file system chosen (not by me) was fuse (file system in user space) This 'choice ' was made automagically. It was not a deliberate choice on my part.
To this day I can still open etc etc those files.
The files which have been added to that partition since then are varied....pics, backups of zim wiki, bitwarden backups, there are even a few recipes, .pdf's, .odt's, screenshots etc.... a really varied assortment. They all open.
Windows does not play any part in my arrangement. It was banished 10+ years ago
The file system chosen (not by me) was fuse (file system in user space) This 'choice ' was made automagically. It was not a deliberate choice on my part.
To this day I can still open etc etc those files.
The files which have been added to that partition since then are varied....pics, backups of zim wiki, bitwarden backups, there are even a few recipes, .pdf's, .odt's, screenshots etc.... a really varied assortment. They all open.
Windows does not play any part in my arrangement. It was banished 10+ years ago
Alright... I'll ask...
Why should MSFT have put in support for the various file systems (and which one, exactly, do you mean as we have many options.)?
From what I can tell, there's literally zero incentive for them to invest the time and money to do so - and even less of a reason for them to pay to maintain said features. I don't think that's something they should have done. It'd be nice if they did but that's not their responsibility. (They don't support APFS either.)
That's the problem. I've already managed to give a Windows user an USB stick with Ext4 on it. As you may guess, it didn't work.
I had a very bad one today. It took 5 min. to transfer 400MB of data to the stick with FAT32. The same stick formatted to Ext4 worked with expected speed. Then I realized that I've already had similar issues in the past. Strange...
I'm gonna try extFat next time.
I am spoiled by linux. a system that gives us everything including freedom to do what we want on our equipment. so when I see apple and M$ treating your equipment like it is theirs, that bothers me. for them it is all about how much money they can squeeze out of each of us. As Linux grows, M$ will have to start supporting stuff other than their own. But then that would mean they are listening to customers and that is a long way off.
file this in the folder labeled "I hate M$ and do not trust anything about them" can insert apple in that too lately.
sounds like usb2 speeds. I have been upgrading everything to usb3 if you do that you'll see massive increases in speed. However the file system issues don't change. hopefully your friend didn't format the chip because I am sure windows said it needed formatting to read.That's the problem. I've already managed to give a Windows user an USB stick with Ext4 on it. As you may guess, it didn't work.
I had a very bad one today. It took 5 min. to transfer 400MB of data to the stick with FAT32. The same stick formatted to Ext4 worked with expected speed. Then I realized that I've already had similar issues in the past. Strange...
I'm gonna try extFat next time.
That'd be more accurate than suggesting that they should support what to them is a rounding error's worth of software.
Much slower than USB 2, but it was the same stick, the same laptop, the same OS, so it must have been something else.
CaffeineAddict
Well-Known Member
All 3 of my USB's are ext4 and external HDD is also ext4, that works because I'm not thinking even remotely about Windows compatibility.
if yes then possible problem could be your file manager, e.g. Dolphin in KDE has option to disable parsing resources out of exe files, the tool that does this
You can run
Did you transfer Windows specific files such as *.exe files?
if yes then possible problem could be your file manager, e.g. Dolphin in KDE has option to disable parsing resources out of exe files, the tool that does this
wrestool.You can run
htop, then switch to I/O tab, transfer something to reproduce and watch which program is consuming I/O.No. They were photos and video files.
I'm gonna do the same. I will format them to ext4 and that should solve the problem.
