(BTW I'm running Xubuntu 15.04)

I'm starting to understand Luckybackup. And gold_finger said:

I know the EXT4 is more friendly to Linux but all my flash drives are FAT32 (and I'll be backing up to those flash drives) and I'd really like to keep them that way (because sometimes I do plug them into Windows machines--and I know FAT32 works with both Windows and Linux). So is there any reason I would have to use Ext4 and not FAT32 in backing up stuff in LuckyBackup?

I confess to great ignorance about the difference between the EXT and FAT formats. Like if I do format a flash drive to EXT 4 and want to plug the flash drive into a Windows computer it just doesn't work? Like, what's the advantage to using EXT4 then if FAT 32 works with Linux and Windows? What are the disadvantages to using EXT4?

Thanks.

ext4 will be able to store rights. ext4 can also be handled by windows (you can look for driver)
The only disadvantage I know is what you mentioned, there is no native driver on windows (and probably a bit slower)

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Filesystem limitations i.e. max file size and permissions are the basic differences between the two. So yes it would be advisable to use a native filesystem.

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Thanks guys

FAT32 is a terrible filesystem. No journaling, no support for owners/permissions, 4 GB file size limit, 2 TB volume size limit, etc. It's ONLY (and I do mean only) redeeming quality is its portability. Unless you ABSOLUTELY NEED that portability, FAT32 should be avoided like the plague. Especially on such a volatile medium as a USB flash drive where the lack of journaling is going to bite you in the ass before too long. Using USB flash drives for backup is bad enough, using FAT32 for it is 10x worse.

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Thanks. Okay. So I format the usb drive to EXT4. Then when I want to plug the drive into a Windows computer or send it to somebody that uses a Windows computer, then what? (And I am not challenging your thinking. I'm just ignorant about how it will all play out if I use EXT4.)

Why would you be sending a USB drive containing a backup of your Linux system to a Windows user? A system backup, if you plan to ever use it to restore, needs to be done on a native filesystem. This means you will not be able to use it on an OS that does not support that filesystem. Asking how to do backups of a Linux system to a device that will also be shared with Windows is like asking what kind of tires you need to use on a combine tractor that pulls double duty as a drag racer. It makes no sense.

Anyway, they would either need to use one of those ext drivers for Windows (I've heard mixed results), or you could use NTFS for your backup drive if it must be shared with Windows users. You will lose the ability to properly restore your system from this backup though, which kind of defeats the purpose of a backup...

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My bad, suicidal. I'm not backing up the file system or OS. I'm backing up data. Specifically I'm a writer so it would be mostly .epubs, .mobis and .odts. So am I okay sticking with FAT32 for this purpose?

Yes for that purpose FAT32 would probably be ok, but I would lean more toward NTFS for the added protection.

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Agreed by giving someone else your drive you can not assume that you will get it back in the same condition. Not the best backup plan. If necessary you can create separate partitions i.e. ext4 and NTFS but again I would not trust others with your backups.

P.S If your not backing up system files then NTFS is the way to go.

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if you MUST be able to have Microsoft users read files
format SOME thumb drives to Microsoft's NTFS "©,®" format
now for LINUX backup it ALSO is garbage
no support for file permissions

but
every linux and Windows os can read it

but DO NOT!!! use it for linux back up's !!!!
you the format that the os uses ( ext4 likely)

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Thanks

Thanks michaelk. I mispoke. I'm not giving anybody the drives. I just want to be able to plug them into Windows computers myself and have them work. I just don't know that much about drives and formatting. Like, what happens if I format the drive to EXT 4 and plug it into a Windows computer? Will my data be there? Will I be able to open it?

I'm a writer and I figure by using FAT32 I'm using what's already on my usb drives and what will work with both Linux and Windows computers. It just seeemd to make sense.

And like NTFS does that work with Linux and Windows? And what makes it better than FAT32? And would all this switching around really be worth it?

I'm definitely going with the FAT32 then. Kidding! LOL (You just got so excited about it I couldln't resist.)

I'm just ignorant about the formatting and I'm no purist. Yes, (my Xubuntu is ext4) it would make sense to format the drive the same way, but the FAT32 formatted drives have been working great for years. I guess I'm tired of changing everything all the time. Isn't there something to 'if it works, don't fix it'? And if it gives me the added flexibility of plugging it into a Windows box, hey, that makes my life just a little easier.

if you use Fat32 and NOT the native microsoft NTFS
--- BE WARNED!! ---

you will NEVER be able to save a file bigger than 4 gig
you can NOT put a dvd image in a fat 32 partition
dvd's are 4.7 gig
0.7 gigs BIGGER that the biggest aloud file on fat

use NTFS!!!

this is NOT 1995 any more

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