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Old 09-16-2018, 04:29 AM   #1
turboscrew
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Which filesystem type?


Usually whan I install a Linux distro, the installer suggests using ext4, but I recall seeing that ext3 might be better due to more (recovery)tools supporting it.
Is that still the case, or which one would you suggest?
 
Old 09-16-2018, 04:47 AM   #2
pan64
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I would recommend you to use ext4 if <something else> was not explicitly written/specified.
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 05:42 AM   #3
jsbjsb001
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pan64 View Post
I would recommend you to use ext4 if <something else> was not explicitly written/specified.
Same here. It's widely supported in Linux, can't see you having any issues. I've been using it for years and years now and never had any problem with it, unless the drive itself was failing.
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 06:30 AM   #4
hydrurga
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To confirm what the other posters are saying, use ext4. It's mature. In essence the difference between ext3 and ext4 is additional functionality in ext4 - they use the same driver for example.
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 09:17 AM   #5
fatmac
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As above, ext4 is a step up from ext3, if you only have small disks/SDHC cards/pendrives, you could use ext2, (no recovery journal).
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 01:22 PM   #6
mrmazda
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turboscrew View Post
Usually whan I install a Linux distro, the installer suggests using ext4, but I recall seeing that ext3 might be better due to more (recovery)tools supporting it.
Still technically true about the tools, but not likely important unless you are wedded to old versions of recovery media and tools.
Quote:
Is that still the case, or which one would you suggest?
https://kernelnewbies.org/Ext4 makes it pretty clear EXT4 is the way to go. There are reasons not to that it doesn't mention. One is that 64bit feature became default over two years ago, long before that page's last update. Some older tools and drivers don't support 64bit, among which Grub Legacy for those still wedded to its simplicity compared to Grub2, and/or its superior Gfxboot implementation. Debian's Grub Legacy (and all Debian derivations, such as Linuxmint and *buntu) doesn't support EXT4 at all. If your favorite or only available rescue media is older it could fail you when you need it most.
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 03:46 PM   #7
turboscrew
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I'm mostly using Debian and Mint... and all my machines use MBR...

Last edited by turboscrew; 09-16-2018 at 03:48 PM.
 
Old 09-16-2018, 04:15 PM   #8
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I suggest gpt, grub2, and ext4
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 04:44 PM   #9
wpeckham
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Unless you have a special/specific use case that recommends something else, stick with EXT4.
 
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Old 09-16-2018, 08:26 PM   #10
frankbell
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A web search for "ext3 ext4 compared" will turn up some useful (and some useless) articles and opinions.

ext4 has matured over the years, so it would be wise to note the date of any article.

I agree with the others. Use ext4.
 
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Old 09-17-2018, 01:17 PM   #11
turboscrew
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OK. From now on, ext4 it is.
Thank you all.
 
  


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