File systems, ext3 vs FAT32

[pcoud]

Hello,

At the beginning, my USB drive for recordings was formatted with a large FAT32 partition. As the drive filled up with recordings, I began to get some file lost (0 KB files).

I then reformatted the drive to ext3. Since then, recordings were reliable. However, the situation is not trouble-free:
- I cannot unmount ("disconnect") the drive from the interactive menu. I must log through telnet and unmount manually. I don't understand why, as the wiki reports that connecting and disconnecting the drive should be done through the menu.

- using files hosted on an ext3 fs from windows tools is problematic: file system driver for windows such as ext2fsd seems to corrupt the file system (fsck reports lots of error after write operation on the ext3 fs in windows)

So I'm considering going back to FAT32, but I would like to clarify these issues:

1) has the FAT32 support been improved on current 2.x firmwares. I mean, are recording reliable ?

2) does current firmware include support for large FAT32 partitions (> 128 GB). Is it reliable ?

3) To avoid fragmentation, I would like to divide my drive into 3 partitions (to allow easy transfer and reformat). Is it possible to choose the partition to mount from the menu, or will the m740 always mount the first partition?

Thanks for your help or comments

P.

[gambler]

hi pcoud



- I cannot unmount ("disconnect") the drive from the interactive menu. I must log through telnet and unmount manually. I don't understand why, as the wiki reports that connecting and disconnecting the drive should be done through the menu.
this is strange, it works for me



- using files hosted on an ext3 fs from windows tools is problematic: file system driver for windows such as ext2fsd seems to corrupt the file system (fsck reports lots of error after write operation on the ext3 fs in windows)

writing files to ext3 through this tools is a bit problematic because this driver supports only ext2 for writing, they can't modify the journal, as i know.



1) has the FAT32 support been improved on current 2.x firmwares. I mean, are recording reliable ?
[QUOTE]
seems to be, no big problems were reported to this issue

[QUOTE]
2) does current firmware include support for large FAT32 partitions (> 128 GB). Is it reliable ?

jep, this was fixed a long time ago



3) To avoid fragmentation, I would like to divide my drive into 3 partitions (to allow easy transfer and reformat). Is it possible to choose the partition to mount from the menu, or will the m740 always mount the first partition?

as far as i know, the box only mounts the first patition

greetz
gambler

[VencaN]

Hello,

- I cannot unmount ("disconnect") the drive from the interactive menu. I must log through telnet and unmount manually. I don't understand why, as the wiki reports that connecting and disconnecting the drive should be done through the menu.


I must confirm I have the similar problem with unmounting of USB disc too (version 2.1). When I want to umnount the USB disc I must shutdown my M740AV (Power mode) and then the disc can be unplugged without any problem, of course next option is connect there by telnet and enter unmount command manually ( it is faster if your PC is switched on).

Regards
Vaclav

[redzabu]

Hi all,

I use Ext2 and don't have any problems mounting & unmounting the device(s).

I wander if it makes sense to use Ext3 in this configuration: the extra-journaling functions do not seem to be very usefull on the M740 box - or am I wrong ?

Anyway Ext2 functions flawlessly (Lemmi 2.01).