XFS or ext3?

**xxosix** · 03-23-2005

This is for a laptop. I would like to know which is the best choice between ext3 and XFS. No Reiserfs, thanks anyway. This is a dual-boot configuration, Linux=hda2.
The main concerns are first reliability/stability, second speed/overall access performance.
The kernel is 2.4.22-xfs from Knoppix 3.3, but will soon be compiling 2.6.x.x.
System will be general purpose workstation & tailoring the Knoppix installation.
Probably no db use or server, though that could change.
My experience is ext3, but I'm interested in XFS and any advice from experience.
thanks

**CoffeeMonster** · 03-23-2005

There is noway in hell you should use xfs, use IBM's jfs or ext3, xfs is only for a specfic type of system. I tried it once on suse 9.1, and it screwed up my installation I forgot what type of system it's for but dont use it.

**dylunio** · 03-23-2005

Originally Posted by LinuxFormat

XFS was created by SGI for its IRIX Unix flavour as a high-performance and scalable replacement for the earlier EFS. the Linux port was relesed as Open Source in early 2000. Despite being only officially merged with the 2.4 serise kernel with v2.4.25, it has been shipped as an option with many distros for quite some time. XFS makes extensive useof balenced trees, has native support for extended attribtes and boasts unique features such as supporting guarenteed bandwidth access to a filesystem

I personnaly do not like the ext3 filesystem since it is a journalling hack applied to ext2. I'd naturally go for reiser after that, but you don't want to use reiser I'd go for JFS which is another journalled filesystem. read the above quote for a summary of XFS, though I think JFS (or reiser) is better.

dylunio

**Giro** · 03-24-2005

Normally its, reiserfs is good for lots of smaller files, JFS & XFS for large files >2Gb (XFS has had more usage thus more testing then JFS the last time I read about them). I only use JFS on my database partition the rest is reiser since its quick.

**TDave** · 03-24-2005

Slightly related....

mke2fs -j /dev/hda would create which filesystem?

My thoughts were ext3, but seeing all the stuff about jfs makes me think...

Are there any useful web-based links to explain the filesystem choices in more detail?

Sorry, probably an irrelevant question by a now paranoid would-be-gentoo user..

**dylunio** · 03-24-2005

TDave,

Code:

mke2fs -j /dev/hda

would make your hard drive into the ext3 filesystem, wich is a jourlalling hack for the ext2 filesystem, you create ext without the -j option

Code:

mke2fs /dev/hda

to make a reiserfs format use,

Code:

mkreiserfs /dev/hda

For a guid to filsystems you might want to look here.

dylunio

**gwalters** · 03-24-2005

i use xfs and like it. its so much faster than ext3 or resiser(spelling) but, dont let the power go out or your sol.

**drakebasher** · 03-24-2005

Another possibly informative HOWTO link:

Linux + XFS HOWTO : Linux on Steroids Updated: May 2002. Describes how to build a Linux system that runs on top of the SGI XFS journaling filesystem. [/url]

**CoffeeMonster** · 03-25-2005

Nope JFS owns XFS, reiser is just a rip off.

Ive always used IBM's Native JFS, and it's good for securtiy and it's stable.

**Flatline** · 03-25-2005

XFS and JFS are both good filesystems and they knock the pants off of ext3 in benchmarks. I've heard that XFS has the best recovery tools, but I've never needed to use them, so I can't comment on that personally (although, come to think of it, it's a good sign that I've never had to use the tools

)

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