ext2 for root file system

[yellowruby]

Hello, is it possible to specify that the root file system "/" be ext2, instead of the default ext4, like you can on a Ubuntu install? I want a non-journaling file system for my Vortexbox system, so I can install it on a USB stick. ext4 is journaling and will fry a USB stick if you put the system on it. Thanks!

[divreg]

Sure, choose Advanced Install and you can do everything Fedora can do, and format partitions anyway you want.

[yellowruby]

Ah, will give it a try. Didn't recall seeing the option in there, so I must've overlooked it. Thank you!

[divreg]

Yep, it's there. Do "Use entire disk", click "Edit", double click "/" and where it says ext4, just chang that to ext2. Install.

[yellowruby]

Thank you!

[audiosteve]

Hello, is it possible to specify that the root file system "/" be ext2, instead of the default ext4, like you can on a Ubuntu install? I want a non-journaling file system for my Vortexbox system, so I can install it on a USB stick. ext4 is journaling and will fry a USB stick if you put the system on it. Thanks!

Would it make sense to do this with an SSD as well? I recently set up my sys so /storage is on its own 2T hard disk and the rest of the system is on a 32G SSD. The SSD is a lower end MLC type from Corsair.

[divreg]

I am no expert on the subject, but here are some things to consider:

a) I came across this: http://robert.penz.name/137/no-swap-...stem-on-a-ssd/ and this was back when people did get shotty SSD's. The conclusion is it will take a long time to burn out an SSD due to paging.

b) From the Arch Wiki:

Cells wear out. Consumer MLC cells at mature 50nm processes can handle 10000 writes each; 35nm generally handles 5000 writes, and 25nm 3000 (smaller being higher density and cheaper). If writes are properly spread out, are not too small, and align well with cells, this translates into a lifetime write volume for the SSD that is a multiple of its capacity. Daily write volumes have to be balanced against life expectancy.

c) One thing you can do right now is alter /proc/sys/vm/swappiness to strongly discourage swapping (change 60 to 1) [LINK]. You should have a good amount of RAM.

echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness

d) How to optimize linux for an ext4 filesystem on an SSD: http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/fo...ighlight=linux

You can optimize your ext4 install as it is currently if you are paranoid about burning out the SSD. I wouldn't worry about it, however. The stuff I've seen says you'll be buying a new computer long before you burnout your SSD. Also, going with a two disk install doesn't mean you have to use an SSD, you can buy a low-storage 2.5" laptop HDD instead. Then again, no super fast boot times.

This is just information I've gathered from the internet. I've tried some of the tweaks and don't seem to have any problems. But, be careful and always RTFM before messing with the kernel and the filesystem.

I hope some of this is useful.

[audiosteve]

Thanks, divreg. Good stuff. Probably the best thing I can do for my SSD is add more RAM. Which is cheap.

[divreg]

I have 4GB of RAM in my standard 2+ disk install of VortexBox. Without any tweaks, I still experienced paging even though only 900MBs of RAM were being utilized -- usually when I was doing 20GB file transfers. After applying the code in (c), I have experienced very little paging, if any. The only time my VB experience paging is on serious tasks far beyond what normal VB is designed for (it's also my programming, folding@home, and virtualization server).

[audiosteve]

divreg, I tried chaging the swappiness and can verify that it is changed by doing a 'cat' on the file after the change. But it always reverts back to 60 after a reboot. Any idea how to get around this?
Thanks..