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Author Topic: Flash Drive  (Read 4402 times)

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Carbon Dudeoxide

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Flash Drive
« on: June 17, 2007, 08:57:08 AM »
For a normal Portable Flash Drive, what is the best file system for it. NTFS, FAT or FAT32.
I'm wondering which one is the best choice for best performance of the drive.
I've tried google but I couldn't find anything useful...

Thanks
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patio

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2007, 09:23:30 AM »
NTFS is a "journaling" file system which means it does many more read and writes doing the same thing....

Therefore the drive may not last as long.

But if You're Stubborn here's how to do it.

Personally i just stick with FAT32
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soybean



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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2007, 10:27:29 AM »
I vote FAT32, too.  Based on the flash drives I've purchased, FAT seems to be the default format, the format when new.  I have three flash drives, one a U3 drive.  I formatted the two regular ones FAT32.  I either forgot to format the U3 drive as FAT32 or hesitated because I was unsure of whether it was safe to format that one.   And, now that I've installed some U3 programs on it, I may just leave it as is.
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CBMatt

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2007, 11:49:52 AM »
soybean, how do you feel about the U3 drives?  I just got a couple the other night and although I can see the usefulness of the included software, it bugged me (and I don't feel like I need it), so I used the removal tool.
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Calum

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2007, 11:53:11 AM »
I vote FAT32 as well.
NTFS is slower on smaller volumes and will wear out your drive faster vs. FAT32.
My drives have always come formatted as FAT as well.
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soybean



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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2007, 12:27:09 PM »
Quote from: CBMatt on June 17, 2007, 11:49:52 AM
soybean, how do you feel about the U3 drives?  I just got a couple the other night and although I can see the usefulness of the included software, it bugged me (and I don't feel like I need it), so I used the removal tool.
Well, I'd say I'm not a big fan of them.  The concept of applications that run off a flash drive is neat, but I think I prefer to use software from portableapps.com rather U3.  Portable versions of software from portableapps.com can, as you know, be run from a flash drive without having something like the U3 launchpad installed on the flash drive.  And, a little programs menu panel (you can see it on http://portableapps.com/, the "Suite" menu), similar to U3, can be installed on a flash drive for launching portableapps software, although it is not required.  But, the "Suite" menu does not need to install itself in Windows; you can merely launch it from the flash drive. 
 
With U3, the need to wait for the U3 launchpad to start when you connect the flash drive, and to install it on a computer on which a U3 drive has not previously been used, is a bit annoying. 

I'm going to leave the U3 launchpad software installed on the flash drive for now but may, at some point, remove it. 
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patio

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2007, 12:53:15 PM »
U3 = more propietary garbage...there are better ways to skin a cat.
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Carbon Dudeoxide

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2007, 04:45:04 PM »
And another question, is FAT32 more reliable or what?

Personally, i'm not a big fan of U3 Drives with that software that started up automatically.
Like CBMatt, I gets annoying when you're in a hurry.
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patio

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2007, 04:51:50 PM »
Quote
And another question, is FAT32 more reliable or what?

More reliable than what ? ?
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Carbon Dudeoxide

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2007, 02:50:03 AM »
Is FAT32 it more reliable for storing stuff than FAT?
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reaper_tbs



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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2007, 02:56:06 AM »
FAT? FAT32? NTFS?
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patio

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2007, 05:23:57 PM »
Both file systems are reliable. The overall health of the drive they are used on determines everything else.

FAT32 is the way to go.
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Carbon Dudeoxide

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Re: Flash Drive
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2007, 09:10:29 PM »
Quote from: patio on June 18, 2007, 05:23:57 PM
FAT32 is the way to go.
Cool. Now I have to wait as I copy 2GB over to my HD.....
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