Re: document ext3 requirements

Alexander E. Patrakov
2009-01-04T13:36:52Z

Pavel Machek wrote:
[CC: Alan Cox because of his reply in the "XFS internal error" thread]

> Using ext3 is only safe if storage subsystem meets certain
> criteria. Document those.

Thanks for this patch. However, after reading this, I have a stupid
question: which file system should I use if I had to reinstall my
computers from scratch now?

Ext3 means either hardware that supports barriers (not sure how to
check, and anyway I have to use encryption on the work laptop due to the
corporate policy) or disabling write cache (but, as Alan Cox said, this
shortens the lifespan of the disk). Does this requirement apply to other
journaling filesystems? Do I need journaling at all, given that I have
an UPS on my desktop and a battery in the laptop?

--
Alexander E. Patrakov