[Linux-usb-users] 4 GB USB flash disk with FAT ok, with ext3 corrupted files

[Miernik]

On Sat, Jun 16, 2007 at 05:20:46PM -0400, Alan Stern wrote:
> This is a little misleading.  You are comparing the "df" output for 
> /dev/sda1 with a transfer to /dev/sda.  Furthermore the units are 
> different; df uses 1-KB blocks and dd uses 512-byte blocks.

The point of doing dd was to find out if there will be any errors, not
to check the size.

> It would help to see the output from "fdisk -l /dev/sda".

debian105:~# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 4288 MB, 4288676352 bytes
132 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8184 * 512 = 4190208 bytes

Disk /dev/sda doesn't contain a valid partition table
debian105:~#

Ah, that was after the dd zeroing. I created the partition table and partition,
and here it is again:

debian105:~# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 4288 MB, 4288676352 bytes
132 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8184 * 512 = 4190208 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        1023     4186085   83  Linux
debian105:~#

And created the filesystem:

debian105:~# mkfs.ext3 /dev/sda1
mke2fs 1.40-WIP (14-Nov-2006)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
523264 inodes, 1046521 blocks
52326 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=1073741824
32 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
16352 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
        32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736

Writing inode tables: done
Creating journal (16384 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 29 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first.  Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
debian105:~# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 4288 MB, 4288676352 bytes
132 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 8184 * 512 = 4190208 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        1023     4186085   83  Linux
debian105:~#

Did it help?

Is this a bug in ext3 code?
My USB sticks are broken?
Bug in kernel USB subsystem?
My USB ports suck?

Whatever else? Did anyone see any cheap no-name USB 4 GB stick work with ext3?
The seller of these sticks got plenty of positive comments on the auction site,
and no complaints, so they work for everyone besides me. But porbably everyone
else uses windows. I don't have a windows system to test this.

-- 
Miernik
http://miernik.name/