NAME¶
filesystems - Linux file-system types: minix, ext, ext2, ext3, ext4, Reiserfs,
XFS, JFS, xia, msdos, umsdos, vfat, ntfs, proc, nfs, iso9660, hpfs, sysv, smb,
ncpfs
DESCRIPTION¶
When, as is customary, the
proc file system is mounted on
/proc,
you can find in the file
/proc/filesystems which file systems your
kernel currently supports. If you need a currently unsupported one, insert the
corresponding module or recompile the kernel.
In order to use a file system, you have to
mount it; see
mount(8).
Below a short description of a few of the available file systems.
- minix
- is the file system used in the Minix operating system, the
first to run under Linux. It has a number of shortcomings: a 64MB
partition size limit, short filenames, a single timestamp, etc. It remains
useful for floppies and RAM disks.
- ext
- is an elaborate extension of the minix file system.
It has been completely superseded by the second version of the extended
file system (ext2) and has been removed from the kernel (in
2.1.21).
- ext2
- is the high performance disk file system used by Linux for
fixed disks as well as removable media. The second extended file system
was designed as an extension of the extended file system (ext).
ext2 offers the best performance (in terms of speed and CPU usage)
of the file systems supported under Linux.
- ext3
- is a journaling version of the ext2 file system. It is easy
to switch back and forth between ext2 and ext3.
- ext4
- is a set of upgrades to ext3 including substantial
performance and reliability enhancements, plus large increases in volume,
file, and directory size limits.
- Reiserfs
- is a journaling file system, designed by Hans Reiser, that
was integrated into Linux in kernel 2.4.1.
- XFS
- is a journaling file system, developed by SGI, that was
integrated into Linux in kernel 2.4.20.
- JFS
- is a journaling file system, developed by IBM, that was
integrated into Linux in kernel 2.4.24.
- xiafs
- was designed and implemented to be a stable, safe file
system by extending the Minix file system code. It provides the basic most
requested features without undue complexity. The xia file system is
no longer actively developed or maintained. It was removed from the kernel
in 2.1.21.
- msdos
- is the file system used by DOS, Windows, and some OS/2
computers. msdos filenames can be no longer than 8 characters,
followed by an optional period and 3 character extension.
- umsdos
- is an extended DOS file system used by Linux. It adds
capability for long filenames, UID/GID, POSIX permissions, and special
files (devices, named pipes, etc.) under the DOS file system, without
sacrificing compatibility with DOS.
- vfat
- is an extended DOS file system used by Microsoft Windows95
and Windows NT. VFAT adds the capability to use long filenames under the
MSDOS file system.
- ntfs
- replaces Microsoft Window's FAT file systems (VFAT, FAT32).
It has reliability, performance, and space-utilization enhancements plus
features like ACLs, journaling, encryption, and so on.
- proc
- is a pseudo file system which is used as an interface to
kernel data structures rather than reading and interpreting
/dev/kmem. In particular, its files do not take disk space. See
proc(5).
- iso9660
- is a CD-ROM file system type conforming to the ISO 9660
standard.
- High Sierra
- Linux supports High Sierra, the precursor to the ISO 9660
standard for CD-ROM file systems. It is automatically recognized within
the iso9660 file-system support under Linux.
- Rock Ridge
- Linux also supports the System Use Sharing Protocol records
specified by the Rock Ridge Interchange Protocol. They are used to further
describe the files in the iso9660 file system to a UNIX host, and
provide information such as long filenames, UID/GID, POSIX permissions,
and devices. It is automatically recognized within the iso9660
file-system support under Linux.
- hpfs
- is the High Performance Filesystem, used in OS/2. This file
system is read-only under Linux due to the lack of available
documentation.
- sysv
- is an implementation of the SystemV/Coherent file system
for Linux. It implements all of Xenix FS, SystemV/386 FS, and Coherent
FS.
- nfs
- is the network file system used to access disks located on
remote computers.
- smb
- is a network file system that supports the SMB protocol,
used by Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, and Lan Manager.
To use smb fs, you need a special mount program, which can be found
in the ksmbfs package, found at
ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/Filesystems/smbfs
- ncpfs
- is a network file system that supports the NCP protocol,
used by Novell NetWare.
To use ncpfs, you need special programs, which can be found at
ftp://linux01.gwdg.de/pub/ncpfs
SEE ALSO¶
proc(5),
fsck(8),
mkfs(8),
mount(8)
COLOPHON¶
This page is part of release 3.44 of the Linux
man-pages project. A
description of the project, and information about reporting bugs, can be found
at
http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.