Comments on: How to Increase ext3 and ReiserFS filesystems Performance http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html Ubuntu Linux Tutorials,Howtos,Tips & News | Oneiric,Natty,Maverick Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:40:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: manmath sahu http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-6258 manmath sahu Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:20:39 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-6258 I am using Mepis 8.0 and I don't have the following lines in my menu.lst, what to do? # defoptions=quiet splash # altoptions=(recovery mode) single I am using Mepis 8.0 and I don’t have the following lines in my menu.lst, what to do?

# defoptions=quiet splash
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

]]> By: Ben http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1602 Ben Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:15:31 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1602 This appears to be a tweaker's game. EXT3 is surely the slowest - this is not a secret. JFS from IBM is faster, and XFS is also capable of showing more than ten times the speed of EXT3. If you have set up RAID, then these are good options - but XFS is not so clever at finding files. XFS is very capable at copying big tarballs from HDD to HDD> The best journalling is Reiser and ext3. However, I am at home, not running a server or a supercomputer. I have not the skills of the FBI to recover data, and I need the impressive tools that serve ext3 to get me out of trouble. Without them I am lost, with all my data and hours of setting up. Sorry, but ext3 only occasionally seems just a little slow to me - most of the time it's great, and when I get power outages (in Bangkok nearlly every day during rainy season...) then I want a straightforward reboot and carry on working without worrying abot the next time! Safety first. This appears to be a tweaker’s game. EXT3 is surely the slowest - this is not a secret. JFS from IBM is faster, and XFS is also capable of showing more than ten times the speed of EXT3. If you have set up RAID, then these are good options - but XFS is not so clever at finding files. XFS is very capable at copying big tarballs from HDD to HDD> The best journalling is Reiser and ext3.

However, I am at home, not running a server or a supercomputer. I have not the skills of the FBI to recover data, and I need the impressive tools that serve ext3 to get me out of trouble. Without them I am lost, with all my data and hours of setting up.

Sorry, but ext3 only occasionally seems just a little slow to me - most of the time it’s great, and when I get power outages (in Bangkok nearlly every day during rainy season…) then I want a straightforward reboot and carry on working without worrying abot the next time! Safety first.

]]> By: Robert http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1601 Robert Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:36:50 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1601 I had been using data=writeback on several of my ext3 filesystems up until recently when I discovered a side effect after clumsily knocking the powercord from my workstation. I was expecting some data loss in any very recently modified files, but what I found was that files that had been modified weeks earler (but in the time since the machine had last booted) had reverted to the old data. I had been relying on the assumption that the periodic commits would get the file data to disk regardless of the order, but data=writeback appears to me to prevent that. I had been using data=writeback on several of my ext3 filesystems up until recently when I discovered a side effect after clumsily knocking the powercord from my workstation. I was expecting some data loss in any very recently modified files, but what I found was that files that had been modified weeks earler (but in the time since the machine had last booted) had reverted to the old data. I had been relying on the assumption that the periodic commits would get the file data to disk regardless of the order, but data=writeback appears to me to prevent that.

]]> By: rmann http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1600 rmann Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:23:45 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1600 On my system, I encountered numerous boot problems when attempting this. During boot, I kept getting "waiting for root" and then not getting the partition mounted. By default, my Ubuntu 7.04 install didn't have all these paramters in fstab. I needed to add them just like above: <code>/dev/hda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro,noatime,auto,rw,dev,exec,suid,nouser,data=writeback 0 1</code> That still only worked booting into single-user mode. The final solution was in my grub menu.lst, I had to remove the kernel option (kopt) <code>root=UUID=.... </code> to <code>root=/dev/hda2 </code>. There is a line in the automagic kernel options where I set <code>kopt=root=/dev/hda2 ro </code> which allows me to run <code>grub-update /dev/hda1</code> without overwriting my root=/dev/ settings. This is a helpful HOWTO, but make sure you understand your fstab, menu.lst and how to use grub. I was unable to boot my system all afternoon until I figured this out. On my system, I encountered numerous boot problems when attempting this. During boot, I kept getting “waiting for root” and then not getting the partition mounted.
By default, my Ubuntu 7.04 install didn’t have all these paramters in fstab. I needed to add them just like above:
/dev/hda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro,noatime,auto,rw,dev,exec,suid,nouser,data=writeback 0 1

That still only worked booting into single-user mode. The final solution was in my grub menu.lst, I had to remove the kernel option (kopt) root=UUID=.... to root=/dev/hda2 .

There is a line in the automagic kernel options where I set
kopt=root=/dev/hda2 ro which allows me to run grub-update /dev/hda1 without overwriting my root=/dev/ settings.

This is a helpful HOWTO, but make sure you understand your fstab, menu.lst and how to use grub. I was unable to boot my system all afternoon until I figured this out.

]]> By: Eliena Andrews http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1599 Eliena Andrews Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:10:05 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1599 ohh those commands seem very dangerous to perform, but i will try. thanks for sharing ohh those commands seem very dangerous to perform, but i will try. thanks for sharing

]]> By: Matt http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1598 Matt Sun, 20 May 2007 03:41:37 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1598 Just in case anyone is wondering, mounting ext3 with writeback just journals the metadata and not the data itself. According to the ext3 FAQ (http://batleth.sapienti-sat.org/projects/FAQs/ext3-faq.html) enabling writeback "is exactly equivalent to running ext2 with a very fast fsck on reboot." In other words, just mount as ext2 and you get the same thing. If you care about your data stick with ext3 with the default journalling option. Just in case anyone is wondering, mounting ext3 with writeback just journals the metadata and not the data itself. According to the ext3 FAQ (http://batleth.sapienti-sat.org/projects/FAQs/ext3-faq.html) enabling writeback “is exactly equivalent to running ext2 with a very fast fsck on reboot.”

In other words, just mount as ext2 and you get the same thing. If you care about your data stick with ext3 with the default journalling option.

]]> By: Gustin http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1597 Gustin Sat, 19 May 2007 06:11:24 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1597 The following is a little old, but still relevant. Basically, don't write off data=journal http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-fs8.html The following is a little old, but still relevant.
Basically, don’t write off data=journal

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-fs8.html

]]> By: Ildefonso Camargo http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1596 Ildefonso Camargo Fri, 18 May 2007 02:47:37 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1596 Hi! > Every time I have had to reinstall my Linux boxes was because of that I was not using the > data journal mode. Now... did you lost information?, or did you got a filesystem corruption?, under which circumstances? (power failure, etc). The only time I had to reinstall a Linux machine because of filesystem failure, was when I used reiserfs (a long time ago). I have used ext3 for a long time, with no problem, and I use the "ordered" data mode, which is the default, take a look at: http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Documentation/filesystems/ext3.txt That's a copy of the "Documentation/filesystems/ext3.txt" kernel documentation file. Please note, I don't have an UPS, and thus every time there is a power failure, my systems goes down uncleanly. This far, to the best of my knowledge, I have not lost any information. I will try the other journaling options, just to see. c-ya! Ildefonso Camargo Hi!

> Every time I have had to reinstall my Linux boxes was because of that I was not using the
> data journal mode.

Now… did you lost information?, or did you got a filesystem corruption?, under which circumstances? (power failure, etc).

The only time I had to reinstall a Linux machine because of filesystem failure, was when I used reiserfs (a long time ago). I have used ext3 for a long time, with no problem, and I use the “ordered” data mode, which is the default, take a look at:

http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Documentation/filesystems/ext3.txt

That’s a copy of the “Documentation/filesystems/ext3.txt” kernel documentation file.

Please note, I don’t have an UPS, and thus every time there is a power failure, my systems goes down uncleanly. This far, to the best of my knowledge, I have not lost any information.

I will try the other journaling options, just to see.

c-ya!

Ildefonso Camargo

]]> By: vrrivaro http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1595 vrrivaro Wed, 16 May 2007 16:53:18 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1595 Let me see if I can rea you right, have you recomended to use the data ordered journal mode and put all your data at risk? Every time I have had to reinstall my Linux boxes was because of that I was <b>not</b> using the data journal mode. Yes, I know that this mode is the slowest of the 3, but is also the most bullet proof of them. Are you iterested in top speed? Switch the journal off altogether. Is your data worth more than nothing? Disregard this recommendation and use the data journal mode instead (wich is not the default, by the way). Just fix your /etc/fstab to read <b>data=journal</b> and then issue this command instead: <b>sudo tune2fs -o journal_data /dev/hda1</b> instead. True, you will suffer a filesystem speed degration, but you will get instead a almost (not completly) bulletproof security. Let me see if I can rea you right, have you recomended to use the data ordered journal mode and put all your data at risk?

Every time I have had to reinstall my Linux boxes was because of that I was not using the data journal mode.

Yes, I know that this mode is the slowest of the 3, but is also the most bullet proof of them. Are you iterested in top speed? Switch the journal off altogether. Is your data worth more than nothing? Disregard this recommendation and use the data journal mode instead (wich is not the default, by the way).

Just fix your /etc/fstab to read data=journal and then issue this command instead: sudo tune2fs -o journal_data /dev/hda1 instead. True, you will suffer a filesystem speed degration, but you will get instead a almost (not completly) bulletproof security.

]]> By: xenoterracide http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1594 xenoterracide Wed, 16 May 2007 14:08:19 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1594 data journaling on ext3 is much better than writeback. <a href="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-305871-highlight-ext3+tips.html" title="ext3 tips" rel="nofollow">ext3 tips</a> will tell you how to do it, it's not specific to gentoo either it will work on any linux distribution, that supports ext3, which I believe is all of them (unless they are using really, really, old kernels). data journaling on ext3 is much better than writeback.

ext3 tips

will tell you how to do it, it’s not specific to gentoo either it will work on any linux distribution, that supports ext3, which I believe is all of them (unless they are using really, really, old kernels).

]]> By: filter http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1593 filter Wed, 16 May 2007 12:52:23 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1593 Nice article! So i decided to try it out for myself with a ext3 filesystem and did some measurements with the bonnie++ tool. Regarding the pure throughput i have approx. two percent performance plus in respect of MB/sec - not too good :O( Better results gave the file-operation part of the bonnie++ benchmark. When creating, reading/accessing or deleting files here was to state an performance plus of pretty exactly 20 percent - impressive :O) In numbers measured on Feisty Fawn 47800 K/sec w/o tuning to 48700 K/sec for the throughput 26800 ops/sec w/o tuning to 32300 ops/sec for file operations Would be nice if you'll append such benchmark results to your article. filters 2 cents BTW: hwls says the disk was description: ATA Disk product: Maxtor 6B250R0 vendor: Maxtor version: BAH41E00 serial: whocares size: 233GB and hdparm listed multcount = 0 (off) IO_support = 0 (default 16-bit) unmaskirq = 0 (off) using_dma = 1 (on) keepsettings = 0 (off) readonly = 0 (off) readahead = 256 (on) Nice article! So i decided to try it out for myself with a ext3 filesystem
and did some measurements with the bonnie++ tool.

Regarding the pure throughput i have approx. two percent performance plus
in respect of MB/sec - not too good :O(

Better results gave the file-operation part of the bonnie++ benchmark.
When creating, reading/accessing or deleting files here was to state an
performance plus of pretty exactly 20 percent - impressive :O)

In numbers measured on Feisty Fawn

47800 K/sec w/o tuning to 48700 K/sec for the throughput
26800 ops/sec w/o tuning to 32300 ops/sec for file operations

Would be nice if you’ll append such benchmark results to your article.

filters 2 cents

BTW: hwls says the disk was

description: ATA Disk
product: Maxtor 6B250R0
vendor: Maxtor
version: BAH41E00
serial: whocares
size: 233GB

and hdparm listed

multcount = 0 (off)
IO_support = 0 (default 16-bit)
unmaskirq = 0 (off)
using_dma = 1 (on)
keepsettings = 0 (off)
readonly = 0 (off)
readahead = 256 (on)

]]> By: Derek http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1592 Derek Wed, 16 May 2007 11:49:28 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1592 My menu.lst file says not to uncomment them just edit to what you need. My menu.lst file says not to uncomment them just edit to what you need.

]]> By: David http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1591 David Wed, 16 May 2007 05:51:29 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1591 Is necesary uncomment the defoptions and altoptions lines in menu.lst? Is necesary uncomment the defoptions and altoptions lines in menu.lst?

]]> By: a thing http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1590 a thing Tue, 15 May 2007 14:52:23 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1590 Please expand this by explaining what everything does. I don't want to screw up my filesystems blindly copying and pasting commands. Please expand this by explaining what everything does. I don’t want to screw up my filesystems blindly copying and pasting commands.

]]> By: Thiago Souza http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1589 Thiago Souza Sun, 13 May 2007 20:03:39 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1589 Hi, I found the problem, for some reason the sata raid bios wasn't detecting my disks, I restarted it and everything is working fine. Sorry for bothering... Regards, Thiago Souza Hi,

I found the problem, for some reason the sata raid bios wasn’t detecting my disks, I restarted it and everything is working fine. Sorry for bothering…

Regards,
Thiago Souza

]]> By: Thiago Souza http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html/comment-page-1#comment-1588 Thiago Souza Sat, 12 May 2007 23:41:45 +0000 http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-to-increase-ext3-and-reiserfs-filesystems-performance.html#comment-1588 Hi, I'm a linux newbie, but not TOO newbie, since I at least know the terms involved in your article. I followed each step just like you told. But now I can't boot the system, and, booting with livecd, gparted can't even see the device (that is /dev/sda1). So I can't even rollback the modifications as I don't know how to mount the partition. Can you help me please? Hi,

I’m a linux newbie, but not TOO newbie, since I at least know the terms involved in your article. I followed each step just like you told. But now I can’t boot the system, and, booting with livecd, gparted can’t even see the device (that is /dev/sda1). So I can’t even rollback the modifications as I don’t know how to mount the partition. Can you help me please?

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