Format type for External Microsd (NTFS?)

[Guest tribal123]

In order to copy largest Mkv files on my external SD i know that Fat32 doesn't support files larger than 4Gb.

The first solution i have found is to split them from Ubuntu in several small files using MkvMerge (i said from Ubuntu because from Win7 the files produced can't be readed from the phone).

Now i have a doubt, it is possible to format an external SD card in NTFS using Ubuntu? The phone will recognize NTFS File Systems?

Or it is possible to format the card in Ext? format (this format accept files more than 4Gb?)

Thanks in advance....

Edited August 24, 2010 by tribal123

[Guest mleithner]

The manual says "only FAT". No idea about ext, just try it. I'm pretty sure it won't support NTFS, last time I checked the Linux NTFS module (especially the one for writing!) was still not marked as stable for production use.

Turn off journaling, though. That's a stupid idea for SD cards. In other words, ext2 instead of ext3.

EDIT: Oh, about how to format it...lemme try something.

EDIT2: Meh, the busybox on the Modaco ROM doesn't have a mkfs.ext2. In more positive news, this is the list of filesystems the kernel supports:

sysfs   

rootfs  

bdev

proc

cgroup  

binfmt_misc

sockfs  

pipefs  

anon_inodefs

tmpfs   

inotifyfs

devpts  

ext3	

ext2	

cramfs  

ramfs   

vfat	

msdos   

romfs   

rfs	 

j4fs

So basically, you just need to grab a reader for your microSDHC and mkfs.ext2 it. In theory, that should work.

Edited August 24, 2010 by mleithner

[Guest tribal123]

The manual says "only FAT". No idea about ext, just try it. I'm pretty sure it won't support NTFS, last time I checked the Linux NTFS module (especially the one for writing!) was still not marked as stable for production use.

Turn off journaling, though. That's a stupid idea for SD cards. In other words, ext2 instead of ext3.

EDIT: Oh, about how to format it...lemme try something.

EDIT2: Meh, the busybox on the Modaco ROM doesn't have a mkfs.ext2. In more positive news, this is the list of filesystems the kernel supports:

sysfs   

rootfs  

bdev

proc

cgroup  

binfmt_misc

sockfs  

pipefs  

anon_inodefs

tmpfs   

inotifyfs

devpts  

ext3	

ext2	

cramfs  

ramfs   

vfat	

msdos   

romfs   

rfs	 

j4fs

So basically, you just need to grab a reader for your microSDHC and mkfs.ext2 it. In theory, that should work.

I'm using Ubuntu 9.10 and have added NTFS to Gparted By:

sudo apt-get install ntfsprogs

Now in Gparted the Format option NTFS is enabled

You tell me that i need a specific Memory Card Reader if i try to format it in ext3 or ext4 ?

[Guest mleithner]

Even if you format it to NTFS, the Galaxy S will not be able to read it. Unless I've overlooked a module that wasn't loaded. What I was referring to by that Linux-NTFS-driver thing was that Android most likely won't have NTFS enabled in the kernels because the driver itself might still be unstable.

It also won't be able to read ext4 (it's not in the list of supported file systems I posted, unless I've overlooked something)

ext3 would be a theoretical possibility, but it's a stupid idea. ext3 is nothing else but ext2 with a journal (which is a way to keep your FS from getting corrupted in case the power dies or anything), and SD cards don't have unlimited write cycles. If you use ext3, you'll write data to the card in the background, which will shorten the lifespan of your SD card.

Therefore, use ext2.

You don't need a specific reader. Your laptop most likely won't have a microSD slot, but it might have a SD slot, so if you have an adapter from microSD to SD, that should work.

[Guest tribal123]

Even if you format it to NTFS, the Galaxy S will not be able to read it. Unless I've overlooked a module that wasn't loaded. What I was referring to by that Linux-NTFS-driver thing was that Android most likely won't have NTFS enabled in the kernels because the driver itself might still be unstable.

It also won't be able to read ext4 (it's not in the list of supported file systems I posted, unless I've overlooked something)

ext3 would be a theoretical possibility, but it's a stupid idea. ext3 is nothing else but ext2 with a journal (which is a way to keep your FS from getting corrupted in case the power dies or anything), and SD cards don't have unlimited write cycles. If you use ext3, you'll write data to the card in the background, which will shorten the lifespan of your SD card.

Therefore, use ext2.

You don't need a specific reader. Your laptop most likely won't have a microSD slot, but it might have a SD slot, so if you have an adapter from microSD to SD, that should work.

Roger!

I'll try to format in ext2 and give a report, thanks in advance!

[Guest ykk_five]

Roger!

I'll try to format in ext2 and give a report, thanks in advance!

no problem with ext2 on ext sd, tested

[Guest Whp1]

no problem with ext2 on ext sd, tested

And how did you do this? I formated the sd with paragon and the phone said Blank external sd card. Unsupported file system. The rom is JM2. Thanks

[Guest ykk_five]

And how did you do this? I formated the sd with paragon and the phone said Blank external sd card. Unsupported file system. The rom is JM2. Thanks

busybox mkfs.ext2

ext2 read,mount is supported natively