DOS ain't dead - better DOS file system?

better DOS file system? (Developers)

posted by Rugxulo , Usono, 29.12.2008, 23:16

> > I'm not aware of such efforts. There's no risk (or chance)
> > that FreeDOS will get anything in this direction in the foreseeable
> future.
>
> IIRC FreeDOS 1.1 is scheduled for beginning of 2008 :-(

But no file system work has been done. This is strictly a minor upgrade / maintenance release. (And I think you meant 2009, but even that is highly optimistic.)

> > What about HPFS? At least OS/2 used it, Linux can read/write it,
> > and FreeBSD can at least read it.
>
> No thanks. 20 years old junk, HFFS (Heavy Fragmentation File
> System), 2 GiB file, 2 TiB volume size limit, many flaws, no features,
> designed for OS/2 , ... ... :-( Please see the top argument of
> Japheth !!!

Okay, it's true, in hindsight, I don't think I thought it through enough.

PROs:
a). HPFS already exists and has some partial 3rd-party DOS support
b). supposedly faster with less fragmentation than FAT
c). native LFNs (up to 256 chars)
d). patent is almost expired (Nov. 2009)
e). no worries about full 100% incompatibility with other OSes
f). no need to invent your own (possibly quite tough)

CONs:
a). 2 GB file size max. (although average DOS user doesn't need more)
b). no journaling (so slow disk scan after crash)
c). case sensitive (eh?)
d). creation / access / mod times (which FAT32 has but FD disabled for speed)

So it's no better than FreeDOS' FAT32 support in a. and d. (or c. if you count the hacks, but VFAT is actually patented, sadly). Oh well, just a lame idea I guess. Besides, no response from anyone supporting it.

Anyways, writing / porting a new file system for DOS is a pipe dream. We need to have a poll for what file system would be best: ext2, ext3, ext4, ntfs, hpfs, jfs, other? I guess the real questions are: which is most popular? which is most useful? which is easiest to port? (I would guess ext2, but I really really have no clue, heh.)

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Complete thread:

GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 03:40 (Developers)
- GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Steve, 21.12.2007, 05:38
- The Death Of FAT32+ - Japheth, 21.12.2007, 07:24
  - --- DEATH --- - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 22:13
    - --- DEATH --- - sol, 21.12.2007, 22:30
      - --- DEATH --- - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 22:46
        --- DEATH --- - Steve, 21.12.2007, 23:22
    - Rest in Peace, Fat32+! No Resurrection possible! - Japheth, 21.12.2007, 23:12
      - -- DEATH -- (anyone has a solution for >4GiB files in DOS ?) - DOS386, 21.12.2007, 23:46
        First get all facts! - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 00:15
        --- DEATH --- - DOS386, 22.12.2007, 00:24
        --- DEATH --- - sol, 22.12.2007, 05:17
        --- DEATH --- - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 09:45
        --- DEATH --- - Steve, 22.12.2007, 10:08
        DOS API extension for files > 4 GB - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 10:28
        --- DEATH --- - sol, 23.12.2007, 23:29
        --- DEATH --- - Matjaz, 24.12.2007, 10:03
        DOS File System efforts - Japheth, 24.12.2007, 17:06
        DOS File System efforts - Rugxulo, 24.12.2007, 19:53
        DOS File System efforts - sol, 25.12.2007, 02:17
        DOS File System efforts - Japheth, 25.12.2007, 09:10
        DOS File System efforts - Rugxulo, 26.12.2007, 21:34
        HPFS for DOS - Rugxulo, 09.09.2008, 22:48
        --- DEATH --- - Japheth, 22.12.2007, 08:57
  - 1 a later, DOS fs enh committee, please report what you got - DOS386, 29.12.2008, 02:41
    - Just noise? - Japheth, 29.12.2008, 08:07
      - NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - DOS386, 30.12.2008, 23:06
        NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - Japheth, 31.12.2008, 11:46
        NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - sol, 02.01.2009, 01:59
        NOISE-FS outperforms them all !!! - Rugxulo, 02.01.2009, 04:25
    - better DOS file system? - Rugxulo, 29.12.2008, 23:16
      - better DOS file system? - ecm, 30.12.2008, 21:48
    - 1 a later, DOS fs enh committee, please report what you got - Steve, 02.01.2009, 07:01
- GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Laaca, 11.01.2009, 14:14
  - exFAT - ecm, 11.01.2009, 17:30
  - GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 12.01.2009, 19:25
    - GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - sol, 15.01.2009, 05:26
      - GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 15.01.2009, 06:13
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - sol, 15.01.2009, 06:24
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 16.01.2009, 01:49
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - sol, 16.01.2009, 07:03
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Rugxulo, 18.01.2009, 00:14
        4desasters 4u, DOSsers - DOS386, 24.01.2009, 09:42
        FAT+/FAT/patents - ecm, 24.01.2009, 13:59
        4desasters 4u, DOSsers - Japheth, 24.01.2009, 21:01
        GetFileSizeEx / Read&Write performance / Wiping - Laaca, 14.02.2009, 13:59
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Rugxulo, 19.02.2009, 02:41
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Japheth, 20.02.2009, 09:07
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Laaca, 20.02.2009, 20:16
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Zyzzle, 21.02.2009, 01:56
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - sol, 21.02.2009, 05:32
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Rugxulo, 21.02.2009, 05:40
        exFAT supported in XP (SP2, SP3) - Laaca, 21.02.2009, 15:57
        exFAT in FreeDOS unlikely (but FD fixed 4 GB files) - Rugxulo, 15.03.2009, 15:55
        exFAT in FreeDOS unlikely (but FD fixed 4 GB files) - ecm, 15.03.2009, 20:36
        exFAT in FreeDOS unlikely (but FD fixed 4 GB files) - Rugxulo, 17.03.2009, 00:28
        exFAT specification - tom, 17.03.2009, 19:31
        exFAT specification - Laaca, 21.03.2010, 15:42
        former-FAT - DOS386, 22.03.2010, 08:15