[kwlug-disc] USB key filesystem for backups

[unsolicited]

Paul Nijjar wrote, On 08/05/2011 12:14 PM:
> I have a USB key that I have been using for backups. Basically I rsync
> my hard drive to the key. 
> 
> I played around with JFSS2 formatting and gave up. I did not want to
> use FAT. So I ended up using ext3, which is bad because it will kill
> my USB key sooner. 
> 
> What should I use to format this key? How should I do it?
> 
> One place I got stuck with JFFS2 is that it seems to want to write its
> filesystem to a file, and I could not get it to write to a partition. 
> 
> This may be a theoretical discussion because I am using an old version
> of Debian at home, and the kernel may not support the filesystem being
> discussed. But knowing the right answer will help me understand where
> I should go.
> 
> Help?

FWIW, and don't know if this applies to your situation - I have 
(repeatedly) run into situations where a usb key will only function 
properly if it has only one partition. It looks to partition properly, 
but I get nowhere with it. When I go back to one partition, it works 
fine. If it will go back to 1 partition at all - I believe I have 
bork'ed one or two keys trying to go back to one partition.