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Operating Systems => macOS => Topic started by: Pantso on 22 October 2002, 02:08

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: Pantso on 22 October 2002, 02:08

Another one of those OS X newbie questions:

When installing OS X you are given two options as you know:

A) To format your HD with the Mac OS extended file system, or

B) to format it using the UNIX file system

Can anyone please tell me whether there is a difference in performance between these two? Can you install the same software using the UNIX file systems or not? I already know that you can't use Classic if you are using the UNIX file system but is there anything more than that?

Thanks in advance.   (http://smile.gif)

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: psyjax on 22 October 2002, 02:36

quote:

---

Originally posted by Panos:
Another one of those OS X newbie questions:

When installing OS X you are given two options as you know:

A) To format your HD with the Mac OS extended file system, or

B) to format it using the UNIX file system

Can anyone please tell me whether there is a difference in performance between these two? Can you install the same software using the UNIX file systems or not? I already know that you can't use Classic if you are using the UNIX file system but is there anything more than that?

Thanks in advance.    (http://smile.gif)  

---

The major drawback is no classic support. It is better for fast data access if you are running a server or some sort of system where files need to be accessed quickly and effeciently.

I also understand OSX is a bit more responsive under this system, in the end it should only be used by real UNIX dorks who are gonna be putting their comps. thrugh some heavy deuty network use, perfect file-system for an Xserve.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: Pantso on 22 October 2002, 02:45

Thanks for the quick reply psyjax. I know about the classic disadvantage under the UNIX file system, but what about OS X software? Can it be installed if you're using the UNIX filesystem or are there any limitations to that as well?   :confused:  

Question: If I decide to use it, do I qualify as a UNIX dork? Just joking    :D  

[EDIT]I found some info here (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25316). Looks like the major drawback when deciding to use UFS instead of HFS is Classic support. But then again I don't think i'll ever use Classic so I don't really care. It also mentions the case sensitive issue, which I had gotten used to in Linux.

Anyway, has any of you tried it?[/EDIT]

[ October 21, 2002: Message edited by: Panos ]

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: billy_gates on 22 October 2002, 08:50

now I know why i was blessed with the lack of that meta data junk that I always hated.  I have OSX on HFS+ and my home is on UFS, so I don't get bother by that meta data junk, so my files always open in the right program.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: hm_murdock on 22 October 2002, 08:52

security is going to be better. performance increases noticably. running UFS on a G3 all-in-one. I tried HFS+ on one drive, and UFS on an identical one, and UFS made it run smoother. Not sure why, but it did.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: psyjax on 22 October 2002, 11:12

Are Carbon apps. Compatible with UFS??? Because if their not you will be way SOL considdering the abundance of Carbon Apps.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: hm_murdock on 22 October 2002, 11:19

it's not apps, it's the OS. Classic can't run because Mac OS 9 doesn't support UFS. The apps don't care what filesystem they're on!

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: Pantso on 22 October 2002, 14:11

Thanks for the replies guys! I think I'm gonna give UFS a try and see what happens.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: psyjax on 22 October 2002, 22:17

I find this intriguing... I have 2 HD's, can you have one UFS and the other HFS+?

Cuz if so, I will make the main OSX hardrive UFS and run classic junk off the other HD.

Hmmmm..

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: hm_murdock on 23 October 2002, 01:21

honestly... i don't know if that will work. I think it can use Classic off another drive, but it's possible that running UFS completely disables Classic... I really can't say.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: Pantso on 23 October 2002, 02:34

I'm using UFS and Jag right now. First of all I can't say that I see any differences between the two file systems except of course that Classic doesn't work. Every app works just like it did before except for Mozilla 1.1 which gives me the splash screen and then dies.   :confused:  

Anyway, I don't know if it's worth the change but if it does it's in certain areas of the OS.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: cocoamix on 23 October 2002, 21:25

Why would anyone use HFS when they can use HFS+?

Isn't the only difference the block size of data?
HFS takes up more space storing lots of small files than HFS+.

That's the only diff I'm aware of.

[ October 23, 2002: Message edited by: cocoamix ]

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: psyjax on 23 October 2002, 23:48

don't you mean HFS+???

UFS is the UNIX file format.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: cocoamix on 24 October 2002, 00:20

Yep. Edited b/c I don't pay attention when I type.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: Kintaro on 27 October 2002, 05:27

quote:

---

Originally posted by psyjax:
don't you mean HFS+???

UFS is the UNIX file format.

---

I dont know much about Mac, but im aware that the UFS File System is used in BSD's. The UFS File System, EXT3, EXT2, and most the others use proper Unix permissions so i would use them over HFS any day (Dont know if HFS has them or not).

Program Compatibility
UFS or HFS make no difference to the Programs, as they just ask to operating system things like "Do me a favour and open /etc/fstab as readonly darrrrlin" and things like that, then the Operating System goes and get the file and tells the program "Ok maa, here is da file that you wheres interest'd in see'in"
"read the first line"
"the first line says..."
(Im sure your getting my drift)

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: hm_murdock on 27 October 2002, 07:21

HFS+ has full UNIX permissions when running in OS X. if you're in OS 9, then no, no permissions.

HFS+ is more like a UNIX-style fs than it is any other fs, not like FAT/FAT32/HPFS/NTFS

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: Kintaro on 27 October 2002, 10:28

oh cool.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: black_angel2 on 6 November 2002, 21:41

OK I've run OSX in UFS and HFS+ and HFS+ seems faster on my 350Mhz G4

Also the dual boot option is good although if you Install Mac OS X into a UFS drive Mac OS 9 will not be able to see the UFS drive at all so if you boot into Mac OS 9 for some reason it will not be able to see your other drive. Haveing Mac OS 9 on another drive speeds it up by the way  (http://smile.gif)

Also If you have Mac OS X on a UFS drive some apps seems not to work eg Mozilla and Netscape. This can be very annoying.

Title: HFS+ or UNIX filesystem?
Post by: billy_gates on 10 November 2002, 23:24

I think the most annoying thing about making your main HD UFS is that your hard drives name after a restart is /.  You can change the name, but when you restart it will say / again.  I find this annoying.

You can run your Main HD as UFS and run Classic of the HFS, you can even reboot into OS 9, the UFS drive will be as if it weren't in your computer under 9, except that in the Startup Disk control panel, it will allow u to boot off of the UFS.


Hope this info Helps.

P.S. I know nothing about any speed increase or decrease, I just like how UFS has no Meta Data or Creator code junk anymore.