NAME

       filesystems  -  Linux  filesystem types: minix, ext, ext2, ext3, ext4, Reiserfs, XFS, JFS,
       xia, msdos, umsdos, vfat, ntfs, proc, nfs, iso9660, hpfs, sysv, smb, ncpfs

DESCRIPTION

       When, as is customary, the proc filesystem is mounted on /proc, you can find in  the  file
       /proc/filesystems  which  filesystems  your  kernel  currently  supports.   If  you need a
       currently unsupported one, insert the corresponding module or recompile the kernel.

       In order to use a filesystem, you have to mount it; see mount(8).

       Below a short description of a few of the available filesystems.

       minix     is the filesystem used in the Minix operating system, the  first  to  run  under
                 Linux.   It  has  a  number  of shortcomings: a 64MB partition size limit, short
                 filenames, a single timestamp, etc.  It remains  useful  for  floppies  and  RAM
                 disks.

       ext       is  an  elaborate  extension  of  the  minix filesystem.  It has been completely
                 superseded by the second version of the extended filesystem (ext2) and has  been
                 removed from the kernel (in 2.1.21).

       ext2      is the high performance disk filesystem used by Linux for fixed disks as well as
                 removable media.  The second extended filesystem was designed as an extension of
                 the  extended  filesystem  (ext).  ext2 offers the best performance (in terms of
                 speed and CPU usage) of the filesystems supported under Linux.

       ext3      is a journaling version of the ext2 filesystem.  It is easy to switch  back  and
                 forth between ext2 and ext3.

       ext4      is  a  set of upgrades to ext3 including substantial performance and reliability
                 enhancements, plus large increases in volume, file, and directory size limits.

       Reiserfs  is a journaling filesystem, designed by Hans Reiser, that  was  integrated  into
                 Linux in kernel 2.4.1.

       XFS       is  a journaling filesystem, developed by SGI, that was integrated into Linux in
                 kernel 2.4.20.

       JFS       is a journaling filesystem, developed by IBM, that was integrated into Linux  in
                 kernel 2.4.24.

       xiafs     was  designed  and  implemented to be a stable, safe filesystem by extending the
                 Minix filesystem code.  It provides the basic most  requested  features  without
                 undue  complexity.   The  xia  filesystem  is  no  longer  actively developed or
                 maintained.  It was removed from the kernel in 2.1.21.

       msdos     is the filesystem  used  by  DOS,  Windows,  and  some  OS/2  computers.   msdos
                 filenames can be no longer than 8 characters, followed by an optional period and
                 3 character extension.

       umsdos    is an extended DOS filesystem used  by  Linux.   It  adds  capability  for  long
                 filenames,  UID/GID, POSIX permissions, and special files (devices, named pipes,
                 etc.)  under the DOS filesystem, without sacrificing compatibility with DOS.

       vfat      is an extended DOS filesystem used by Microsoft Windows95 and Windows NT.   VFAT
                 adds the capability to use long filenames under the MSDOS filesystem.

       ntfs      replaces  Microsoft Window's FAT filesystems (VFAT, FAT32).  It has reliability,
                 performance,  and  space-utilization  enhancements  plus  features  like   ACLs,
                 journaling, encryption, and so on.

       proc      is  a  pseudo filesystem which is used as an interface to kernel data structures
                 rather than reading and interpreting /dev/kmem.  In particular, its files do not
                 take disk space.  See proc(5).

       iso9660   is a CD-ROM filesystem type conforming to the ISO 9660 standard.

                 High Sierra
                        Linux  supports  High  Sierra, the precursor to the ISO 9660 standard for
                        CD-ROM filesystems.  It is automatically recognized  within  the  iso9660
                        filesystem support under Linux.

                 Rock Ridge
                        Linux  also supports the System Use Sharing Protocol records specified by
                        the Rock Ridge Interchange Protocol.  They are used to  further  describe
                        the  files  in  the  iso9660  filesystem  to  a  UNIX  host,  and provide
                        information such as  long  filenames,  UID/GID,  POSIX  permissions,  and
                        devices.   It  is  automatically recognized within the iso9660 filesystem
                        support under Linux.

       hpfs      is the High Performance Filesystem, used in OS/2.  This filesystem is  read-only
                 under Linux due to the lack of available documentation.

       sysv      is   an  implementation  of  the  SystemV/Coherent  filesystem  for  Linux.   It
                 implements all of Xenix FS, SystemV/386 FS, and Coherent FS.

       nfs       is the network filesystem used to access disks located on remote computers.

       smb       is a network filesystem that supports the SMB  protocol,  used  by  Windows  for
                 Workgroups, Windows NT, and Lan Manager.

                 To  use  smb  fs,  you  need  a special mount program, which can be found in the
                 ksmbfs  package,  found  at  ⟨ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/Filesystems
                 /smbfs⟩.

       ncpfs     is a network filesystem that supports the NCP protocol, used by Novell NetWare.

                 To   use   ncpfs,   you   need   special   programs,   which  can  be  found  at
                 ⟨ftp://linux01.gwdg.de/pub/ncpfs⟩.

SEE ALSO

       proc(5), fsck(8), mkfs(8), mount(8)

COLOPHON

       This page is part of release 3.54 of the Linux man-pages project.  A  description  of  the
       project,     and    information    about    reporting    bugs,    can    be    found    at
       http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.