I recently learned the hard way that I should have installed `exfatprogs` instead of `exfat-utils` for my external drive formatted as exFAT. Initially, I didn't think much of it when I noticed my drive was running slowly during tasks like creating folders, but after some research, I found out that `exfat-utils` is known to be significantly slower. Switching to `exfatprogs` has made a massive difference in performance, making tasks feel almost instantaneous. If you don't use exFAT drives often, you might not notice this for ages! Just a heads up for anyone working with exFAT, it's worth checking your setup!
5 Answers
I'm glad I found this discussion! I also never understood how these utilities would impact performance. I thought they were just for managing drives. This really sheds light on why performance varies!
For many Debian users, `exfat-utils` isn't even available. As long as you have `exfatprogs`, you're good to go! It's interesting to see how these utilities affect performance, especially for those of us on more modern setups.
Yeah, I've had the same experience! When I checked my system, I found that I had `exfatprogs` installed, which is great since it avoids the slowness associated with `exfat-utils`. Definitely a good idea to look into the utilities you're using, especially if you're working with larger files.
Exactly! It seems like the differences can be huge, especially for those who regularly use exFAT for video editing or similar tasks.
I threw `exfat-utils` and `exfatprogs` into a real-world test and, though I didn't see a huge speed difference in large files, it's noted that latency could be an issue when working with many small files. The performance might differ based on specific tasks, so it's good to hear everyone's opinions!
That makes sense! File operations involve latency too. It's not just about raw read/write speeds; how the system handles those small tasks definitely matters.
If you're only using the drive with Linux machines, why not switch to ext4? It's a more reliable Linux filesystem and performs better overall!
True, but a lot of work drives are set up for compatibility with Mac too. Unfortunately, they don't support ext4 natively.
Right? It's fascinating to learn that certain packages can change how the system communicates with hardware, affecting speed.