Re: swap file vs swap partition
Swap files have been around forever. You really don't need to worry about file fragmentation on an SSD because of the way files are written and being handled by the controller. Partitions are contiguous, so they don't get fragmented, but all the writes would be confined to a smaller space on an SSD so it would wear it out faster. Ext4 file systems spread files out to prevent file fragmentation, but when your hard disk gets full it is possible to get some fragmentation. On an SSD you should not let it get full, a full SSD will start writing to the same areas more often shortening the life of the SSD. On Thu, Oct 29, 2020, 7:15 PM Seabass via PLUG-discuss < plug-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org> wrote: > Defragmentation should be an issue for you on an SSD, even if there is > some, right? > > > -- > > Message: 4 > Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:08:03 -0700 > From: Matt Graham > To: > Subject: Re: swap file vs swap partition > Message-ID: <064f92165a42d6f88a3430b42a521...@crow202.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > > On 2020-10-28 16:24, Steve Litt via PLUG-discuss wrote: > > On Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:43:22 -0700 > > Bob Elzer via PLUG-discuss wrote: > >> The biggest difference is, files can become fragmented while > >> partitions don't. > > I had no idea there was such a thing as a Linux swap file. I guess > > that's a recent thing. > > You could use a file as swap space in the early 2000s. I remember > doing that on a few machines then. > > > If my partition file becomes fragmented, is there a way for me > > to defragment it? > > Probably not. However, file fragmentation is not generally a problem > on modern machines because disks and CPUs are much faster than they were > in 1998. If you use ext4 and have a disk that's less than 10 years old > and less than 95% full, you will not notice anything. /swapfile on my > laptop has 11 extents and it doesn't seem to have any problems. > > -- > Crow202 Blog: http://crow202.org/wordpress > There is no Darkness in Eternity > But only Light too dim for us to see. > > > - > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
Re: swap file vs swap partition
Technically that would be a trim operation. Fragmentation is not a thing on an ssd as it can read from multiple blocks. And forcing it to run will only burn up your write cycles. On Thu, Oct 29, 2020 at 7:15 PM Seabass via PLUG-discuss < plug-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org> wrote: > Defragmentation should be an issue for you on an SSD, even if there is > some, right? > > > -- > > Message: 4 > Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:08:03 -0700 > From: Matt Graham > To: > Subject: Re: swap file vs swap partition > Message-ID: <064f92165a42d6f88a3430b42a521...@crow202.org> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > > On 2020-10-28 16:24, Steve Litt via PLUG-discuss wrote: > > On Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:43:22 -0700 > > Bob Elzer via PLUG-discuss wrote: > >> The biggest difference is, files can become fragmented while > >> partitions don't. > > I had no idea there was such a thing as a Linux swap file. I guess > > that's a recent thing. > > You could use a file as swap space in the early 2000s. I remember > doing that on a few machines then. > > > If my partition file becomes fragmented, is there a way for me > > to defragment it? > > Probably not. However, file fragmentation is not generally a problem > on modern machines because disks and CPUs are much faster than they were > in 1998. If you use ext4 and have a disk that's less than 10 years old > and less than 95% full, you will not notice anything. /swapfile on my > laptop has 11 extents and it doesn't seem to have any problems. > > -- > Crow202 Blog: http://crow202.org/wordpress > There is no Darkness in Eternity > But only Light too dim for us to see. > > > - > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss -- A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. Stephen --- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
Re: swap file vs swap partition
Defragmentation should be an issue for you on an SSD, even if there is some, right? -- Message: 4 Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:08:03 -0700 From: Matt Graham To: Subject: Re: swap file vs swap partition Message-ID: <064f92165a42d6f88a3430b42a521...@crow202.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed On 2020-10-28 16:24, Steve Litt via PLUG-discuss wrote: > On Wed, 28 Oct 2020 13:43:22 -0700 > Bob Elzer via PLUG-discuss wrote: >> The biggest difference is, files can become fragmented while >> partitions don't. > I had no idea there was such a thing as a Linux swap file. I guess > that's a recent thing. You could use a file as swap space in the early 2000s. I remember doing that on a few machines then. > If my partition file becomes fragmented, is there a way for me > to defragment it? Probably not. However, file fragmentation is not generally a problem on modern machines because disks and CPUs are much faster than they were in 1998. If you use ext4 and have a disk that's less than 10 years old and less than 95% full, you will not notice anything. /swapfile on my laptop has 11 extents and it doesn't seem to have any problems. -- Crow202 Blog: http://crow202.org/wordpress There is no Darkness in Eternity But only Light too dim for us to see. - PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.phxlinux.org To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
