New USB memory-stick howto: Flash-Memory-HOWTO

From: Matt (matt_at_themattfella.zzzz.com)
Date: 03/30/04 

Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 14:28:46 GMT

Hi folks.

I was trying to get my new memory stick to work with Linux and after
some time found:

http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/Flash-Memory-HOWTO

I am nothing like an expert on this, but the document looks excellent:
well-organized, well-written, thorough, and recently revised. I mention
it here because it did not exactly leap out at me, and I expect a lot of
people don't even know what these devices are and that they can be used
with Linux. I have appended the first part of the file:

> USB Flash Memory HOWTO
>
> Niko Sauer
>
> Unit of Advanced Study
> University of Pretoria, South Africa
>
>
> < nikos@friedrichs.up.ac.za>
>
> Revision History
> Revision 0.06 2004-03-10 Revised by: ns
> Added section on Linux-2.6.
> Revision 0.05 2003-12-26 Revised by: ejh
> Technical review.
> Revision 0.04 2003-12-11 Revised by: ns
> Revision 0.03 2003-12-02 Revised by: ejh
> Technical review.
> Revision 0.02 2003-10-30 Revised by: ns
> Changed 2003-11-20
>
>
> This document describes procedures for installing USB Flash Memory devices
> and the way of formatting them for various file systems such as vfat (the way
> they usually come) and ext2 (the way they fit in better with Linux). It is
> also described how to partition the device in two sections with different
> file types.
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Table of Contents
> 1. Purpose
> 2. Physical devices
> 3. Buying a memory stick
> 4. Reading
> 5. Hardware and kernel
> 5.1. Setup
> 5.2. Kernel options
> 5.3. Notes
>
>
> 6. Some basic concepts
> 6.1. The /proc filesystem
> 6.2. SCSI devices
> 6.3. The USB device filesystem
> 6.4. The ext2 filesystem
> 6.5. The vfat filesystem
> 6.6. Explanation of command options
>
>
> 7. Basic verifications
> 7.1. A quick check
> 7.2. Probing the /proc filesystem
> 7.3. Mounting the USB filesystem
> 7.4. Tests -- vfat
>
>
> 8. Setting up an Ext2 filesystem
> 8.1. Partitioning
> 8.2. Making an ext2 device
> 8.3. Tests -- ext2
>
>
> 9. Setting up a dual partition
> 9.1. Partitioning
> 9.2. Making a dual ext2/vfat system
> 9.3. Tests -- ext2 and vfat
> 9.4. Configuring Linux for the dual partition
>
>
> 10. Making the memory stick accessible to users
> 11. Maintenance
> 11.1. Filesystem inspection
> 11.2. And then?
>
>
> 12. The Linux-2.6 kernel
> 12.1. What is new?
> 12.2. Kernel options
> 12.3. Notes
> 12.4. Hotplugging and Naming
>
>
> 13. Formalities
> 13.1. Copyright Information
> 13.2. Disclaimer
> 13.3. Credits
> 13.4. Feedback
>
>
>
> 1. Purpose
>
> The purpose of this document is to describe procedures for implementing USB
> flash memory devices (memory sticks) on Linux. This entails the following:
>
> * making over-the-counter devices, pre-formatted for the MS Windows
> system, work on Linux;
>
> * formatting the device in the ext2 filesystem on a single partition and
> making it work. This is intended for situations where the device will be
> used exclusively on Linux machines;
>
> * formatting the device on a dual partition in the ext2 and vfat
> filesystems and making it work. The purpose of this is for situations
> where Linux + Linux and Linux + Windows are possible;
>
> * making the device more user friendly;
>
> * maintaining the filesystem of the device;
>
> * using additional features of Linux-2.6.x.

Relevant Pages

  • New USB memory-stick howto: Flash-Memory-HOWTO
    ... I was trying to get my new memory stick to work with Linux and after ... The USB device filesystem ... Setting up a dual partition ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • New USB memory-stick howto: Flash-Memory-HOWTO
    ... I was trying to get my new memory stick to work with Linux and after ... The USB device filesystem ... Setting up a dual partition ...
    (comp.os.linux.hardware)
  • Linux ELF loader vulnerabilities
    ... Numerous bugs have been found in the Linux ELF binary loader while ... Internally the Linux kernel uses a binary format loader layer to ... and the position of the memory map header in the binary image and ... An user may try to execute such a malicious binary with an unterminated ...
    (Bugtraq)
  • [Full-Disclosure] Linux ELF loader vulnerabilities
    ... Numerous bugs have been found in the Linux ELF binary loader while ... Internally the Linux kernel uses a binary format loader layer to ... and the position of the memory map header in the binary image and ... An user may try to execute such a malicious binary with an unterminated ...
    (Full-Disclosure)
  • Linux ELF loader vulnerabilities
    ... Numerous bugs have been found in the Linux ELF binary loader while ... Internally the Linux kernel uses a binary format loader layer to ... and the position of the memory map header in the binary image and ... An user may try to execute such a malicious binary with an unterminated ...
    (Full-Disclosure)