Re: [gentoo-user] format usb as ext4

[Wols Lists <antlists@youngman.org.uk>]

On 04/11/2024 02:11, Matt Jolly wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> On 4/11/24 09:35, Wol wrote:
> 
>> Seeing as it's removable media I would expect most of those to have 
>> problems if you DID have a partition table. It's linux that's unusual 
>> in being happy with a partition table on removable media.
>>
> 
> That is not the case at all. Without a partition table how would other
> OSes handle, say, a USB thumbdrive with multiple partitions?

I wasn't aware they could...
> 
> Various *nixes are the systems that don't mind if you just bang a
> filesystem directly onto a storage device. Windows would (and does)
> have a conniption if this is attempted.
> 
I know linux doesn't care - has never cared, but historically you did 
NOT have partition tables on removable media. Floppy disks didn't have 
partition tables. I'm not aware of early SD cards or USB sticks having 
partition tables. It's only relatively recently with "huge" media sticks 
that partition tables on removable media have become a thing.

If you wanted to boot a Windows install from a USB stick, I'm used to 
just dd'ing the CD iso (shows how long ago that was) to the stick.

Certainly in the early days, istr Windows being unable to find a 
partition table on a USB stick.

Cheers,
Wol