Install to usb stick has slow read/write performace

[nloewen]

A full install of ubuntu 10.10 to a usb stick as if it were a hard drive results in terrible drive performance. The benchmark tool in the disk utility will not benchmark the drive because it is too slow. A copying data gives 2mb/s read and write performance, but the copy takes longer than it should at that speed because the copy often stalls. When I had installed on a hard drive and copied data to and from this usb stick, I could get up to 15mb/s. I don't know what package to report as having the problem. Please let me know and I will attach the apport information.

[Miroslav (dzundam-deactivatedaccount)]

I'm sorry to say that, but what you complain is very normal.

USB flashdrives are suitable for occasional use, but
not as platform for operating systems.

[nloewen (nloewen)]

The issue is that a live image from usb is faster than a full install. A full install should be at a minimum, the same speed as the live image.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

nlowen, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal), as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p linux <replace-with-bug-number>

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Please do not test the daily folder, but the one all the way at the bottom. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.11

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[nloewen (nloewen)]

I am unable to install the current daily image onto the USB stick to test due to several issues booting the image in my VM. I'm using a VM to do the install since I don't have other media to put the image on, and I can't put the image on my USB stick and also install to that same USB stick. It is probably best to just close this.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]