What's fun with posix_fallocate is that they're working on hooking it up to a filesystem specific functions too (like RESVSP on xfs or similar functionality to be implemented in ext4).

lucke wrote:What's fun with posix_fallocate is that they're working on hooking it up to a filesystem specific functions too (like RESVSP on xfs or similar functionality to be implemented in ext4).

Interesting, it would make our lives easier.

Anyway, we will use posix_fallocate for the full allocation.

Sorry not to have come back to this issue, earlier.

Since adding another box to our lan, the laptop in this topic has become a linux box.

I reinstalled PCLinuxOS Final on the native HDD, and upgraded to KTorrent 2.2. The disk allocation, even for 3+ GB files takes only a few moments, now, 2-5 seconds, and downloads begin.

Some combination of the 2.1.4, USB drive, etc., must have caused the slowdown. No issues, now.