Fix Ubuntu and other Linux slow/hanging file copying via USB.

linux-usb-file-copy-fix.md

If your running a x64 bit Ubuntu or other Linux and find USB transfers hang at the end apply this fix:

echo $((16*1024*1024)) > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_bytes
echo $((48*1024*1024)) > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_bytes

I suggest you edit your /etc/rc.local file to make this change persistant across reboots.

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

Go to the bottom of the file and leave a space then paste in those two lines.

Save the file with ctrl + x then press y.

To revert the changes enter this in console and remove the lines in /etc/rc.local

echo 0 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_bytes
echo 0 > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_bytes

More info and references: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/107703/why-is-my-pc-freezing-while-im-copying-a-file-to-a-pendrive/107722#107722

Still facing this problem today, unbelievable. And I have to use this setting suggested by Linus in 2013 to fix my system in 2023.

Why is Linux so slow in copying files ? Over the years it has been an issue. I don't get it.

I'm not sure but suggested solution is just the placebo... nothing changed much...

I'm not sure but suggested solution is just the placebo... nothing changed much...

Nothing at all 😂

I'm not sure but suggested solution is just the placebo... nothing changed much...

Nothing at all 😂

It did for me.

I'm not sure but suggested solution is just the placebo... nothing changed much...

Nothing at all

😂

I did not get your point ... does it work... or I'm right ( its placebo ) :-)

$ echo $((16*1024*1024)) > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_bytes
bash: /proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_bytes: Permission non accordée

$ echo $((48*1024*1024)) > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_bytes
bash: /proc/sys/vm/dirty_bytes: Permission non accordée

Is sudoing these commands safe? (Ubuntu 22.04)

@guy-teube use - sudo su

Works! Thank's @2E0PGS !

If someone still has the copying issue, they can use Grsync, a gui app of rsync.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install grsync

The year is 2025 and Linux cannot still manage to move files from local drive to usb efficiently. Instead of 20 different desktop environment we need to solve these base problems.

Same issue here. I decided to switch from Ubuntu to Mint recently. Now I am on Linux Mint 21.1 Vera - and still have this problem. Cannot believe it is still there. I am still a nuub and do not feel comfortable editing /etc/rc.local file. I will try to format USB as exFAT. Hopefully, that will work out.

I have tried both NTFS and exFat. The result is same.

I came to the conclusion that the problem is directly related to the slow device/USB controller. After switching to a more powerful laptop and faster USB storage, I no longer have issues.

…

On Sat, Feb 15, 2025, 5:32 PM Mucahit Senol ***@***.***> wrote: ***@***.**** commented on this gist. ------------------------------ Same issue here. I decided to switch from Ubuntu to Mint recently. Now I am on Linux Mint 21.1 Vera - and still have this problem. Cannot believe it is still there. I am still a nuub and do not feel comfortable editing /etc/rc.local file. I will try to format USB as exFAT. Hopefully, that will work out. I have tried both NTFS and exFat. The result is same. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <https://gist.github.com/2E0PGS/f63544f8abe69acc5caaa54f56efe52f#gistcomment-5440809> or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BD4IVPECREHJABHD5EQPBS32P6XANBFKMF2HI4TJMJ2XIZLTSKBKK5TBNR2WLJDUOJ2WLJDOMFWWLO3UNBZGKYLEL5YGC4TUNFRWS4DBNZ2F6YLDORUXM2LUPGBKK5TBNR2WLJDHNFZXJJDOMFWWLK3UNBZGKYLEL52HS4DFVRZXKYTKMVRXIX3UPFYGLK2HNFZXIQ3PNVWWK3TUUZ2G64DJMNZZDAVEOR4XAZNEM5UXG5FFOZQWY5LFVA2DMMBQGIZTMMVHORZGSZ3HMVZKMY3SMVQXIZI> . You are receiving this email because you commented on the thread. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub> .

I came to the conclusion that the problem is directly related to the slow device/USB controller. After switching to a more powerful laptop and faster USB storage, I no longer have issues.
…
On Sat, Feb 15, 2025, 5:32 PM Mucahit Senol @.> wrote: @.* commented on this gist. ------------------------------ Same issue here. I decided to switch from Ubuntu to Mint recently. Now I am on Linux Mint 21.1 Vera - and still have this problem. Cannot believe it is still there. I am still a nuub and do not feel comfortable editing /etc/rc.local file. I will try to format USB as exFAT. Hopefully, that will work out. I have tried both NTFS and exFat. The result is same. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://gist.github.com/2E0PGS/f63544f8abe69acc5caaa54f56efe52f#gistcomment-5440809 or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BD4IVPECREHJABHD5EQPBS32P6XANBFKMF2HI4TJMJ2XIZLTSKBKK5TBNR2WLJDUOJ2WLJDOMFWWLO3UNBZGKYLEL5YGC4TUNFRWS4DBNZ2F6YLDORUXM2LUPGBKK5TBNR2WLJDHNFZXJJDOMFWWLK3UNBZGKYLEL52HS4DFVRZXKYTKMVRXIX3UPFYGLK2HNFZXIQ3PNVWWK3TUUZ2G64DJMNZZDAVEOR4XAZNEM5UXG5FFOZQWY5LFVA2DMMBQGIZTMMVHORZGSZ3HMVZKMY3SMVQXIZI . You are receiving this email because you commented on the thread. Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675 or Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub .

No same machine with same usb drive. I can move files on Windows in 1-2 minutes and shut down the system. On Linux it took 30 minutes and I cannot eject the system succesfully. Both NTFS and exFat will gave same result.