From: rich@example.invalid   
      
   Mike Small  wrote:   
   >   
   > I'm noticing places in both Slackware's installer and   
   > debian-installer where a mkfs run is immediately followed by a   
   > sync...   
   >   
   > [snip]   
   >   
   > Is this just a known thing among those who've been around?  mkfs   
   > isn't truly done and with all bits on disk when it exits?   
      
   It is not just mkfs.  Linux caches writes in RAM, with the data   
   actually being committed to disk some time later.   
      
   If you want to be sure a write has hit the disk (note, due to on disk   
   caches, you can never really be /sure/) you need to tell the kernel to   
   write the cached RAM data out to disk -- that is what 'sync' does.   
      
   Those sync's are not strictly necessary, but are likely present for   
   safety's sake.  Run the mkfs, then try to make certian all the writes   
   have been at least sent to the disk controller.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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