I run Armbian on a SanDisk 64GB  micro SD card -- using it on Asus TB.

Most of the SD card is free space and while I want to keep Armbian as is for the TB, I want to create a multi-OS folder for music and photos. I.e. to use on Android phone, Win PC, Linux Mint computer, etc. Are there any Armbian drawbacks to creating/having such a folder? If not, should I use Armbian to create the empty folder (henceforth, it will be filled with files from multiple devices)?

Is there a "best" location to create this generic folder within the Ambian OS card--i.e., as a sub-folder of a default Armbian directory? 

I use separate entire HDDs for my "data" storage, but we are essentially talking about same thing.  You could (and probably should) create a separate partition at least.  Then you could use whatever filesystem you want, and it makes it perhaps a bit easier / cleaner to do system upgrades / recovery, and then migrate to bigger storage later on as your needs grow.

 

If your experience will be anything like mine, you will start playing with these SBC and using one or more as NAS, putting some files on there, syncing between devices, sharing media, etc. but it will work so well that you will be putting more and more stuff on there before you know it!  Then, because your photos and other personal data are important, you start to think about backups and redundancy.  You become a victim of your own success, in other words.    So then, following steps (later on; this is where I am at currently) become implementing ZFS, having multiple physically distributed NAS (e.g., another at friend / family house), etc...  So, conclusion is to start out with the future (at least a little bit) in mind, and your upgrade path will be a bit easier later on.

 

Where to mount this data folder/partition?  I would consult the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard if I were you.  But also keep in mind permissions, etc.

17 hours ago, 13hm13 said:

I run Armbian on a SanDisk 64GB  micro SD card -- using it on Asus TB.

Most of the SD card is free space and while I want to keep Armbian as is for the TB, I want to create a multi-OS folder for music and photos. I.e. to use on Android phone, Win PC, Linux Mint computer, etc. Are there any Armbian drawbacks to creating/having such a folder? If not, should I use Armbian to create the empty folder (henceforth, it will be filled with files from multiple devices)?

Is there a "best" location to create this generic folder within the Ambian OS card--i.e., as a sub-folder of a default Armbian directory? 

 

Armbian is formatted as a linux file system.  If you want something to share. Youd have to shrink filesystem and partition, then create a fat32 partition and filesystem with the remaining space on the SDCard

I use several different portable devices (aka DAPs -- i.e., digital audio players). Examples of DAP manufs: Fiio, Colorfly, iAudio, Teclast, etc.

Not sure what default OS each DAP uses -- but likely Linux in their firmware. When I use Win to create a Music SD card, I have no issues with any DAP recognizing or playing back. Ubiquitous FAT support, I assume.

 

About partitioning the SD card ... what's the easiest, quickest way to do this in Armbian  ... is there a special native Armbian utility for parting?

1 hour ago, 13hm13 said:

is there a special native Armbian utility for parting?

 

No need for special. It's the same as everywhere else: fdisk and parted, gparted in desktop.