Frank Lanitz wrote:
So the only way I can use an ext4 filesystem right now is to format the hard disk as ext4dev and mount it as ext4dev. Will a subsequent kernel upgrade with support for plain ext4 allow me to mount the ext4dev-formatted disk as ext4?I think the answer can be very short: Even in 2.6.28 ext4 is not recommended for production use. So as long as you are not 100% sure, what you are doing here, just keep your system on ext3 or anything else you are currently using. Ext4 inside2.6.26 was still under developing.
Uh, is ext4 like ext3, in that the format is the same as ext2, plus the journal? Only more so? That is, it is backward compatible with ext3, as long as you don't enable ext4 "extents".
My understanding of the status of ext4 is that with kernel 2.6.28, it is "stable" not "experimental". Although, whether one would use it in a "big money" situation, I don't know.
I don't think there are significant differences, if any between ext4 and ext4dev. (Weasel words: Use this info at your own risk, however.) ext4 has been supported since 2.6.23. I think you might as well just use ext4 and be done with it.
Get the 2.6.28 vanilla kernel from kernel.org, and configure and compile it, get the latest e2fsprogs and install them, and Bob's your uncle.
Mark Allums