Re: grub backport and ext4 support?
I have installed the linux-image-2.6.30 on my Lenny system to be able
to use the ext4 filesystem. I converted my ext3 /home partition
without problems, and it works perfectly, faster.
For reference, you may want to note 'converted' ext3 is not quite
the same as ext4, i think the flex_bg type different layout
does not get installed? something like that.
What I would be wary of, is this problem that some were having
with crashed systems leaving 0-byte-files behind, in the case
that applications replaced a file by renaming, without sync'ing
first.
Ubuntu's 2.6.28 had some patches to ''fix'' this although it
is technically a problem with the applications.
I would check that theodore ts'o's pacthes for the 0-byte-file
problem are in the 2.6.30 you are using.....
https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/317781
Would it be safe to also convert my ext3 root partition (no /boot
here) to ext4 if I upgrade my grub installation to the one provided by
the backports?
If that version, includes the patch to read extent-formatted-files
(which I do not know if it does) then it should work.
BUT -- be wary -- just installing grub package or even running
"update-grub" does not actually seem to reinstall those boot
sectors (MBR and following sectors...).
It seems to involve:-
* The package getting updated
* the stage1.5 stage2 etc. files in /boot getting updated
* the actual boot sectors getting reinstalled
I think you have to run grub-setup or something....
AND -- you may not 'notice' the problem, until you kernel
gets written as an extent-formatted-file ;-).
ALSO -- you *can* have a problem where the initramfs can't
recognize ext4 and you have to use "rootfstype=ext4"
kernel parameter. That may be ubuntu-specific.
Nicolas
I'm guessing you can check your grub can actually read
extent formatted files (i.e. ext4), by copying your kernel
onto your ext4 /home, and seeing if you can manually
root (hd1,0) and kernel /filename ... or whatever it
is ...
Good luck ;-).
--Simon
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