Re: Stock 2.4.16 kernel, initrd and ext3
ScruLoose <scruloose+debuser@eastlink.ca> writes:
> I've been wanting to switch from ext2 to ext3 on this machine, including
> the root filesystem.
>
> I'm using the stock Debian 2.4.16-i686 kernel, which (according to
> /boot/config-2.4.16-686) has ext3 support _as a module_...
2.4.*16*? That's really old; even woody shipped with a 2.4.18 kernel
(though not as the default kernel).
> Now, my understanding is that this kernel uses initrd, and thus it'll be
> okay for me to switch my root fs to ext3 (it'll load initrd first,
> notice that it needs ext3, ins the mod, mount the root partition, then
> carry on booting)...
>
> 1) confirm/deny?
That sounds correct. (An initrd-based kernel will probably have
almost nothing built in as a driver, and everything will be as
modules, which get loaded from the initrd.)
> 2) Do I need to modconf the ext3 module in order for this to work?
You shouldn't need to.
> 3) Once I've done tune2fs -j and tweaked my fstab, are there any other
> steps I'm missing before I reboot?
No, I think that's about it. ext3 is convenient that way.
> 4) How do I find out for myself whether my current kernel is using
> initrd?
Probably look at your bootloader configuration; there should be a
mention of /initrd.img or /boot/initrd-$KVERS.img.
> Normally I'd just try it and see if it worked, but leaving the system
> un-bootable and having to dig out the rescue disk is such a pain...
With ext3 you also have the bonus that the filesystem is still a
mostly-valid ext2 filesystem. And all of the modern rescue media I've
seen (not the woody installer, but things like SysRescueCD and
Knoppix) support ext3. So you shouldn't be able to hose yourself too
badly doing this. :-)
--
David Maze dmaze@debian.org http://people.debian.org/~dmaze/
"Theoretical politics is interesting. Politicking should be illegal."
-- Abra Mitchell
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