I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

nolsen01 · 2010-05-25 19:51:54

Currently my /, /boot and /home partitions are all ext2. I'd like to make them ext4 or ext3 if ext4 is not possible.

Does anybody know if this is possible and if so, what should I know before doing this?

jwbirdsong · 2010-05-25 20:51:20

Check out anyfs & anyfs-tools from Community
I don't think it can change to ext4 but ext2 --> ext3 is possible..

randomguy · 2010-05-25 21:10:12

ext3 to ext4 is possible too but the old data is still mapped indirectly (no extents).

fsckd · 2010-05-25 21:11:08

gagoogagal gagoogagal gagoogagal gagoogagal
gagoogagal gagoogagal gagoogagal gagoogagal

In the forums, the mighty forums, Cerberus sleeps toniiiiiiight.
In the forums, the mighty forums, Cerberus sleeps toniiiiiiight

[chorus]

In IRC, the quiet IRC, Mr.Elendig sleeps toniiiiiight
In IRC, the quiet IRC, Mr.Elendig sleeps toniiiiiight

[chorus]

On the server, the darling server, Allan broke it tonight
On the server, the darling server, Allan broke it tonight

[chorus]

Edit; the second link is pretty good.

Last edited by fsckd (2010-05-25 21:15:41)

nolsen01 · 2010-05-26 01:33:22

Thanks guys. I really appreciate it.

Especially you fsckd. We need more like you doing things that have such a positive effect on the community.

Last edited by nolsen01 (2010-05-26 01:37:11)

fsckd · 2010-05-26 03:08:35

Yes, sorry. That was probably a little rude of me. I may or may not have been drunk at the time (Schrödinger's beer). I can't really give much more info than that link at the bottom of my post does. So please just consider the song and dance number a bonus.

Inxsible · 2010-05-26 05:20:29

You might have to go ext2 --> ext3 --> ext4.

But if you can, try to do a re-install. Its much easier that way. Just copy your home data on a stick or something, install arch using ext4 and then copy back what you need. I found that to be much easier than having to go through the conversion. /home and other partitions tend to be easier, but the / partition needs to be unmounted for the conversion, which means running off of a live environment .

The info is also on our wiki.

pseudonomous · 2010-05-26 16:09:03

Just to be extra clear, the link fsckd gave includes this, it's very easy and here's the relevant part:

fsckd's link wrote:

To change an ext2 filesystem (should you still have one) to ext3 (enabling the journal feature), use the command:
# tune2fs -j /dev/DEV
To enable the ext4 features on an existing ext3 filesystem, use the command:
# tune2fs -O extents,uninit_bg,dir_index /dev/DEV
WARNING: Once you run this command, the filesystem will no longer be mountable using the ext3 filesystem!
After running this command (specifically, after setting the uninit_bg parameter), you MUST run fsck to fix up some on-disk structures that tune2fs has modified:
# e2fsck -fDC0 /dev/DEV

three commands, that's it.

It requires e2fsprogs, but those are in base so unless you specifically opted not to install it when you installed Arch you already have them. Don't reinstall. Reinstalling makes change your partition layouts easier, and re-installing makes changing from to ext2/3/4 to a non-ext filesystem or changing between other non-ext family filesystems easier. But is completely un-necessary for switching between ext2/3/4. Also, no non-base utilities are required, all you need is the program "tune2fs" and "e2fsck", both of which are provided by e2fsprogs, which are part of Arch's base distribution.

Also don't forget to change mount options in fstab, otherwise you will not be able to boot and that will not make you happy. All you have to change in /etc/fstab is "ext2" to "ext4" (or "ext3", as appropriate). And there you have it. (Actually, you can mount ext3 as ext2, but then you usually mess up the journal)

Arch Linux

#1 2010-05-25 19:51:54

I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#2 2010-05-25 20:51:20

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#3 2010-05-25 21:10:12

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#4 2010-05-25 21:11:08

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#5 2010-05-26 01:33:22

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#6 2010-05-26 03:08:35

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#7 2010-05-26 05:20:29

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

#8 2010-05-26 16:09:03

Re: I'd like to change m ext2 to ext3 or 4

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