Filesystems

[Alan]

Does anyone have any information/tutorials/examples of the EXT2FS filesystem (or the newer one ext3fs)??? If you do, then please email me at [email protected]  or just post here, thanks!

[carbonBased]

Man, there's tons of information on ext2fs, just do a search for it!!!

If you still can't find anything yourself (although I doubt it), here's a few I found just now with a search from google.ca:

http://uuu.sourceforge.net/docs/ext2.php
http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net/ext2intro.html
http://e2fsprogs.sourceforge.net/

Download the e2fsprogs and utils for working code which uses the Ext2FS (in particular, the structures, and where they are located on the disk).

I did have a great PDF with Ext2FS Implementation details, but I lost it in "the great HD crash" so I'll have to see if I can find it again.

As for Ext3FS, it unfortunately isn't as well documented.  You're best bet would probably be to take a look at the Ext3FS support from Linux 2.4 kernels:

http://www.zipworld.com.au/~akpm/linux/ext3/

The thing about Ext3FS, though, is that it's almost identical to Ext2FS (to the point that they share most (all, perhaps) of the same file system utilities).  In fact, Ext3FS's can be mounted as Ext2FS's without causing any problems.

Jeff

[Alan]

Jeff,
    Is there an actual example of a bootloader for the second extended filesystem?  I have came across only one (besides grub), and it does not work.  Thanks for your help!
Alan

[carbonBased]

Where'd you get yours from?

I just found one on my system (ext2.asm).  It's from Chris Giese (he's on this board as Geezer).  His web site is www.execpc.com/~geezer/os if you want to check it out, or I can send it to you.

It should work... Chris writes great code.  I remember learning tons from his site a few years back.

Jeff

[Alan]

I have actually used that one, but it is unable to find the 'load.bin' (the kernel or whatever).  So the only idea is i set the disk up wrong or something else is wrong.
Alan

[carbonBased]

Hmm... how did you format the disk?

If you've got Linux, run an e2fsck on it to check it's validity.

From what I can see of the code, it looks valid, but that's just a glance through and trying to remember ext2fs from memory (not an easy task

You might want to check out
http://www.nondot.org/sabre/os/articles/FileSystems/
For more info on ext2.

For working code, check out the GRUB sources (or better yet, just use GRUB to boot your OS

Sorry I couldn't be of more help,
Jeff

[Alan]

I did the  mke2fs  command in linux, etc etc, said its okay, so hmm i will use the other command you gave me

Thank you so much for all your help Jeff!
Alan