Possible to convert ext2 to ext3?

Garibaldi3489 · 12-15-2004, 04:27 PM

I have an ext2 install of slackware and I was wondering if it possible to upgrade to ext3 or have journeling without loosing my data. I have recently had boot problems related to my use of ext2 and I would like to try and prevent that if possible.

sigsegv · 12-15-2004, 04:30 PM

Google is your friend

Garibaldi3489 · 12-15-2004, 05:32 PM

Quote:

http://www.troubleshooters.com/linux/ext2toext3.htm#_two2three

Thanks for the link. Do I only have to do the steps:

Quote:

Converting from Ext2 to Ext3

Xhttp://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:5PKMKIH0Zx4C:http://www.cscdoc.eku.edu/Styer/401/...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The conversion procedure is simple enough. Imagine /dev/hda10 mounted as /test – the procedure would be as follows:

* Log in as root
* Make sure /etc/fstab has /dev/hda10 mounted to /test as ext2, read write
* umount /dev/hda10
o If you can't unmount it, then remount it read only (mount -o remount,rw /dev/hda10)
* tune2fs -j /dev/hda10
* Edit /etc/fstab, and for /dev/hda10, change ext2 to ext3
* mount /dev/hda10
* /sbin/shutdown -h now
* mount | grep /dev/hda10
o If it's not shown as ext3, reboot, if still not, troubleshoot
o Otherwise, you're done.

A few explanations are in order. The tunefs command creates the journal file, which is kept in a special inode on the device (by default). You then must change the /etc/fstab entry to reflect it's a journalling filesystem, and then mount it.

To convert my whole filesystem.. or must I do the ones below it as well?
And, is this a fairly safe procedure?

bulliver · 12-15-2004, 05:53 PM

You must do those steps for every partition you want to convert...If your system is spread over three partitions, then you have to do all three manually...

Garibaldi3489 · 12-15-2004, 05:59 PM

Quote:

You must do those steps for every partition you want to convert...If your system is spread over three partitions, then you have to do all three manually...

My linux install is installed in 1 partition, mounted at /dev/loop7. So would I change:
/dev/loop7 / auto defaults 1 1
to
/dev/loop7 / ext3 rw 0 0

Brian1 · 12-15-2004, 06:11 PM

I could be wrong but if your ' /etc/filesystems ' file contains ext3 in it then no problem leaving fstab as is. As long as your kernel has ext3 support compiled and add ext3 to ' /etc/filesystems ' then all should be fine.

Brian1

Garibaldi3489 · 12-15-2004, 06:20 PM

Quote:

I could be wrong but if your ' /etc/filesystems ' file contains ext3 in it then no problem leaving fstab as is. As long as your kernel has ext3 support compiled and add ext3 to ' /etc/filesystems ' then all should be fine.

I don't have the folder filesystems in /ect/ or a file called filesystems. I'm running kernel 2.4.24, and I'm almost positive that it supports ext3. So just run tunefs -j base.img (my install file) at a boot prompt to change to ext 3, or do I need to add more options?