Something I have uncovered while searching for the answer to this problem.

1. This seems to be a 32 bit issue. The maximum file size is 2GB on 32 bit systems.

2. many 2.4 series kernels cannot "fool" the physics of the architecture, so the limit is still 2GB.

3. the 2.6 kernel is supposed to have fixed this issue (which means a nasty hack like ide-scsi?)

4. Even if your kernel can fool itself into generating files larger than 2GB, many applications aren't coded to take advantage of this feature.

Therefore, if you can create the tarball bigger than 2GB your kernel is obviously modern enough, butyour tools aren't equipped to handle this. Check for newer versions supporting files larger than 2GB.

As far as I know, this limitation has been lifted on many, if not all, modern 32-bit systems. I've been using kernel 2.6 since 2.6.0, and I haven't had any problem creating a file larger than 2 GB. I've never had to use the SCSI emulation (the "ide-scsi" thing) with kernel 2.6 at all, either.

The cdrtool (i.e. mkisofs, cdrecord and others) supports files larger than 2GB starting with version 2.01, although creating an ISO image of larger than 2GB has never been a problem for me, even though I was using mkisofs 2.0.

I just upgraded cdrtool to 2.01. mkisofs can now create an image from an original file larger than 2GB.

ide-scsi isa 2.4 thing. I used it as an example of a dirty hack. 2.6 doesn't need it.

Perhaps there's still a bug with that version. Have you checked the changelog or emailed the author?

You must be a friend of Linus Torvalds'. He was once quoted as saying he hated the SCSI emulation.

I'd like to hang with the guy. he seems to have his head screwed on. He's one of the most famous people in IT and he still tries to put his family first


I'd have to agree with a lot of what's criticized in the kernel, since I'm running one that uses most of the "foreward-thinking" patches.

Simply upgrade your distro.
To burn dvd sized image or file you need growisofs part of cdrtool.
K3b is able to burn 7,5 GB DuobleLayer DVD simply because it use it!
Needed at least version 5.21 to burn double layer dvd.

You must mean "dvd+rw-tools."

Hi Daihard,
Thanks for your reply.
Will try it out.
Which version are you using?
Thanks for your help,
Haoscar

[Hi Daihard,
Thanks for your reply.

I followed the same procedure as you had specified.

while untarring back I got the following error after soem files were untarred.

tar: Unexpected EOF in archive
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

if I do
tar -tvf on the original tar file (meaning that the tar used for making the iso isnt a bad one) it displays the contents correctly.

I am not able to untar the tar from the iso after mounting it and copying it to a different directory.

I am guessing, I might be using wrong version. I am using 2.01.

Can you tell me the version for which it is working for you, like any specific alpha release?.

what is DVD+RW tools, is it free??

Thanks for your help,
Haoscar

The package I got for my distro says 2.01a38. I assume it means 2.01 alpha-38.

dvd+rw-tools contain growisofs, which I use to burn an ISO image to a DVD media.

One thing I would do is run "md5sum" on the original tarball and the one created by mkisofs to compare the checksums. If they are different, then I must agree that your mkisofs tool is somehow not working correctly.

Hi Daihard,
I went to look at the aplha version that you have, but they seem to have moved it out from the ftp.

Is there any way that you can mail me the alpha version you have.

The md5sum trick worked, both checksums are different, they just proved that mkisofs isnt able to make iso from file size > 2GB.
the version I have is pure 2.01. its not an alpha, maybe they solved the problem in that alpha release.


my email is haoscar@walla.com

That would be of great help, as I am stuck with mkisofs not working. thanks again for your replies.

Regards,
haoscar

I've uploaded the tarball on my Web space. You can download it from here:

http://daihardM3.home.comcast.net/da...2.01a38.tar.gz

Let me know if you have any trouble downloading the file.

Perhaps since there's a md5sum error, be sure to send him the md5sum of your tarball too.you likely thought about that, but, you know....

That's a very good thought. Thanks a lot!

http://daihardM3.home.comcast.net/da....tar.gz.md5sum

In case you have trouble downloading it, the content of the file is:

I'm using K3B 0.11 and dvd+rw-tools 5.21.4.10.8 but I cannot burn my 2.2GB tar backup file into DVD...
You guys reckon reiserfs would fix this?
I am having trouble starting a RAID1 FC2 with reiserfs though