Re: Problems with mkfs.xfs

[Detlef Vollmann <dv@vollmann.ch>]

Nathan Scott wrote:
> 
> hi,
> 
> On Thu, Aug 09, 2001 at 02:37:22AM +0000, Detlef Vollmann wrote:
> > On writing a small testsuite for a simple utility, I hit
> > several problems with mkfs.xfs (1.2.0):
> >
> > Minor problem: syntax
> > mkfs.xfs does not conform to the mkfs syntax (at least not to
> > the one described in mkfs(8) on Linux and which I know since
> > more than 15 years now :-}
> >   mkfs -t xfs /dev/xxx 1234
> > produces just an error message on the size parameter :-(
> >
> 
> Hmm... yes, you're right.  If it's a problem, send a patch.
Probably I should.  Perhaps later.

> > Bigger problem: semantics
> > In the native mkfs.xfs option list, I found nothing that resembles
> > the size parameter of the original mkfs command.  I had to do
> > some computations and give size parameters for the different
> > parts (data and logging).
> 
> You're after the -d size=XXXb option, which I think would most
> closely match the optional [blocks] parameter of mkfs.
If I read the manpage correctly, that filesystem would not
fit into a device with size xxxb, as the log is still added.

> 
> >
> > Real problem: size itself
> > I tried to create an xfs filesystem on a 4MB ramdisk (/dev/ram0),
> > but I found no combination of option that succeeded.
> > Did I not try hard enouh or is the lower limit for xfs size
> > larger than 4MB?
> >
> 
> Yes - the minimum is 16MB, if I remember correctly (ie. the
> minimum size of one allocation group).
Ahh, that's serious.  I'll have to find a workaround for that :-{

Thanks for the info.
Detlef

-- 
Detlef Vollmann
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