Linux From Scratch - Version 20200613-cross2

Chapter 8. Installing Basic System Software

8.70. E2fsprogs-1.45.6

The e2fsprogs package contains the utilities for handling the ext2 file system. It also supports the ext3 and ext4 journaling file systems.

Approximate build time: 4.4 SBU on a spinning disk, 1.7 SBU on an SSD
Required disk space: 106 MB

8.70.1. Installation of E2fsprogs

The e2fsprogs documentation recommends that the package be built in a subdirectory of the source tree: 

mkdir -v build
cd       build

Prepare e2fsprogs for compilation: 

../configure --prefix=/usr           \
             --bindir=/bin           \
             --with-root-prefix=""   \
             --enable-elf-shlibs     \
             --disable-libblkid      \
             --disable-libuuid       \
             --disable-uuidd         \
             --disable-fsck

The meaning of the configure options:

--with-root-prefix="" and --bindir=/bin

Certain programs (such as the e2fsck program) are considered essential programs. When, for example, /usr is not mounted, these programs still need to be available. They belong in directories like /lib and /sbin. If this option is not passed to configure, the programs are installed into the /usr directory.

--enable-elf-shlibs

This creates the shared libraries which some programs in this package use.

--disable-*

This prevents e2fsprogs from building and installing the libuuid and libblkid libraries, the uuidd daemon, and the fsck wrapper, as util-linux installs more recent versions.

Compile the package: 

make

To run the tests, issue: 

make check

On a spinning disk, the tests take a little more than 4 SBUs. They can be much shorter on an SSD (down to about 1.5 SBUs).

Install the package: 

make install

Make the installed static libraries writable so debugging symbols can be removed later: 

chmod -v u+w /usr/lib/{libcom_err,libe2p,libext2fs,libss}.a

This package installs a gzipped .info file but doesn't update the system-wide dir file. Unzip this file and then update the system dir file using the following commands: 

gunzip -v /usr/share/info/libext2fs.info.gz
install-info --dir-file=/usr/share/info/dir /usr/share/info/libext2fs.info

If desired, create and install some additional documentation by issuing the following commands: 

makeinfo -o      doc/com_err.info ../lib/et/com_err.texinfo
install -v -m644 doc/com_err.info /usr/share/info
install-info --dir-file=/usr/share/info/dir /usr/share/info/com_err.info

8.70.2. Contents of E2fsprogs

Installed programs: badblocks, chattr, compile_et, debugfs, dumpe2fs, e2freefrag, e2fsck, e2image, e2label, e2mmpstatus, e2scrub, e2scrub_all, e2undo, e4crypt, e4defrag, filefrag, fsck.ext2, fsck.ext3, fsck.ext4, logsave, lsattr, mk_cmds, mke2fs, mkfs.ext2, mkfs.ext3, mkfs.ext4, mklost+found, resize2fs, and tune2fs
Installed libraries: libcom_err.so, libe2p.so, libext2fs.so, and libss.so
Installed directories: /usr/include/e2p, /usr/include/et, /usr/include/ext2fs, /usr/include/ss, /usr/lib/e2fsprogs, /usr/share/et, and /usr/share/ss

Short Descriptions

badblocks

Searches a device (usually a disk partition) for bad blocks

chattr

Changes the attributes of files on an ext2 file system; it also changes ext3 file systems, the journaling version of ext2 file systems

compile_et

An error table compiler; it converts a table of error-code names and messages into a C source file suitable for use with the com_err library

debugfs

A file system debugger; it can be used to examine and change the state of an ext2 file system

dumpe2fs

Prints the super block and blocks group information for the file system present on a given device

e2freefrag

Reports free space fragmentation information

e2fsck

Is used to check, and optionally repair ext2 file systems and ext3 file systems

e2image

Is used to save critical ext2 file system data to a file

e2label

Displays or changes the file system label on the ext2 file system present on a given device

e2mmpstatus

Checks MMP status of an ext4 filesystem

e2scrub

Checks the contents of a mounted ext[234] filesystem

e2scrub_all

Checks all mounted ext[234] filesystems for errors

e2undo

Replays the undo log undo_log for an ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystem found on a device [This can be used to undo a failed operation by an e2fsprogs program.]

e4crypt

Ext4 filesystem encryption utility

e4defrag

Online defragmenter for ext4 filesystems

filefrag

Reports on how badly fragmented a particular file might be

fsck.ext2

By default checks ext2 file systems and is a hard link to e2fsck

fsck.ext3

By default checks ext3 file systems and is a hard link to e2fsck

fsck.ext4

By default checks ext4 file systems and is a hard link to e2fsck

logsave

Saves the output of a command in a log file

lsattr

Lists the attributes of files on a second extended file system

mk_cmds

Converts a table of command names and help messages into a C source file suitable for use with the libss subsystem library

mke2fs

Creates an ext2 or ext3 file system on the given device

mkfs.ext2

By default creates ext2 file systems and is a hard link to mke2fs

mkfs.ext3

By default creates ext3 file systems and is a hard link to mke2fs

mkfs.ext4

By default creates ext4 file systems and is a hard link to mke2fs

mklost+found

Used to create a lost+found directory on an ext2 file system; it pre-allocates disk blocks to this directory to lighten the task of e2fsck

resize2fs

Can be used to enlarge or shrink an ext2 file system

tune2fs

Adjusts tunable file system parameters on an ext2 file system

libcom_err

The common error display routine

libe2p

Used by dumpe2fs, chattr, and lsattr

libext2fs

Contains routines to enable user-level programs to manipulate an ext2 file system

libss

Used by debugfs