Linux From Scratch - Version 6.0

Chapter 6. Installing Basic System Software

6.43. E2fsprogs-1.35

The E2fsprogs package contains the utilities for handling the ext2 file system. It also supports the ext3 journaling file system.

Approximate build time: 0.6 SBU

Required disk space: 4.9 MB

E2fsprogs installation depends on: Bash, Binutils, Coreutils, Diffutils, Gawk, GCC, Gettext, Glibc, Grep, Make, Sed, and Texinfo

6.43.1. Installation of E2fsprogs

It is recommended that E2fsprogs be built in a subdirectory of the source tree: 

mkdir build
cd build

Prepare E2fsprogs for compilation: 

../configure --prefix=/usr --with-root-prefix="" \
    --enable-elf-shlibs --disable-evms

The meaning of the configure options:

--with-root-prefix=""

Certain programs (such as the e2fsck program) are considered essential programs. When, for example, /usr is not mounted, these essential programs need to be available. They belong in directories like /lib and /sbin. If this option is not passed to E2fsprogs' configure, the programs are installed into the /usr directory, which is not where they should be.

--enable-elf-shlibs

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

--disable-evms

This disables the building of the Enterprise Volume Management System (EVMS) plugin. This plugin is not up-to-date with the latest EVMS internal interfaces and EVMS is not installed as part of a base LFS system, so the plugin is not required. See the EVMS website at http://evms.sourceforge.net/ for more information regarding EVMS.

Compile the package: 

make

To test the results, issue: make check.

Install most of the package: 

make install

Install the shared libraries: 

make install-libs

6.43.2. Contents of E2fsprogs

Installed programs: badblocks, blkid, chattr, compile_et, debugfs, dumpe2fs, e2fsck, e2image, e2label, findfs, fsck, fsck.ext2, fsck.ext3, logsave, lsattr, mk_cmds, mke2fs, mkfs.ext2, mkfs.ext3, mklost+found, resize2fs, tune2fs, and uuidgen.

Installed libraries: libblkid.[a,so], libcom_err.[a,so], libe2p.[a,so], libext2fs.[a,so], libss.[a,so], and libuuid.[a,so]

Short Descriptions

badblocks

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

blkid

A command line utility to locate and print block device attributes

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

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

findfs

Finds a file system by label or Universally Unique Identifier (UUID)

fsck

Is used to check, and optionally repair, file systems

fsck.ext2

By default checks ext2 file systems

fsck.ext3

By default checks ext3 file systems

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 helps messages into a C source file suitable for use with the libss subsystem library

mke2fs

Is used to create a second extended file system on the given device

mkfs.ext2

By default creates ext2 file systems

mkfs.ext3

By default creates ext3 file systems

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

uuidgen

Creates new UUIDs. Each new UUID can reasonably be considered unique among all UUIDs created, on the local system and on other systems, in the past and in the future

libblkid

Contains routines for device identification and token extraction

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

libuuid

Contains routines for generating unique identifiers for objects that may be accessible beyond the local system