I am currently running a Windows XP system at home with around 100+ Mb in use over ~400Mb of NTFS file systems. I am installing CentOS 4.4 on it when I change out the mobo/cpu/mem/video combo I just bought. I want to convert all the file systems to (probably) Reiserfs or maybe ext3, but I need to do them one at a time because I only have enough transfer space to accommodate the largest one, or at least that's my belief. That would mean at least two copies per partition converted, and I have six partitions to convert, from ~14Gb to over 85Gb (in one, only - the rest are 30Gb or smaller).
1) Is there a good way to do whole fs conversions, specifically from NTFS to reiserfs or ext3?
2) Do I even need to do this (i.e., do any of the CentOS/Linux kernels support read AND write to NTFS)?
3) Is there, by any chance, and in-place converter from NTFS to any Linux fs, preferably reiserfs or ext3?
Also, the last time I installed CentOS on a system (I've done about six or seven so far) I don't remember seeing reiserfs as one of the supported fs's for configuring during the installation process - am I blind or is this really the case? I like reiserfs primarily because it is really good with many small files, and I have tons of them - around 100k files under 10k.
Thanks.
mhr
On 3/14/07, Mark Hull-Richter mhull-richter@datallegro.com wrote:
Is there a good way to do whole fs conversions, specifically fromNTFS to reiserfs or ext3?
Not while maintaining data.
Do I even need to do this (i.e., do any of the CentOS/Linux kernelssupport read AND write to NTFS)?
No, and NTFS writes are not something I'd consider a good idea.
Is there, by any chance, and in-place converter from NTFS to anyLinux fs, preferably reiserfs or ext3?
Nope.
Also, the last time I installed CentOS on a system (I've done about six or seven so far) I don't remember seeing reiserfs as one of the supported fs's for configuring during the installation process – am I blind or is this really the case? I like reiserfs primarily because it is really good with many small files, and I have tons of them – around 100k files under 10k.
Reiserfs isn't supported in RHEL or centos (except in centosplus). I'd also suspect it's being reconsidered in the kernel proper also, given the legal issues and current imprisonment of the reiserfs maintainer.
-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of Jim Perrin Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:13 PM To: CentOS mailing list Subject: Re: [CentOS] What's the best way to convert a whole set of filesystems?
Reiserfs isn't supported in RHEL or centos (except in centosplus). I'd also suspect it's being reconsidered in the kernel proper also, given the legal issues and current imprisonment of the reiserfs maintainer.
Well, that's the best recommendation for ext3 I've ever seen.
But, Jim, do you have to be so negative? No, no, bad idea, no, maintainer in jail - sheesh!
(Kidding.... ;^)
But, Jim, do you have to be so negative? No, no, bad idea, no, maintainer in jail - sheesh!
(Kidding.... ;^)
What can I say, I hate to see people happy.... I also enjoy raining on parades, stealing candy from kids, and kicking cute puppies. :-P
On Wed, 14 Mar 2007, Jim Perrin wrote:
What can I say, I hate to see people happy.... I also enjoy raining on parades, stealing candy from kids, and kicking cute puppies. :-P
Jim's future plans include
* putting mirrors.centos.org behind an analog modem * demanding CentOS docs be submitted in RTF * removing either vi or emacs from base distribution, depending on which is your favorite * making NTFS the default CentOS filesystem * taunting Johnny with the pony he'll never, ever get * encouraging DRM everywhere
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1
On Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 01:04:21PM -0700, Paul Heinlein wrote:
On Wed, 14 Mar 2007, Jim Perrin wrote:
What can I say, I hate to see people happy.... I also enjoy raining on parades, stealing candy from kids, and kicking cute puppies. :-P
Jim's future plans include
- putting mirrors.centos.org behind an analog modem
- demanding CentOS docs be submitted in RTF
Make that TeX and I'm game :)
- taunting Johnny with the pony he'll never, ever get
Best ... ever ... :)
- -- Rodrigo Barbosa "Quid quid Latine dictum sit, altum viditur" "Be excellent to each other ..." - Bill & Ted (Wyld Stallyns)
Rodrigo Barbosa wrote:
On Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 01:04:21PM -0700, Paul Heinlein wrote:
On Wed, 14 Mar 2007, Jim Perrin wrote:
What can I say, I hate to see people happy.... I also enjoy raining on parades, stealing candy from kids, and kicking cute puppies. :-P
Jim's future plans include
- demanding CentOS docs be submitted in RTF
Make that TeX and I'm game :)
Forget it. WordPerfect 5 format encoded in EBCDIC.
Ralph
Paul Heinlein wrote:
On Wed, 14 Mar 2007, Jim Perrin wrote:
What can I say, I hate to see people happy.... I also enjoy raining on parades, stealing candy from kids, and kicking cute puppies. :-P
Jim's future plans include
- putting mirrors.centos.org behind an analog modem
- demanding CentOS docs be submitted in RTF
- removing either vi or emacs from base distribution, depending on which is your favorite
- making NTFS the default CentOS filesystem
- taunting Johnny with the pony he'll never, ever get
- encouraging DRM everywhere
Nice bloke, that Jim.
Jim's future plans include
- putting mirrors.centos.org behind an analog modem
- demanding CentOS docs be submitted in RTF
- removing either vi or emacs from base distribution, depending on which is your favorite
- making NTFS the default CentOS filesystem
- taunting Johnny with the pony he'll never, ever get
- encouraging DRM everywhere
Dammit I knew I left that day-planner somewhere.
- removing either vi or emacs from base distribution, depending on which is your favorite
Because SOMEONE felt the need to be a funny man... I'll make it tomorrow's goal to have ed as the ONLY editor installed for centos5... how ya like them apples? :-P
Jim Perrin wrote:
- removing either vi or emacs from base distribution, depending on which is your favorite
Because SOMEONE felt the need to be a funny man... I'll make it tomorrow's goal to have ed as the ONLY editor installed for centos5...
Phew, he's not deleting my favourite;-)
On Wednesday 14 March 2007 03:58 pm, John Summerfield wrote:
Phew, he's not deleting my favourite;-)
But for those of us who still run WordStar on CP/M, how about "joe". It almost works like WordStar.
Jeff
On Wed, 2007-03-14 at 18:20 -0400, Jim Perrin wrote:
- removing either vi or emacs from base distribution, depending on which is your favorite
Because SOMEONE felt the need to be a funny man... I'll make it tomorrow's goal to have ed as the ONLY editor installed for centos5... how ya like them apples? :-P
I thought I was the only one left with common sense!
-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of William L. Maltby Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 12:37 PM To: CentOS General List Subject: Re: [CentOS] What's the best way to convert a whole setof filesystems?
I thought I was the only one left with common sense!
Boy am I slow! Now I know what CentOS stands for: Comedy Enterprise On the Side!
:-)
Jim Perrin wrote:
On 3/14/07, Mark Hull-Richter mhull-richter@datallegro.com wrote:
Is there a good way to do whole fs conversions, specificallyfrom NTFS to reiserfs or ext3?
Not while maintaining data.
Do I even need to do this (i.e., do any of the CentOS/Linuxkernels support read AND write to NTFS)?
No, and NTFS writes are not something I'd consider a good idea.
Latest NTFS for Linux claims to be completely safe, it uses Microsoft drivers. Presumably it gets it from your copy of Windows, but I've not needed to find out.
needs fuser - filesystem in user space.
On Wednesday 14 March 2007 03:04 pm, John Summerfield wrote:
Latest NTFS for Linux claims to be completely safe, it uses Microsoft drivers. Presumably it gets it from your copy of Windows, but I've not needed to find out.
So MSWindows is now a prereq for Linux?
<wry grin>
Jeff
Jeff Lasman wrote:
Latest NTFS for Linux claims to be completely safe, it uses Microsoft drivers. Presumably it gets it from your copy of Windows, but I've not needed to find out.
So MSWindows is now a prereq for Linux?
<wry grin>
Just boot a knoppix CD to copy the data over - it will access both ntfs and ext3 (don't know about LVM unless it has been added recently though).
Jeff Lasman wrote:
On Wednesday 14 March 2007 03:04 pm, John Summerfield wrote:
Latest NTFS for Linux claims to be completely safe, it uses Microsoft drivers. Presumably it gets it from your copy of Windows, but I've not needed to find out.
So MSWindows is now a prereq for Linux?
If you want to share data with Windows on (eg) your laptop, it's a very nice solution. If you don't have Windows and Linux on the same system, the need is way less likely to exist.
On Thursday 15 March 2007 02:24 pm, John Summerfield wrote:
If you want to share data with Windows on (eg) your laptop, it's a very nice solution. If you don't have Windows and Linux on the same system, the need is way less likely to exist.
I take it the <wry grin> didn't deter you or Les from straight replies <smile>.
Usually this bit of what appears to be flame-bait just gets me something like "if you don't have Windows you don't need to run it". To which I generally respond, I have Windows. Just not on the same machine.
<smile>
Jeff
Mark Hull-Richter wrote:
I am currently running a Windows XP system at home with around 100+ Mb in use over ~400Mb of NTFS file systems. I am installing CentOS 4.4 on it when I change out the mobo/cpu/mem/video combo I just bought. I want to convert all the file systems to (probably) Reiserfs or maybe ext3, but I need to do them one at a time because I only have enough transfer space to accommodate the largest one, or at least that’s my belief. That would mean at least two copies per partition converted, and I have six partitions to convert, from ~14Gb to over 85Gb (in one, only – the rest are 30Gb or smaller).
Is there a good way to do whole fs conversions, specificallyfrom NTFS to reiserfs or ext3?
Do I even need to do this (i.e., do any of the CentOS/Linuxkernels support read AND write to NTFS)?
Is there, by any chance, and in-place converter from NTFS toany Linux fs, preferably reiserfs or ext3?
Also, the last time I installed CentOS on a system (I’ve done about six or seven so far) I don’t remember seeing reiserfs as one of the supported fs’s for configuring during the installation process – am I blind or is this really the case? I like reiserfs primarily because it is really good with many small files, and I have tons of them – around 100k files under 10k.
the only major distribution that really supports reiser natively is SuSE
10k bytes isn't really a small file, < 512 bytes is small, and where both NTFS and Reiser's trick of hiding small files directly in the directory entries may give some benefit.
in place format conversion is a nightmare waiting to happen. I'd fully backup a disk before even attempting that, even assuming any such tools exist (afaik, they don't). once its backed up, its probably faster to restore this backup to the new format rather than attempting any sort of conversion.
frankly, I'd build a new computer, install Linux on it, then copy the files across the network. when done, recycle the old computer for parts, or sell it intact as is (its probably worth more as a working system than as parts).
-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of John R Pierce Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:16 PM To: CentOS mailing list Subject: Re: [CentOS] What's the best way to convert a whole set of filesystems?
the only major distribution that really supports reiser natively is
SuSE
I can live with that. I've heard unkind words about ext3, but so far no problems....
10k bytes isn't really a small file, < 512 bytes is small, and where both NTFS and Reiser's trick of hiding small files directly in the directory entries may give some benefit.
Oh, okay - didn't know that. I do have a lot of files under 512b, but not thousands. Most of them are "batch" files that I'll have to rewrite as shell scripts if I want to continue to use that approach, but that's trivial.
in place format conversion is a nightmare waiting to happen. I'd fully backup a disk before even attempting that, even assuming any
such
tools exist (afaik, they don't). once its backed up, its probably faster to restore this backup to the new format rather than attempting any sort of conversion.
What sort of backup would be best from NTFS to ext3? I've a feeling that a straight binary copy might not be the best choice, but I'm guessing.
frankly, I'd build a new computer, install Linux on it, then copy the files across the network. when done, recycle the old computer for parts, or sell it intact as is (its probably worth more as a working system than as parts).
(sigh) now you're talking money - it would cost me an extra $300-500 to do that, and I've already strained my budget and my credit to do the $400 for the upgrade. On the positive side, I've done this many times - been building and upgrading home machines since 1984, and I'm pretty good at that. This is the first time I'll be switching from an M$ OS to a real one. :-)
Thanks!
Mark Hull-Richter wrote:
the only major distribution that really supports reiser natively is
SuSE I can live with that. I've heard unkind words about ext3, but so far no problems....
Use ext3 unless you know something else is better for your purpose. If you are creating/deleting new files by the thousands all the time it might be worth thinking about resiserfs.
frankly, I'd build a new computer, install Linux on it, then copy the files across the network. when done, recycle the old computer for parts, or sell it intact as is (its probably worth more as a working system than as parts).
(sigh) now you're talking money - it would cost me an extra $300-500 to do that, and I've already strained my budget and my credit to do the $400 for the upgrade. On the positive side, I've done this many times - been building and upgrading home machines since 1984, and I'm pretty good at that. This is the first time I'll be switching from an M$ OS to a real one. :-)
I'd compromise and get a new drive big enough to hold everything. You need a backup anyway.
Mark Hull-Richter wrote:
-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of John R Pierce Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:16 PM To: CentOS mailing list Subject: Re: [CentOS] What's the best way to convert a whole set of filesystems?
the only major distribution that really supports reiser natively is
SuSE I can live with that. I've heard unkind words about ext3, but so far no problems....
You have?
I'm on a list which has users of SLES and of RHEL (and slack and debian) on zSeries. I don't recall anyone sad to use ext3, but there have been the occasional stuffed reiserfs. Then there's the real concern the development team for reiserfs is small and has some legal difficulties that may seem him operating for several lifetimes from inside a US prison.
What sort of backup would be best from NTFS to ext3? I've a feeling that a straight binary copy might not be the best choice, but I'm guessing.
You need something that understands both filesystems. Reading NTFS in Linux is fairly straightforward, but on CentOS you will need to download less official kernel modules (each time you upgrade the kernel) or rebuild each kernel. Neither is difficult, and the need evaporates when Windows is out of your life.
frankly, I'd build a new computer, install Linux on it, then copy the files across the network. when done, recycle the old computer for parts, or sell it intact as is (its probably worth more as a working system than as parts).
(sigh) now you're talking money - it would cost me an extra $300-500 to do that, and I've already strained my budget and my credit to do the $400 for the upgrade. On the positive side, I've done this many times - been building and upgrading home machines since 1984, and I'm pretty good at that. This is the first time I'll be switching from an M$ OS to a real one. :-)
An extra drive won't strain the budget so hard, and gives you a neat backup device.
Mark Hull-Richter wrote:
I am currently running a Windows XP system at home with around 100+ Mb in use over ~400Mb of NTFS file systems. I am installing CentOS 4.4 on it when I change out the mobo/cpu/mem/video combo I just bought. I want to convert all the file systems to (probably) Reiserfs or maybe ext3, but I need to do them one at a time because I only have enough transfer space to accommodate the largest one, or at least that's my belief. That would mean at least two copies per partition converted, and I have six partitions to convert, from ~14Gb to over 85Gb (in one, only - the rest are 30Gb or smaller).
Is there a good way to do whole fs conversions, specificallyfrom NTFS to reiserfs or ext3?
Why reiserfs? RH doesn't support it at all in its RHEL series. It's no longer default in OpenSUSE (I'm not completely sure of SLES/SLED).
ext3 is generally a sane selection.
Do I even need to do this (i.e., do any of the CentOS/Linuxkernels support read AND write to NTFS)?.
I think rw support is available now in some distros.
Is there, by any chance, and in-place converter from NTFS toany Linux fs, preferably reiserfs or ext3?
Highly dangerous at best.
Also, the last time I installed CentOS on a system (I've done about six or seven so far) I don't remember seeing reiserfs as one of the supported fs's for configuring during the installation process - am I blind or is this really the case? I like reiserfs primarily because it is really good with many small files, and I have tons of them - around 100k files under 10k.
It is really the case. RH employs at least one ext4 specialist, declines to do so for any other Linux filesystem. I expect SUSE to follow this path.
The _best_ way to convert is to use another disk. That way, if something fouls up, you get another chance. The _best_ way to read NTFS is with Windows. The _safest_ way to convert is to read in Windows, transfer to Linux and write.
You can do this on a network, you can possibly run Linux under virtual PC (a free download now, does not require special CPUs, can boot a standard bootable CD or (I think) ISO image), you could use tar under windows (needs cygwin).
Mark Hull-Richter spake the following on 3/14/2007 12:03 PM:
I am currently running a Windows XP system at home with around 100+ Mb in use over ~400Mb of NTFS file systems. I am installing CentOS 4.4 on it when I change out the mobo/cpu/mem/video combo I just bought. I want to convert all the file systems to (probably) Reiserfs or maybe ext3, but I need to do them one at a time because I only have enough transfer space to accommodate the largest one, or at least that’s my belief. That would mean at least two copies per partition converted, and I have six partitions to convert, from ~14Gb to over 85Gb (in one, only – the rest are 30Gb or smaller).
Is there a good way to do whole fs conversions, specificallyfrom NTFS to reiserfs or ext3?
Do I even need to do this (i.e., do any of the CentOS/Linuxkernels support read AND write to NTFS)?
Is there, by any chance, and in-place converter from NTFS toany Linux fs, preferably reiserfs or ext3?
Also, the last time I installed CentOS on a system (I’ve done about six or seven so far) I don’t remember seeing reiserfs as one of the supported fs’s for configuring during the installation process – am I blind or is this really the case? I like reiserfs primarily because it is really good with many small files, and I have tons of them – around 100k files under 10k.
Are you replacing XP? If so, back up the files you want to keep (a cd should hold it all if you zip it first if there are many small files), install linux, and restore the files from cd.
-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of Scott Silva Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 4:29 PM To: centos@centos.org Subject: [CentOS] Re: What's the best way to convert a whole set of filesystems?
Are you replacing XP? If so, back up the files you want to keep (a cd should hold it all if you zip it first if there are many small files),
install
linux, and restore the files from cd.
I have fairly recent backups of most everything on DVDs (remember, we're talking somewhere between 100Gb and 200Gb of disk space to back up and restore), but I need to catch the latest stuff that isn't on DVD yet.
I was thinking to copy each partition to the new /home one at a time, reformat the original (from NTFS to ext3) and then copy back. That makes sense to me except for the plain text files (which should be converted from dos to unix format), but I could do that afterwards.
It would probably be horrendously slow with cp - what would be a better way: tar, cpio, or dd, or something else?
Mark Hull-Richter wrote:
I was thinking to copy each partition to the new /home one at a time, reformat the original (from NTFS to ext3) and then copy back. That makes sense to me except for the plain text files (which should be converted from dos to unix format), but I could do that afterwards.
It would probably be horrendously slow with cp - what would be a better way: tar, cpio, or dd, or something else?
I'd not expect cp to be significantly slower or faster than tar etc. dd just copys bytes, it does nothing to interpret them as a filesystem, so there's no way for dd to change the filesystem (but it can, for example, copy /dev/hda2 to ~/hda2.img where you can then mount them as filesystems and play with cp, tar and so on.
-
Jeff Lasman -
Jim Perrin -
John R Pierce -
John Summerfield -
Les Mikesell -
Mark Hull-Richter -
Paul Heinlein -
Ralph Angenendt -
Rodrigo Barbosa -
Scott Silva -
William L. Maltby