[cobalt-developers] Re: Notes/problems on running ext3 on a raq4.

[Paul Schulz <pschulz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings,

Kernel:   2.4.17
Hardware: raq4i
Issue:    Using ext3 file system as rootfs (/)
Result:   Problems when system uncleanly shutdown (to be expected really).

Just a few notes about the experiences I have had trying to get a
2.4.17 kernel running with an ext3 root file system, on raq4i hardware.
In this case I had the rootfs mounted as an ext3 filesystem.

  - It works if the system is shutdown cleanly.
	So, the 'runtime' features of ext3 can be used. 

  - If the power is cycle without a clean shutdown, then the ROM-BIOS
        fails to reboot the kernel.
	(It get's stuck after the inital stage 1 booting message.
	The ROM-BIOS must have a timeout/watchdog as it then reboots
	the system and the whole cycle repeats.)

	(It also does this if I don't set the drive jumper properly to
	'master'.. see below :-)

        The fix requires the the drive being taken out, placed in
	another machine and manually fsck'ed.

I have reverted back to ext2.  I expect (but haven't tried) using ext3
on a non-rootfs partition would not be an issue. (Currently I don't
have the extra partition to try on).