[parted-devel] [PATCH] Document the lack of support for ext3 filesystems.

[Jim Meyering]

Hi Joel,

Thanks for the patch.
Deprecating ext3 support is a good first step.

However, I think we should be warning that as much
file-system manipulation as possible should be done
by tools other than parted.  E.g., rather than using parted's
mkpartfs command, just use mkpart to create the empty(unformatted)
partition, and then use an external tool like mkfs.ext2 to create the
file system.

I know from bug-fixing experience that the ext2-FS-manipulating code in
parted is far too old to be considered reliable, and all you need to do
is choose slightly unlucky or unusual parameters (possibly due merely
to the layout of the target partition) in order to provoke
data corruption.

As I said, this patch is a fine first step, and
I'll commit it once you make a few small changes:

[this wording appears in two files]
> +...  Tools like resize2fs (8) and mke2fs (8) are
> +suggested for managing these types of filesystems.

Use an active voice.  I.e., instead of the above, say e.g.,

    Use tools like resize2fs(8) and mke2fs(8)
    to manage these types of filesystems.

Also, while I know at least one "please" was preexisting,
please remove all of the ones in the lines changed or
added by your patch.

Jim

Joel Andres Granados <jgranado at redhat.com> wrote:
...
>  .SH KNOWN ISSUES
> -ext3 filesystem resizing does not currently work, please use
> -.BR resize2fs (8)
> -instead.
> +ext3 filesystem functionality does not currently work.  To manage ext3
> +type filesystems please use tools like resize2fs (8) or mke2fs (8).
> +Please note that the currently supported ext2 filesystem will be