Data-Corrupting ext3 Bug In Linux 2.4.20

linuxjack55 writes "Kerneltrap is reporting a data-corrupting bug in the ext3 code of kernel 2.4.20. The scope of the problem (and workarounds) are described in the article, which also includes a link to an interesting interview with kernel hacker Andrew Morton. In it, he states that the '2.4.x core has only stabilized very recently' and the 2.4.x kernel is 'even now...in a late beta state.' He was also asked when the 2.4 kernel could be considered stable. His reply: 'Six months, perhaps?' If that prediction is accurate, 2.6.x could arrive before a 'stable' version of 2.4.x does." (The interview with Morton is from last February -- how stable you consider 2.4 right now is up to you.)

Comments

Re:Journaling

[0x0d0a]

The default mode is ordered. Basically, this journals only metadata, preventing your filesystem from becoming corrupted. This is the big worry for most people -- losing everything on your partition because of a power loss at a bad time. This may sound not so great, but it's what most other journalling filesystems do --only worry about metadata.

Journalled mode journals everything, including file data and metadata. This is the uber-reliable (well, when it doesn't have corruption-causing bugs) mode that most filesystems don't bother with because of the speed hit.

How can you verify that this option is not enabled

You can look for options in /etc/fstab...it's ordered by default, but if there's an option data=journal, then it's journalled.

If you're using 2.4.20 right now, I think I'd reboot into your older kernel right now. :-)