Debian on Reiser4

[tel]

My goal was to do a fresh install of Debian (I’m using Etch) but onto a fast, Reiser4 filesystem. It took a little time, but it worked! For anyone who’s interested, here’s how I did it.

The idea was to do a minimal install onto a small ext3 partition, then copy it over onto a Reiser4 partition. To do this, I needed a Reiser4-enabled kernel, and a Reiser4-enabled install CD. Unfortunately, you can’t resize a Reiser4 partition, so when we’re done, we’ll be left with a relatively small, empty ext3 partition. That’s ok, because I’ll just use it as a storage partition.

I’m pretty sure you can use any Reiser4-enabled install CD, but the one I used was the Conrad LiveCD (for Gentoo), which you get can get here:

http://www.elfenbeinturm.cc/download/

First, I partitioned my hard drive. I have a 40 GB hard disk, so I partitioned it as follows:

hda1 (primary partition) 30MB ext3 (for /boot)
hda2 (primary partition) 512MB swap
hda3 (primary partition) about 30 GB (will be for the Reiser4 partition, so not yet formatted). Mark it as “don’t use this partition” in the Debian installer.
hda4 (primary partition) about 5 GB ext3 (for / )

Install Debian onto hda4, and boot into the supplied kernel (I think it’s the 2.6.8 kernel that comes with debian).

Install bzip2:

Code: Select all

# apt-get install bzip2

Install lynx (a text-based web browser) and download:

Download linux-2.6.20.tar.bz2 from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/
Download 2.6.20-mm2.bz2 from http://kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/akpm/patches/2.6/2.6.18/2.6.18-mm3/

Move these two files to /usr/src, cd to /usr/src, and unpack both the files. Make a symbolic link to the resulting linux-2.6.18 directory:

Code: Select all

# ln –sf  linux-2.6.20/ linux/

Move the patch to the linux/ subdirectory:

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# mv 2.6.20-mm2 ./linux/

Now, patch the kernel:

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# cd ./linux/
# patch -p1 < 2.6.20-mm2

Install all the tools necessary to compile a kernel:

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# apt-get install kernel-package libncurses5-dev fakeroot wget gcc udev

Configure your kernel to your liking (I won’t go into detail on how to do that, other than to remind you that you must select Reiser4 support from filesystems, and make sure it’s compiled into the kernel).

Copy the kernel into /boot:

Code: Select all

# cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/kernel-2.6.20

Modify grub so that this new kernel option is added, by modifying /boot/grub/menu.lst

Now reboot into this new, Reiser4-enabled kernel, just to make sure it works. I’d keep the old kernel around just in case of problems with your new kernel.

Download the Reiser4 tools:

Code: Select all

# apt-get install reiser4progs

Prepare the Reiser4 partition:

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# mkfs.reiser4 /dev/hda3

Now, reboot into the Reiser4-enabled CD. When you get to the command prompt, copy the old filesystem into the new one:

Code: Select all

# mkdir /mnt/hda4
# mount –t ext3 /dev/hda4 /mnt/hda4
# mkdir /mnt/hda3
# mount –t reiser4 /dev/hda3 /mnt/hda3
# cp –a /mnt/hda4/* /mnt/hda3
# mkdir /mnt/boot
# mount –t ext3 /dev/hda1 /mnt/boot

Modify fstab in the new partition (/mnt/hda3/etc/fstab) so that / is now mounted onto /dev/hda3, and the reiser4 filesystem is used (rather than the old ext3 system).
Modify menu.lst (/mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst) so that the root partition now points to /dev/hda3.

Hold your breath and reboot. If all goes well, you’re now running Debian on Reiser4!

You could then delete everything on /dev/hda4, and perhaps mount it on a new mount point (I used /mnt/storage).

Hope this is helpful!

[firefly]

Hi,

I followed your directions for installing reiser4 in an ubuntu hardy setup. Now when I do a df -T it says im running Reiser4. Having said that, when I boot into the gparted live cd of mine, the partition is still listed as ext3 and it never actually moved my OS to the reiser4 format.

Do you have any thoughts?

Thanks,

John

[infinitycircuit]

This post is a bit outdated...if you want reiser4 on debian now just fire up sid or lenny and do the following:

1) install reiser4progs and libaal-dev
2) download the latest reiser4 patch from http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/ ... 4-for-2.6/ and a kernel to go with it.
3) compile a new kernel with reiser4 enabled
4) create your reiser4 partition with either command:

Code: Select all

 mkfs.reiser4 -o create=ccreg40,compress=gzip1 /dev/sda3  (uses gzip)
# OR: (I use the following, it has less cpu usage but worse compression)
 mkfs.reiser4 -o create=ccreg40,compress=lzo1 /dev/sda3  (uses lzo)

5) follow the rest of the guide

I don't know why your livecd says that...if your system boots with reiser4 in /etc/fstab then you are on reiser4, no questions asked. Are you sure you are looking at the right partition in Gparted?

[firefly]

Thanks for the response Infinitycircuit! I apprecitate it.

So in the directions it says "Modify menu.lst (/mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst) so that the root partition now points to /dev/hda3. ". To be honest Im not sure how to modify the file to reflect that. Here is my menu.lst file. Can you possibly highlight it or give a specific parameter so I can do that?

Thaks so much!

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,6)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.25.4
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.25.4 root=UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.25.4
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.25.4 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.25.4 root=UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.25.4

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04, memtest86+
root (hd0,6)
kernel /memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

[infinitycircuit]

You have two partitions: one with ext3 and ubuntu, and one with reiser4 and ubuntu. Let's say that ext3 is /dev/sda3 and ext4 is /dev/sda4. You need to:

ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid

Find the UUID that is a symlink to /dev/sda4. Then change the root=UUID=XXXXXXXXXXX line for your reiser4 kernel to reflect that UUID.

[firefly]

Hi infinity, I made an error on step: MODIFY Fstab in the new partiition /mnt/hda3/etc/fstab
so that / is now mounted onto /dev/hda3, and the reiser4 filesystem is used (rather than the old ext3 system).

Instead of modifying hda3, I modified hda4 instead. When I went back to modify hda3, there was no etrc/fstab listed under hda3.

Do you have any thoughts as to why that could be? Just an FYI. I gave hda3 a separate boot partition as the directions said, but im wondering if that has something to do with it.

If I go into hda4, etc/fstab is listed and I can change that.

Thank you!

[infinitycircuit]

It's a bit hard to understand what you are saying without a clear reference of which partition is reiser4. If you could post the output of the following I can give you exact instructions:

Code: Select all

fdisk -l /dev/hda
cat /etc/fstab (on ext3)
cat /etc/fstab (on reiser4)
ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid

If your drives are /dev/sda instead of /dev/hda then change accordingly.

[firefly]

Hi Infinity.

Before I proviide the file outputs you requested I should explain in detail how I partitioned the disk.

I initially tried to format with the ubuntu live CD, but it wont let me triple boot. I have windows XP as well. When I use the rescue cd I can triple boot. However Gentoo systemrescue cd sees partitions as SDA, and the Ubuntu live cd sees paritions as HDA. Does that matter?

Output from gparted:

/dev/sda7 /boot ext3 250 mb

/dev/sda8 linux swap 2 gig

/dev/sda9 reiser4 50gig

/dev/sda10 ext3 5 gig //

Here are the file outputs when booted into ubuntu. Note the partitions here are listed as hda, not sda.

root@MrBiggles:~# fdisk -l /dev/hda

Disk /dev/hda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x767c767c

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 2040 16386268+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 2041 14593 100831972+ 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 2041 4590 20482843+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6 4591 7140 20482843+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda7 7141 7172 257008+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda8 7173 7440 2152678+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hda9 7441 13942 52227283+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda10 13943 14593 5229126 83 Linux
root@MrBiggles:~#

root@MrBiggles:/etc# cat fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/hda10
UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/hda7
UUID=bf7d6593-d184-4957-854a-f23cce66a89b /boot ext3 relatime 0 2
# /dev/hda8
UUID=7037f8a7-a7a6-4747-9415-ec04f989bc1c none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hdc /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
root@MrBiggles:/etc#

root@MrBiggles:/etc# ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid
total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 2008-05-31 21:57 51d786d3-0e4e-4536-a948-9a52a868d2a0 -> ../../mmcblk0p1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-05-31 14:57 583d22b3-572c-4748-97ad-c193550d02b3 -> ../../hda9
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-05-31 14:57 5E4C209E4C207347 -> ../../hda6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 11 2008-05-31 14:57 6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef -> ../../hda10
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-05-31 14:57 7037f8a7-a7a6-4747-9415-ec04f989bc1c -> ../../hda8
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-05-31 14:57 B8F0CDA0F0CD64EA -> ../../hda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-05-31 14:57 bf7d6593-d184-4957-854a-f23cce66a89b -> ../../hda7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-05-31 14:57 F4A40FC1A40F84F8 -> ../../hda5
root@MrBiggles:/etc#


As for the fstab output on reiser4, thats what I was not able to view. When I go to /mnt/hda9, there is no etc/fstab listed. Thats where the problem lies.

Everything seemed to go well right up till that point. I copied the data from hda10 to hda9 using cp -a /mnt/sda10/* /mnt/sda9/. That seemed successful.

Let me know what other info you need. Thanks again for helping.

[firefly]

Hi Infinity.

Okay well finally I was able to gain access the fstab file on my reiser4 partition. I was trying to modify it while booted into ubuntu. For some reason it let me do the changes this time using the systemrestore disc in leafpad . Now according to the rescue cd the OS finally moved over from sda10 to sda9 (reiser4 partition). That part is exciting. Having said that, when I do a df -h -T when booted into ubuntu, it says Im still on ext3, sda10.

also I had a question with this set of instructions. (Modify menu.lst (/mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst) so that the root partition now points to /dev/hda3. )

my boot partition is hda7, but I had to do a mkdir and a mount to gain access. the directions didnt say you needed to do that, so not sure if I did something wrong priior to that, or if what I did was correct. However doing the mkdir etc I was able to gain access to menu.lst. The UUIID you mentioned was listed several times for root and I changed each instance with the correct UUIID.

Anways thought I should let you know what ive acomplished and or have broken worse LOL. If you could still send me the exact syntax for the menu.lst modifications I would appreciate it.
Thanks.

[firefly]

Hi again infinity. Well ive been busy this morning and think I figured it out. After doing the initial changes with fstab and menu.lst using the rescue cd, I booted into ubuntu and noticed that the changes were not saved for hda9(reiser4) partition so just went in and modified the fstab again. So my thoughts are this. Gparted is the lowest level you can go till machine code I believe, so I would by default have to believe whatever gparted says. It said it was formatted as reiser4, so therefore it is.

It seems obvious to me from this exercise that when doing a df command, that command is simply reading the fstab file and is simply echoing back whatever is in the file. Since it was sitlll showing ext3, thats why df was telling me that. Now Ive changed it and it reflects im now in reiser. Anways all this is way over my head, but seems correct now. If you have time, I would appreciate if you could look over my fstab and menu.list files and tell me if anything seems amiss.

thank you again.

menu.list off of hda7 (boot partition)

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,6)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.25.4
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.25.4 root=UUID=583d22b3-572c-4748-97ad-c193550d02b3 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.25.4
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.25.4 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.25.4 root=UUID=583d22b3-572c-4748-97ad-c193550d02b3 ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.25.4

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=583d22b3-572c-4748-97ad-c193550d02b3 ro quiet splash
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04, kernel 2.6.24-16-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=583d22b3-572c-4748-97ad-c193550d02b3 ro single
initrd /initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04, memtest86+
root (hd0,6)
kernel /memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1




FSTAB file from hda9 reiser4 partition

/etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/hda9
UUID=6c62ee20-d5ad-4933-84ef-a6d483bf17ef / reiser4 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/hda7
UUID=bf7d6593-d184-4957-854a-f23cce66a89b /boot ext3 relatime 0 2
# /dev/hda8
UUID=7037f8a7-a7a6-4747-9415-ec04f989bc1c none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hdc /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

[dbbolton]

It seems that all links to the patches are 404s since the attack on kernel.org