ext3 incompatability between linux 2.4/ppc and linux 2.6/x86

[Cam]

Andreas

Thanks for the prompt and informative reply. It looks like this is a 
'known fault'.

> The ext_attr feature is probably from selinux.
[...]
> I'm not sure if there is some way to prevent selinux from tagging all
> of the files in the filesystem or not (e.g. mount option or other).

Strangely google for "selinux mount ext_attr disable" gave a bugzilla
entry as first result:

  https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/long_list.cgi?buglist=137068

> There is a trivial change to the ext3 code to fix this for your embedded
> platform - add ext3_inode_is_fast_symlink() to check for i_file_acl and
> change ext3_read_inode() to use this instead of just checking i_blocks).

Unfortunately a change to the embedded system in the field is
unattractive at the moment.

> Note that in newer e2fsprogs you need to use "mke2fs -O none -O {features}"
> to clear the default feature set.  Also, it isn't clear whether this will
> prevent selinux from enabling the ext_attr feature.

It doesn't, although disabling selinux is effective. Using your mke2fs 
and disabling selinux is a good workaround.

> none of the values printed
> in the error messages appear to be byte-swapped values.  They instead look
> like ASCII values (e.g. "md-2" and "bash").

I see your point. I missed that but will check in future!

Thanks again,

-Cam

-- 
camilo at mesias.co.uk                                                 <--