Baslinux mailing list

[3aoo-cvfd AT dea.spamcon.org]

BL3 has an old version of e2fsck that takes longer
to check the filesystem than more recent versions.
This is not an issue on the 20mb loop file (the check 
is hardly noticeable).  However, if you install BL3 
to a 500mb filesystem (as I have just done), there 
is a definite delay.

One way to stop this delay is to bypass e2fsck.
This is easily done by putting a # in front of the
e2fsck line in /etc/rc.  That will stop all e2fscks.  
However, that's not a good idea.  At the very least 
you need a e2fsck following a dirty shutdown.  You 
can do this by putting the following at the beginning 
of the e2fsck line in /etc/rc
-----------------------
[ -e /etc/check-fs ] && 
-----------------------
This is a conditional that checks for the existence
of a flag (check-fs).  If the flag exists, the command
after && will be executed.

Then create a new line (immediately after the e2fsck 
line).  It sets the flag for the next system startup.
-------------------
touch /etc/check-fs
-------------------
If that flag is still there at the next system startup,
e2fsck (in the line above) will run.

The last step is to remove the flag when there is
a clean shutdown of the system.  You do this by
editing /etc/inittab.  The shutdown section should
look like this:
-----------------------------------------
::shutdown:/sbin/swapoff -a
::shutdown:/bin/rm /etc/check-fs
::shutdown:/sbin/umount -a -r 2>/dev/null 
-----------------------------------------

So, when there is a clean shutdown, the flag is removed.  
That stops e2fsck (in /etc/rc) at the next startup.
On the other hand, if there is a power failure or other
dirty shutdown, the check-fs file remains (thereby
triggering e2fsck at the next startup).

Note:  the instructions in /etc/inittab are implement at
       system startup; therefore, any changes you make 
       will not occur until the next startup.  That means 
       any changes to the shutdown procedure will not occur
       until after the system is rebooted.
  
Cheers,
Steven