[gentoo-user] [OT]: Is that (filesystem-)logic vald?

[gentoo-user] [OT]: Is that (filesystem-)logic vald?

[meino.cramer]

Hi,

I have an embedded system with internal flash memory. 
The internal flash memory contains some static files,
which are only be read and others, which get written
from time to time.

The internal flash has a FAT32-formatted filesystem
and no real partiton (the device is directly fomratted
as so often with this kind of lash memories.

From time to time the software crashes while updateing
some files (writing to them) leaving a unclean filesystem
behind.

Often -- after fscking the filesystem -- files named
FSCK<number>.REC are left in the root of the filesystem.

Is it correct to assume, that only those files are
affected by correcting the filesysten which were written/updated
before or is there any chance, that other, only read files
are also affected?

Thank you very much for any help in advance!
Best regards,
mcc

[gentoo-user] Re: [OT]: Is that (filesystem-)logic vald?

[walt]

On 05/11/2014 08:25 PM, meino.cramer@gmx.de wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I have an embedded system with internal flash memory. 
> The internal flash memory contains some static files,
> which are only be read and others, which get written
> from time to time.
> 
> The internal flash has a FAT32-formatted filesystem
> and no real partiton (the device is directly fomratted
> as so often with this kind of lash memories.
> 
> From time to time the software crashes while updateing
> some files (writing to them) leaving a unclean filesystem
> behind.
> 
> Often -- after fscking the filesystem -- files named
> FSCK<number>.REC are left in the root of the filesystem.
> 
> Is it correct to assume, that only those files are
> affected by correcting the filesysten which were written/updated
> before or is there any chance, that other, only read files
> are also affected?

I don't know the answer so I'll ask a question instead :)

How long was the embedded system working correctly before
the crashes started?  Did it ever work correctly?

[gentoo-user] Re: [OT]: Is that (filesystem-)logic vald?

[James]

 <meino.cramer <at> gmx.de> writes:


> I have an embedded system with internal flash memory. 
> The internal flash memory contains some static files,
> which are only be read and others, which get written
> from time to time.


Embedded systems vary wildly. If you can you need to be
as specific as possilble on which embedded system, processor
model, vendor, version etc.

> The internal flash has a FAT32-formatted filesystem
> and no real partiton (the device is directly fomratted
> as so often with this kind of lash memories.
> From time to time the software crashes while updateing
> some files (writing to them) leaving a unclean filesystem
> behind.


> Often -- after fscking the filesystem -- files named
> FSCK<number>.REC are left in the root of the filesystem.

Have you sought out help from the vendor/manufacture?

Can the embedded OS be updated and maintained?

Can you install another, better supported embedded OS
like openWRT

https://openwrt.org/

> Is it correct to assume, that only those files are
> affected by correcting the filesysten which were written/updated
> before or is there any chance, that other, only read files
> are also affected?

You've got to get really specific on the details of the embedded OS
and such details.....


hth,
James

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: [OT]: Is that (filesystem-)logic vald?

[meino.cramer]

walt <w41ter@gmail.com> [14-05-13 03:00]:
> On 05/11/2014 08:25 PM, meino.cramer@gmx.de wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I have an embedded system with internal flash memory. 
> > The internal flash memory contains some static files,
> > which are only be read and others, which get written
> > from time to time.
> > 
> > The internal flash has a FAT32-formatted filesystem
> > and no real partiton (the device is directly fomratted
> > as so often with this kind of lash memories.
> > 
> > From time to time the software crashes while updateing
> > some files (writing to them) leaving a unclean filesystem
> > behind.
> > 
> > Often -- after fscking the filesystem -- files named
> > FSCK<number>.REC are left in the root of the filesystem.
> > 
> > Is it correct to assume, that only those files are
> > affected by correcting the filesysten which were written/updated
> > before or is there any chance, that other, only read files
> > are also affected?
> 
> I don't know the answer so I'll ask a question instead :)
> 
> How long was the embedded system working correctly before
> the crashes started?  Did it ever work correctly?
> 
> 
> 
> 

Yes, it works fine...as long it does not touch files, which
may be involved with those filesystem problems...

Best regards,
mcc

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: [OT]: Is that (filesystem-)logic vald?

[meino.cramer]

James <wireless@tampabay.rr.com> [14-05-13 05:12]:
>  <meino.cramer <at> gmx.de> writes:
> 
> 
> > I have an embedded system with internal flash memory. 
> > The internal flash memory contains some static files,
> > which are only be read and others, which get written
> > from time to time.
> 
> 
> Embedded systems vary wildly. If you can you need to be
> as specific as possilble on which embedded system, processor
> model, vendor, version etc.
> 
> > The internal flash has a FAT32-formatted filesystem
> > and no real partiton (the device is directly fomratted
> > as so often with this kind of lash memories.
> > From time to time the software crashes while updateing
> > some files (writing to them) leaving a unclean filesystem
> > behind.
> 
> 
> > Often -- after fscking the filesystem -- files named
> > FSCK<number>.REC are left in the root of the filesystem.
> 
> Have you sought out help from the vendor/manufacture?
> 
> Can the embedded OS be updated and maintained?
> 
> Can you install another, better supported embedded OS
> like openWRT
> 
> https://openwrt.org/
> 
> > Is it correct to assume, that only those files are
> > affected by correcting the filesysten which were written/updated
> > before or is there any chance, that other, only read files
> > are also affected?
> 
> You've got to get really specific on the details of the embedded OS
> and such details.....
> 
> 
> hth,
> James
> 


Hi,

The embedded system is a Sansa Clip ZIP mp3 player. The """OS""" is 
rockbox (www.rockbox.org). 

I think I cannot expect help from the manufacturer as the manufacturer
will not support another OS as his own firmware...which is more
limited in compare to rockbox.

In the meanwhile it looks like that there are two sources of trouble:
The sdcard, which acts as addtional flash memory extension. I changed
the sdcard I used to use with a another one, which work much better --
with rockbox. The original firmware does not have a problem with
either card. 

Since such firmware - neither the original one nor rockbox - has the
abilities of a fully fledged OS like linux for example I am looking
for a simple method to revert a somehow corrupted filesystem on either
flash memory back to a valid one. I think it is better to loose some
files (which can be regenerated) for the benefit of a sane filesystem 
than to insist of using a invalid one (and screw it up beyond repair
with each new write to it).

Rockbox supports the execution of lua scripts (somehow limited...no 
floating point, limited OS lib etc...). So, when the player needs
to be hard resetted which lead to a not-so-valid state of the
filesystem it would be nice, if a lua script would be able to revert
the filesystem back to a valid state.

If (see initial question) this would be possible by simply delete
all files which were altered since last execution of the script and 
rebbot the play than...that would be nice.

But: I dont know, whether the logic behind my initial question
is valid and reasonable...or simply as corrupted as the filesystem
i want to repair...

Any further idea is heartly appreciated!
Best regards,
mcc