# Use ext4 for ext2/ext3 file systems [solved]

## turtles

I selected "Use ext4 for ext2/ext3 file systems" and am not able to mount an ext2 partition.

i get 

```
 mount /boot

mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext2'
```

It mounted the ext3 partition fine.

Relevant fstab:

```
/dev/sda3               /boot           ext2            noauto,noatime  1 2

/dev/sda6               /               ext3            noatime         0 1

```

----------

## gentoo_ram

Look at the contents of /proc/filesystems

Make sure ext2 is listed in there.  It's the list of filesystem types your kernel supports.  Did you also select the ext2 filesystem option separately?  Like maybe as a module?

----------

## BillWho

[*]turtles,

Are you sure   :Question: 

Paste back 

```
blkid
```

and 

```
cat /etc/fstab
```

EDIT: Forget the fstab, didn't notice it at first glance   :Embarassed: 

----------

## turtles

Thanks for the replies.

Here is the relavent stuff from those files:

```

/dev/sda3: UUID="2b87da1b-e0ac-485c-80e9-ba28e85735d1" TYPE="ext2" 

```

```
/dev/sda3               /boot           ext2            noauto,noatime  1 2

```

This issue came up on a system I am updating for a friend.

had a working fstab.

My first idea was to compile the ext2 as a module and tried to load it no luck.

Had to recompile kernel and deselect under filesystems:

```
Use ext4 for ext2/ext3 file systems (NEW)
```

and enable ext2 and ext3 support.

#Then walk some one through burning a livecd, booting a live cd, and coping copy kernel over to /boot (over the phone) since I am not where the computer is.

I had ext2 and 3 deselected assuming 

```
Use ext4 for ext2/ext3 file systems (NEW)
```

ment

 *kernel-help-text wrote:*   

> Allow the ext4 file system driver code to be used for ext2 or                                                        │   
> 
>   │ ext3 file system mounts.  This allows users to reduce their                                                          │   
> 
>   │ compiled kernel size by using one file system driver for                                                             │   
> ...

 

Note to self and others This is not the case beware of this kernel option.

----------

## Etal

It seems like it's on your end, because for me it works as advertised:

```
  │ │    < > Second extended fs support                                   │ │  

  │ │    < > Ext3 journalling file system support                         │ │  

  │ │    <*> The Extended 4 (ext4) filesystem                             │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Use ext4 for ext2/ext3 file systems                        │ │  

  │ │    [*]   Ext4 extended attributes                                   │ │  

  │ │    [*]     Ext4 POSIX Access Control Lists                          │ │  

  │ │    [ ]     Ext4 Security Labels                                     │ │  

  │ │    [ ]   EXT4 debugging support                                     │ │
```

```
# mount | grep ext

/dev/root on / type ext4 (rw,noatime,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,data=ordered)

/dev/sda1 on /boot type ext2 (rw,noatime,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1)
```

----------

## The Doctor

 *Etal wrote:*   

> It seems like it's on your end, because for me it works as advertised:
> 
> 

 

++

I have been using this for over a year with no problem.

----------

## turtles

Yes problems are usually on my end

<- see all those posts I have.   :Laughing: 

I did to a blazing fast hack job on the box, had not been updated since 2010.

Had to do gcc, bayselayout2 and dump hal upgrades.

I recall trying makeold config on the kernel, perhaps I lost ext2 support on a botched but running kernel then I complied a newer kernel did not notice the failed mount since I use a script for kernels.

I looked for some bugs:

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15391

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15420

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=41682

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=25832

Nothing identical. 

I will try it again just for bug reporting.

----------

