# [SOLVED] Ext3 filesystem "needs_recovery" flag

## humbletech99

Hi,

   I've got a large ext3 filesystem; when I do dumpe2fs /dev/sdb1 then I get the following line in the output:

```
Filesystem features:      has_journal filetype needs_recovery
```

but when I umount and fsck the filesystem it says the filesystem is clean:

```
fsck /dev/sdb1

fsck 1.38 (30-Jun-2005)

e2fsck 1.38 (30-Jun-2005)

/dev/sdb1: clean, 60369/1098612736 files, 34497880/1098609399 blocks
```

So I remounted it, dumpe2fsed it again and it had the same "needs_recovery" flag. I umounted it and ran dumpe2fs again and then it's needs_recovery flag was gone.

It would seem that ext3 works by placing this flag so if the filesystem isn't unmounted then the fsck happens, can anybody confirm this is correct?

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## chrismortimore

Thats what I've always thought.

Run "e2fsck -f /dev/sdb1" if you want to make sure your filesystem is OK.

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## troymc

That is correct.

The needs_recovery flag is cleared after a successful umount.

This is a failsafe, so, for example, if the box loses power the filesystem will be flagged.

troymc

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## humbletech99

I did force a full fsck on it and it was fine, nothing wrong with the filesystem at all, which seems to confirm our belief that the flag is just there as a failsafe.

I'd really expect this to be hidden rather than in plain view, but that's the beauty of linux, it let's you understand...

thanks

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