Jerry wrote:
I have thought of a hack that would allow ext2 to store legacy 8.3 file names. If a program requests a 8.3 file name we create it on the fly from the real one. If the program changes the 8.3 file name, we create a sim (or hard) link to the original with the new name. Although this may need to be tweaked, you get the basic idea. ;)
Yes know hack been done been delete and droped from Linux apps. You will find this makes the ext2/3 messy and hard to get around from a Linux point of view. Also hardlinks and sim links are not deleted when the file is long filename is. Now xattr the 8.3 filename. NTFS can be created without 8.3 filenames so I don't class it as a big problem. Other way is dosemu way create them on the fly. I know samba 3 using on the fly. I think samba 4 uses xattr to fix.
Security attribute translation is required so we can know how much xattr space is left on the ext2/3 filesystem. Its locked to one block. 1k to 8k depending on the format of the disk. Ext3 update most likely Ext4 will remove the limitation.
http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/fat32format.htm Waxdragon feel like giving it a test run??.
It a better fat32 format program that what even comes with Windows XP and its GPL. Only fat32 format program if you are nuts can do a single 250G part or bigger.
Reason why I have moved on to defraging. Only reason why we don't have a format tool is that something is missing to stop this working or I am the only person who knew about this. Its the best fat32 format program around so no point redoing it. chkdsk tool does have to be run after it. Ie bad sector detection is not done.
--develop a chkdsk if one is not already. Activate on boot after not shutdown correctly and fixing/marking defects.
Note I forgot It need chkdsk to make safe disks to use. Last format of anything like that 2 years ago memory rusted slightly.
Peter Dolding