EXT2SRV(4) EXT2SRV(4)
NAME
ext2srv - ext2 file system
SYNOPSIS
ext2srv [ -vrs ] [ -f file ] [ -p passwd ] [ -g group ] [
service ]
DESCRIPTION
Ext2srv is a file server that interprets the Linux Second
Extended File System. A single instance of ext2srv can pro-
vide access to multiple ext2 partitions simultaneously.
Ext2srv posts a file descriptor named service (default ext2)
in the /srv directory. To access an ext2 file system on a
device, use mount with the spec argument (see bind(1)) the
name of the file holding the raw ext2 file system, typically
the disk or partition. If spec is undefined in the mount,
ext2srv will use file as the default name for the device
holding the file system.
Normally ext2srv creates a pipe to act as the communications
channel between itself and its clients. The -s flag
instructs ext2srv to use its standard input and output
instead. This flag also prevents the creation of an
explicit service file in /srv.
The -v flag causes verbose output for debugging, while the
-r flag (recommended) makes the file system read-only. The
optional -p and -g flags specify Unix-format password
(respectively group) files that give the mapping between the
numeric user- and group-ID numbers in the ext2 file system
and the strings reported by Plan 9 status inquiries.
There is no authentication or permission checking. Anyone
who can access the ext2 file system will have full access to
all its files, including write access if ext2srv is not
started with the -r flag, irrespective of file ownership and
permission flags.
Some file system state is cached in memory, and may be
flushed only when the file system is unmounted. Therefore
if ext2srv is stopped or the machine is rebooted while an
ext2 file system is still mounted, the superblock on the
device will have been marked `not valid' (unless the -r flag
was used), and a fsck will be required before that file sys-
tem may be mounted again.
BUGS
There is no authentication or permission checking. The
implementation has not tracked any changes to the ext2
Page 1 Plan 9 (printed 12/30/24)
EXT2SRV(4) EXT2SRV(4)
specification since it was written. There may be other
bugs. It is advisable to use ext2srv in read-only mode
whenever possible.
AUTHOR
Bodet Laurent (bl@mime.univ-paris8.fr), with later updates
by Russ Cox and Richard Miller.
Page 2 Plan 9 (printed 12/30/24)