[Q] MKFS.EXT4 Compiled for Android - Gen8 Android Development

I'm trying to make an auto install script within the initramfs. I've got everything working, including automatic fdisk, but I cannot get mkfs.ext4 to work on the Android kernel, and there is no version of Busybox with the ext4 applet. Does anyone have a mkfs.ext4 that runs successfully on Android? When I run it from a terminal the output is
Code:
mkfs.ext4: 1: Syntax error: word unexpected (expecting ")")
Here's my code if you want to see what I'm doing.
Code:
mount /dev/mmcblk1p1 /tmp/mnt
if [ -f /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz ]; then
$FDISK /dev/mmcblk0 < /home/fdisk.input
$MKFS_EXT4 -O ^huge_file /dev/mmcblk0p2
mount /dev/mmcblk1p2 /tmp/tmproot
mkdir /tmp/tmproot/itworks
tar -xzvf /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz -C /tmp/tmproot/
sync
#rm /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz
umount /tmp/tmproot
fi
sync
umount /tmp/mnt
It automatically partitions the stock Android block and installs a tar.gz from the internal storage to simplify my unsquashed 2.1.4 filesystem install, and the only part I can't get working is mkfs.ext4.

---

Found one! It's 3 MBs though, so if anyone has a smaller one, it would be very nice.

---

msticninja said:
I'm trying to make an auto install script within the initramfs. I've got everything working, including automatic fdisk, but I cannot get mkfs.ext4 to work on the Android kernel, and there is no version of Busybox with the ext4 applet. Does anyone have a mkfs.ext4 that runs successfully on Android? When I run it from a terminal the output is
Code:
mkfs.ext4: 1: Syntax error: word unexpected (expecting ")")
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do you don't use the mke2fs from Uruk for example (the easiest way) asking $auron if it's ok for him. His size is only 49KB.
Find it like the following on Uruk installation:
Code:
[COLOR="DarkRed"]
# mkfs.ext4 -V
mke2fs 1.41.3 (12-Oct-2008)
Using EXT2FS Library version 1.41.3
# find / -name mke2fs | xargs ls -l
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 30584 Dec 15 03:46 /system/bin/mke2fs
[B]-rwxr-xr-x 5 root root 49248 4 Jan 15 13:14 /usr/local/sbin/mke2fs[/B]
#/usr/local/sbin/mke2fs -V
mke2fs 1.41.3 (12-Oct-2008)
Using EXT2FS Library version 1.41.3
[/COLOR]
Here's my code if you want to see what I'm doing.
Code:
mount /dev/mmcblk1p1 /tmp/mnt
if [ -f /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz ]; then
$FDISK /dev/mmcblk0 < /home/fdisk.input
$MKFS_EXT4 -O ^huge_file /dev/mmcblk0p2
mount /dev/mmcblk1p2 /tmp/tmproot
mkdir /tmp/tmproot/itworks
tar -xzvf /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz -C /tmp/tmproot/
sync
#rm /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz
umount /tmp/tmproot
fi
sync
umount /tmp/mnt
It automatically partitions the stock Android block and installs a tar.gz from the internal storage to simplify my unsquashed 2.1.4 filesystem install, and the only part I can't get working is mkfs.ext4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and don't forget to add "-l" on FDISK command and change the device mmcblk0 with mmcblk1 on the lines:
Code:
$FDISK /dev/mmcblk0 < /home/fdisk.input
$MKFS_EXT4 -O ^huge_file /dev/mmcblk0p2
Cheers,

---

shklifo said:
Why do you don't use the mke2fs from Uruk for example (the easiest way) asking $auron if it's ok for him. His size is only 49KB.
Find it like the following on Uruk installation:
Code:
[COLOR="DarkRed"]
# mkfs.ext4 -V
mke2fs 1.41.3 (12-Oct-2008)
Using EXT2FS Library version 1.41.3
# find / -name mke2fs | xargs ls -l
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 30584 Dec 15 03:46 /system/bin/mke2fs
[B]-rwxr-xr-x 5 root root 49248 4 Jan 15 13:14 /usr/local/sbin/mke2fs[/B]
#/usr/local/sbin/mke2fs -V
mke2fs 1.41.3 (12-Oct-2008)
Using EXT2FS Library version 1.41.3
[/COLOR]
and don't forget to add "-l" on FDISK command and change the device mmcblk0 with mmcblk1 on the lines:
Code:
$FDISK /dev/mmcblk0 < /home/fdisk.input
$MKFS_EXT4 -O ^huge_file /dev/mmcblk0p2
Cheers,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why didn't I think of that? Thanks.
But regarding mmcblk0/1, I'm replacing the stock Android, so the fdisk.input file contains the commands to delete mmcblk0p2 and p3, and make a new partition in the unused space. I hate using space on my Internal Storage, so I'm using Archos' space.

---

msticninja said:
Why didn't I think of that? Thanks.
But regarding mmcblk0/1, I'm replacing the stock Android, so the fdisk.input file contains the commands to delete mmcblk0p2 and p3, and make a new partition in the unused space. I hate using space on my Internal Storage, so I'm using Archos' space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are using the mmcblk0p2 as rootfs as you say (and you are expanded tar archive on mmcblk1p2), than you have to change the line:
mount /dev/mmcblk1p2 /tmp/tmproot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
with
mount /dev/mmcblk0p2 /tmp/tmproot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

---

shklifo said:
If you are using the mmcblk0p2 as rootfs as you say (and you are expanded tar archive on mmcblk1p2), than you have to change the line:
with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know, that's my current data partition, I'll change it once I'm done testing. The tar file just has a test file in it, so when I boot back into block1, I can see if the IF statement was executed by seeing if it was extracted to block1. I'll also have to change etc/mountpoints once testing is actually finished.
One more question since you're so quick. I think I have everything working, except it needs a reboot in between the fdisk and mke2fs commands to reload the partition table. I'm trying to use partprobe instead of rebooting, but it hasn't been cross compiled to work on Android, AFAIK. Have you seen a way to reload the MBR without rebooting?

---

msticninja said:
I know, that's my current data partition, I'll change it once I'm done testing. The tar file just has a test file in it, so when I boot back into block1, I can see if the IF statement was executed by seeing if it was extracted to block1. I'll also have to change etc/mountpoints once testing is actually finished.
One more question since you're so quick. I think I have everything working, except it needs a reboot in between the fdisk and mke2fs commands to reload the partition table. I'm trying to use partprobe instead of rebooting, but it hasn't been cross compiled to work on Android, AFAIK. Have you seen a way to reload the MBR without rebooting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'v been looking at the recovery_lib.sh in the recovery boot image and can't find anything special to re-read the partition table. And yes they also use fdisk to repartition. So I suspect the driver for the block device does not cache the MBR and you can just mke2fs after the partition table is created.
I can't remember from what firmware that recovery boot image was but I think it's from the 2.1.04 and they do some repartitioning there for the swap space.
I'll check it again and get back to you.

---

wdl1908 said:
I'v been looking at the recovery_lib.sh in the recovery boot image and can't find anything special to re-read the partition table. And yes they also use fdisk to repartition. So I suspect the driver for the block device does not cache the MBR and you can just mke2fs after the partition table is created.
I can't remember from what firmware that recovery boot image was but I think it's from the 2.1.04 and they do some repartitioning there for the swap space.
I'll check it again and get back to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just checked the recovery image from 2.1.04 and after the fdisk commands there is nothing to re-read the MBR the next commands executed are mount commands to check if the fs is present I suggest you look at the /etc/scripts/recovery_lib.sh yourself it could give some clues on how to do things.

---

wdl1908 said:
I just checked the recovery image from 2.1.04 and after the fdisk commands there is nothing to re-read the MBR the next commands executed are mount commands to check if the fs is present I suggest you look at the /etc/scripts/recovery_lib.sh yourself it could give some clues on how to do things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me too, it have nothing to do with a reboot to load partitions table and access partition to format them with the choised filesystem.
You can delete any partition on linux (except rootfs one ), recreate them and directly format them as you like, reboot isn't necesary.

---

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful, but I'm stuck. Fdisk seems to use ioctl to reload the partition table, so you don't need a reboot if everything on the device is unmounted before writing the partition table, but I'm having very strange issues with mke2fs now. I've had the whole thing work twice now, but when I flash back to stock, then retry the script, it usually does everything except the formatting. Here's the code:
Code:
mount /dev/mmcblk1p1 /tmp/mnt
if [ -f /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz ]; then
umount /dev/mmcblk0p1
umount /dev/mmcblk0p2
umount /dev/mmcblk0p3
umount /dev/mmcblk0p4
fdisk /dev/mmcblk0 < /home/fdisk.input
mv /tmp/mnt/mysticfw.tar.gz /tmp/mnt/mysticf.tar.gz
sync
umount /tmp/mnt
log_and_reboot
fi
if [ -f /tmp/mnt/mysticf.tar.gz ]; then
rm /etc/mtab
touch /etc/mtab
mke2fs -T ext4 -O ^huge_file /dev/mmcblk0p2
mount /dev/mmcblk0p2 /tmp/tmproot
tar -xzf /tmp/mnt/mysticf.tar.gz -C /tmp/tmproot/
sync
mv /tmp/mnt/mysticf.tar.gz /tmp/mnt/mysticdone.tar.gz
umount /tmp/tmproot
rm /etc/mtab
ln -s /proc/mounts /etc/mtab
fi
sync
umount /tmp/mnt
I have it reboot after the fdisk just in case, and the fdisk works perfectly, so the second IF/THEN is the issue. I had to retouch the mtab just to make sure it's empty, as mke2fs fails if mtab doesn't exist(at least in terminal), then I relink it to /proc/mounts as they do in the stock firmware. Here's my mke2fs.conf:
Code:
[defaults]
base_features = sparse_super,filetype,resize_inode,dir_index,ext_attr
blocksize = 4096
inode_size = 256
inode_ratio = 16384
[fs_types]
ext3 = {
features = has_journal
}
ext4 = {
features = has_journal,extent,huge_file,flex_bg,uninit_bg,dir_nlink,extra_isize
inode_size = 256
}
ext4dev = {
features = has_journal,extent,huge_file,flex_bg,uninit_bg,dir_nlink,extra_isize
inode_size = 256
options = test_fs=1
}
small = {
blocksize = 1024
inode_size = 128
inode_ratio = 4096
}
floppy = {
blocksize = 1024
inode_size = 128
inode_ratio = 8192
}
news = {
inode_ratio = 4096
}
largefile = {
inode_ratio = 1048576
blocksize = -1
}
largefile4 = {
inode_ratio = 4194304
blocksize = -1
}
hurd = {
blocksize = 4096
inode_size = 128
}
Is there a way to echo the output from my script to a file like dontpanic so I can see what the error is?

---

msticninja said:
Is there a way to echo the output from my script to a file like dontpanic so I can see what the error is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple append (">>") and "echo" doesn't work to a redirected logfile?

---

I've only learned what I've needed to learn over the years, usually with endless google searches and reading through man pages, so I've never tried to log outputs, because I could always see the output in a terminal or onscreen during boot. Android is the first time I haven't been able to actually see the boot process.
Once again, thanks for your help. I probably could've googled this, but I kind of asked as an afterthought. I didn't even think about redirecting. So if the mke2fs line is the one I want to log, I just add "2&>> /tmp/mnt/logfile" to the end of it, right?
Also, thanks for your original thread about booting from Internal Storage, I never got around to developing on Android until you posted that, and I realized just how similar Android is to L/unix(e.g. exactly the same).

---

msticninja said:
I didn't even think about redirecting. So if the mke2fs line is the one I want to log, I just add "2&>> /tmp/mnt/logfile" to the end of it, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ehm, no.
In your case must be like the following:
Code:
"your command" >> /tmp/mnt/logfile 2>&1
That means redirect all messages from STDERR (2 - standard error) to STDOUT (1 - standard output) and all messaged collected on STDOUT to the redirected log file /tmp/mnt/logfile, or more comprensible redirect all mesage including error ones to the log file.
I'm working in Unix environments and use them often
And a good practice in developing is to use "echo" to the same log file, so you know the exact place the script is running, like:
Code:
echo "I'm just before the formatting step of the ..." >> /tmp/mnt/logfile

---

shklifo said:
ehm, no.
In your case must be like the following:
Code:
"your command" >> /tmp/mnt/logfile 2>&1
That means redirect all messages from STDERR (2 - standard error) to STDOUT (1 - standard output) and all messaged collected on STDOUT to the redirected log file /tmp/mnt/logfile, or more comprensible redirect all mesage including error ones to the log file.
I'm working in Unix environments and use them often
And a good practice in developing is to use "echo" to the same log file, so you know the exact place the script is running, like:
Code:
echo "I'm just before the formatting step of the ..." >> /tmp/mnt/logfile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange. The google searching lead me to believe the "2>&1" was before the location, and replaced ">>". Once again, thanks for the help.

---

any chance of you getting this uploaded? iterested in this since I'm not that good with linux

---

TjaXanK said:
any chance of you getting this uploaded? iterested in this since I'm not that good with linux
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could probably finish it, but I'm waiting for a new version of Uruk first, as his install script already gets rid of the linux steps, it just doesn't give you the choice to install to the internal memory yet. Once he does that, I'll add my changes to make it install to the Archos partition. The latest Uruk is also a bit too big for the archos partition. I had to cut my data partition down to ~150 megs.

---

msticninja said:
I could probably finish it, but I'm waiting for a new version of Uruk first, as his install script already gets rid of the linux steps, it just doesn't give you the choice to install to the internal memory yet. Once he does that, I'll add my changes to make it install to the Archos partition. The latest Uruk is also a bit too big for the archos partition. I had to cut my data partition down to ~150 megs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, I'm currently running urk with the new install system and it's brillant but it would be perfect if we could run it without cutting down on our storage space