When to run e2fsck

[Smurf1234]

Hi

Im new to linux so please be nice


I have run e2fsck -v -n -f /dev/sdd1
and I get a lot of info on the screen, such as
Problem in HTREE directory inode X; block #x has bad min hash

At the end I get something that looks like a report:

X inodes used (0.39%)
X non-contiguos files (30.2%)
and so on....

This is an external hard drive (formatted ext4, I think) which is a backup drive for my Synology NAS.
I have now connected this to my windows computer and Im running Knoppix.

Q: When I run e2fsck -v -n -f and see the result, what should I look for that would trigger me to run e2fsck -v -f -y ?
Q: Is it ok to do it my way, using Knoppix etc?

Br,

[Rubberman]

The -v argument is for verbose output, hence all the stuff about inodes, non-continguous files, etc. Usually, running fsck without arguments is best since you will only see error conditions (usually).

[Smurf1234]

Ok, thank you. But what about my questions?

[jayd512]

Hello.

Q1. I would say that if you see a bunch of errors in the output of e2fsck -v -n -f, that would be a good time to run e2fsck -v -f -y
Q2. Any LiveCD will do nicely. That way, you can run your filesystem check while nothing is mounted.

[Smurf1234]

Ok, jayd

Thank you for your response.
First time I ran e2fsck.... It said something about
"warning: mounted".

So I guess I should right click on the drive in the File manager and choose Unmount?

Thanks again

Edit: Oh, by the way. Rubberman says that I can ignore -v when I run this. Should I just run "e2fsck" without -v -f -y ?

[Rubberman]

The -y option is basically a "answer 'yes' to all yes/no questions".
The -f option forces checking of the file system, even if it is flagged as "clean".

You need to boot with a CD/DVD/USB live/recovery device so that the root file system will not be mounted in order to run fsck. Alternatively, you might be able to remount the / file system as read-only, but I generally don't recommend that for recovery purposes.

[Smurf1234]

Hi

"You need to boot with a CD/DVD/USB live/recovery device so that the root file system will not be mounted in order to run fsck"
I do run a Knoppix cd. But in File Manager I select the hard drive and right click -> Unmount. That doesnt look like your description.

"Alternatively, you might be able to remount the / file system as read-only"
I don´t understand this one =)

What I did (before reading your post):
1. Right click -> Unmount (As desribed above)
2. e2fsck -v -n -f (And wrote down some of the errors)
3. e2fsck -v -f -y
4. e2fsck -v -n -f (All errors gone now)
5. Mount

Everything seems ok.

Thanks

[jayd512]

Hi Smurf.

I do run a Knoppix cd. But in File Manager I select the hard drive and right click -> Unmount. That doesnt look like your description.

That's Knoppix for you
It auto mounts all drives when it starts up. So you're doing it right.

[Smurf1234]

Ok, sounds great. I saw that a folder lost+found was created.
I tried to see what it contains but I got permission denied. But if I look at it using the file browser in my synologys web interface, the folder is empty.
So I think we are good now.

Thank you for helping med out. Im a little bit wiser now =)