can't mount disk after switching to olegs firmware

[bodvar]

After using the wl500gp for a year with the official firmware, I decided to switch to Oleg's firmware after browsing this forum for several hours.

I want to keep the data in the HD which I have used all the time, so I skipped the steps of partitioning in http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?p=33825#poststop and http://wl500g.info/showthread.php?p=60930#poststop, as I have one ext2 partition already with data (and obviously don't want to loose them by formatting again).

There is a problem when mounting it, though. When typing
mount /dev/discs/disc0/part5 /opt
I get
mounting /dev/discs/disc0/part5 /opt failed: invalid argument

What I have tried so far is using insmod, checking that all modules are loaded.

ls -l /dev/d* gives

brw------- 1 administ root 8, 0 Jan 1 01:00 disc
brw------- 1 administ root 8, 1 Jan 1 01:00 part1
brw------- 1 administ root 8, 5 Jan 1 01:00 part5


Fdisk shows

The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 60801.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
(e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)

Disk /dev/discs/disc0/disc: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/discs/disc0/part1 2 60801 488376000 f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/discs/disc0/part5 2 60801 488375968+ 83 Linux

although I don't know what the cylinder message really means. As you see I haven't created a swap yet but will after I can mount the data partition. The disk was formatted with partition magic.

[raas]

Hi,


by switching to oleg's firmware you should have made a post-boot file in which you control the mounting of your harddisks/partitions.

Could you please post the contents of that file here?
(the file can be fount in the following location

/usr/local/sbin/post-boot

If you use a usb-harddisk, you have to make sure to include some code in the post-boot script to correctly detect the harddrive.

For reference, I've included a post-boot file which which contains the minimum for mounting partitions and swap-space.

#!/bin/sh
dropbear
# test if USB disc has been attached
# if not - then insert needed modules
#
# uncoment the following 4 lines if using an USB HDD.
if [ ! -d /dev/discs ]
then
insmod scsi_mod && insmod sd_mod && insmod usb-storage && sleep 5s
fi

#Wait for /opt to mount
mount /dev/discs/disc0/part1 /opt
i=0
while [ $i -le 30 ]
do
if [ -d /opt/etc ]
then
break
fi
sleep 1
i=`expr $i + 1`
done

# Activate swap
swapon /dev/discs/disc0/part2

#mount /data share
mount /dev/discs/disc0/part3 /mnt

# Run all active services - active means starts with S
/opt/etc/init.d/rc.unslung

[wpte]

Also... oleg doesnt understand EXT2 as far as I know...
I hated it to do, but I backed up all the stuff on the HDD to my pc and formatted it by my router, and placed it back.
You have a tool to mount a linux drive on windows, but It doesnt seem to like EXT3, EXT2 worked fine tough. So I don't know if you still want to use it for carrying with you

[bodvar]

Hi,

the content of the file is


---------------------------
#!/bin/sh
dropbear
# test if USB disc has been attached
# if not - then insert needed modules
#
# uncoment the following 4 lines if using an USB HDD.
if [ ! -d /dev/discs ]
then
insmod scsi_mod && insmod sd_mod && insmod usb-storage && sleep 5s
fi

#Wait for /opt to mount
mount /dev/discs/disc0/part1 /opt
i=0
while [ $i -le 30 ]
do
if [ -d /opt/etc ]
then
break
fi
sleep 1
i=`expr $i + 1`
done

# Run all active services - active means starts with S
/opt/etc/init.d/rc.unslung
-----------------------

but mount still gives

/dev/root on / type squashfs (ro)
none on /dev type devfs (rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
ramfs on /tmp type ramfs (rw)
usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)

so it doesn't seem to be mounted.

[zzzpt]

i have the same problem
Have a EXT3 partition, but cant mount.

Disk /dev/discs/disc0/disc: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

                Device Boot    Start       End    Blocks   Id  System
/dev/discs/disc0/part1   *           1           9       72261   82  Linux swap
/dev/discs/disc0/part2              10       30401   244123708+  83  Linux

Swap is OK, but cant mount part2

[admin@(none) root]$ mount /dev/discs/disc0/part2 /opt/
mount: Mounting /dev/discs/disc0/part2 on /opt/ failed: Invalid argument

The strangest thing is that ive flashed with OpenWRT, x-wrt, it it mount it correctly.
And before instaled x-Wrt, ive had oleg firmware and I had the same problem ...

Is it possible that the mount command is outdated ?
How can i upgrade the mount command ?

Please help

[Oleg]

ext2 is not supported as it's unsafe. Add journal to switch to ext3.

[tp3t3r]

Hi there,

maybe it's not the best topic for my question(s) but I didn't find better.. anyway:

Why ext2 isn't built in to the kernel? A lot of people use their wl500 with flash disks and the journaling feature of ext3 can shorten the disks' lifetime.
From my point of view I would like to spin-down my HDD when idle and it's impossible with ext3.
What does it mean that ext2 is unsafe?

Thanks in advance,
Peter

[Serpent]

Hi Peter,
Why ext3? Read this.
And the HDD can be spun down when idle without any problem, with ext3. Read here.
Also, only when use the flash disk for swap you can have the chance to shorten his lifetime.

[gravisrs]

I've solved the problem!

Don't know why but you have to format your drive twice.

Both times using "mke2fs -j /dev/yourdisk/blablabla" - remember to use -j option


At first time journal is not created, like the -j parameter is ignored.
But at the second time journal is created and then you can easily mount...

Enjoy.

[darius]

Hi Peter,
Why ext3? Read this.
And the HDD can be spun down when idle without any problem, with ext3. Read here.
Also, only when use the flash disk for swap you can have the chance to shorten his lifetime.

Hi,

as the problem was already reportet earlier and I run Internet server for 10 users on WL-500gP V2 and flash disk is the only external disk,
I would like to know your opinion and workaround solution as server has been already running for 3 months in remote place
and my idea is to replace flash disk by SSD flash.

New usb flash disks are already marketed as SSD
"
SILICON POWER eSata/mini USB SSD 8GB
"
Today got my 8GB and Vista refused to install it
as Vista ReadyBoost.

Do you have any data on lifetime of specific flash disks used for swap ?
Any tests, any manufacturer's data ?
(Wikipedia was already referred).

Darius

follow-up

New Asus Eee come with Linux and SSD as hard disk, so what so special in SSD to not shorten its lifetime, when used for swap by Asus,
the same manufacturer of WL-500gP V2.
Tried to contact and discuss the issue with Asus support line but failed few times
as "all consultants are busy"
and I was advised to have a try another day.

[sigil]

ext2 is not supported as it's unsafe. Add journal to switch to ext3.

Completely disabling ext2 is not good idea because journalling shortens flash lifetime. I'll prefer to take a risk of FS errors, though the risk of loosing data is minimal. I used ext2 for about 5 years or more on servers and workstations. None of many dirty restarts had led to data loss!

OTO, 32 Gb CF card cost is comparable to WL-700ge itself. So, I'm definetely want ext2!!! There should be possibility to at least install module from package...