I would like to convert the file system on all partitions on my existing installation, SuSE 12.1, including the boot partition from ReiserFS to EXT4. Is there any way to do this without rebuilding the system?
Thanks.
Quick search shows http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Features/Converting-Filesystems-with-Fstransform . I would not try something like this without backup though … and if you have backup it is probably easier to simply recreate filesystem and restore it.
On 2014-02-03 18:16, arvidjaar wrote:
>
> Quick search shows http://tinyurl.com/nolwe4u . I would not try
> something like this without backup though … and if you have backup it
> is probably easier to simply recreate filesystem and restore it.
I would not risk it.
Recreation is far safer.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)
Carlos E. R. wrote:
> On 2014-02-03 18:16, arvidjaar wrote:
>> Quick search shows http://tinyurl.com/nolwe4u . I would not try
>> something like this without backup though … and if you have backup it
>> is probably easier to simply recreate filesystem and restore it.
>
> I would not risk it.
> Recreation is far safer.
That’s my instinct as well. OTOH as long as you have a backup, which you
would need to recreate the filesystem anyway, it might be fun to try.
What would worry me is the possibility that the conversion appears to
have worked but some time afterwards you discover it has introduced some
subtle corruption. So yes, back to my original view - just format the
filesystem!
Thanks for the replies, everyone. It seems that doing the recreation is the best way to go. Many years ago, I used convertfs, and it worked great; however, the last I knew, it did not know how to handle ReiserFS and it looks like it has not been updated in a long time (about 9-years). I think the procedure is well enough explained in the link that you posted with “Sync”, and I will do an image backup before I start so that I have a way back if need be. Now, I just have to make time to do it. I do have quite a bit of space on my machine so copying all that is on a partition to another partition should be easy enough.
Lastly, I will have to get in the habit of using google again when Bing produces less than desirable results.