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EXT2 FS Limits


bsmither

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I have a D-Link DNS-323 running some sort of Linux (probably) with the EXT2 filesystem -- connected to Windows XP SP3 via ethernet.

 

Wikipedia says I can put a lot of files on the drive. But is there an actual limit?

 

On the (root?) top-level folder, I have a sum total of 997 files and folders. I am trying to put a few more files onto the volume, but an error is being reported that says there is insufficient space. The DNS Status panel says I have about 700GB of free space.

 

I am running the DNS's Scan Disk utility on on the volume now.

 

I moved a few hundred individual files into a folder, thus reducing the number of 'objects' to 790 on the (root?) top folder.

 

Still, the DNS reports I have insufficient space.

 

I moved the file to another drive letter on the Windows system just to make sure the source wasn't corrupted somehow, and that transferred fine. Then I tried to move it onto the DNS and it still said insufficient space.

 

I cannot give any info about how the EXT2 filesystem drive was formatted. Which is to say, if there is a configuration (such as block size) that would limit the total number of objects on the volume as a whole, I do not have that data.

 

Is it actually possible to have 700GB free on a 1.5TB drive formatted EXT2, and have 'insufficient space'?

Edited by bsmither
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I'm going to say 'no', only because I don't know how to get Windows XP to send the proper command via ethernet -- if there is one.

 

Also, the DNS won't have that info on the control panel.

 

I did format the entire 1.5TB drive as one single volume (not that I had a choice).

 

I don't have the funplug enhancement on this DNS unit, so I have no shell or telnet.

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Is it actually possible to have 700GB free on a 1.5TB drive formatted EXT2, and have 'insufficient space'?

Technically yes, if you run out of Inode's. This seems unlikely however. If you have lots of tiny files, a large block size, and a small inode table it could happen though.

 

Without shell access I can't really recommend much other than make sure you back up everything on the device just in case you have to wipe it and start over. I'm not familiar with that device so not sure what kind of debugging options you'd have.

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Thank you, kicken.

 

Not finding any other way (short of hard-mounting the drive in a Linux box - which I don't have and don't want to go to the trouble of getting one and learning it), I nuke-n-pave'd it.

 

Very much appreciate your taking the time to respond.

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'm going to say 'no', only because I don't know how to get Windows XP to send the proper command via ethernet -- if there is one.

 

How about to run a live cd on this machine with some copy of linux, then try to mount that hard drive giving us the partitioning information and the amount of available disk space being used by file systems?

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