fsck_ffs(8) - NetBSD Manual Pages

FSCK_FFS(8)             NetBSD System Manager's Manual             FSCK_FFS(8)


NAME

     fsck_ffs - Fast File System consistency check and interactive repair


SYNOPSIS

     fsck_ffs [-B byte order] [-b block#] [-c level] [-d] [-f] [-m mode] [-p]
              [-y] [-n] filesystem ...


DESCRIPTION

     fsck_ffs performs interactive filesystem consistency checks and repair
     for each of the filesystems specified on the command line. It is normally
     invoked from fsck(8).

     The kernel takes care that only a restricted class of innocuous filesys-
     tem inconsistencies can happen unless hardware or software failures in-
     tervene.  These are limited to the following:

     Unreferenced inodes
     Link counts in inodes too large
     Missing blocks in the free map
     Blocks in the free map also in files
     Counts in the super-block wrong

     These are the only inconsistencies that fsck_ffs in ``preen'' mode (with
     the -p option) will correct; if it encounters other inconsistencies, it
     exits with an abnormal return status.  For each corrected inconsistency
     one or more lines will be printed identifying the filesystem on which the
     correction will take place, and the nature of the correction.  After suc-
     cessfully correcting a filesystem, fsck_ffs will print the number of
     files on that filesystem, the number of used and free blocks, and the
     percentage of fragmentation.

     If sent a QUIT signal, fsck_ffs will finish the filesystem checks, then
     exit with an abnormal return status.

     Without the -p option, fsck_ffs audits and interactively repairs incon-
     sistent conditions for filesystems.  If the filesystem is inconsistent
     the operator is prompted for concurrence before each correction is at-
     tempted.  It should be noted that some of the corrective actions which
     are not correctable under the -p option will result in some loss of data.
     The amount and severity of data lost may be determined from the diagnos-
     tic output.  The default action for each consistency correction is to
     wait for the operator to respond yes or no.  If the operator does not
     have write permission on the filesystem fsck_ffs will default to a -n ac-
     tion.

     fsck_ffs has more consistency checks than its predecessors check, dcheck,
     fcheck, and icheck combined.

     The following flags are interpreted by fsck_ffs.

     -B      Convert the filesystem metadatas to the specified byte order if
             needed.  Valid byte order are `be' and `le'. If fsck_ffs is in-
             terrupted while swapping the metadatas byte order, the filesystem
             cannot be recovered.  fsck_ffs will print a message in interac-
             tive mode if the filesystem is not in host byte order.

     -b      Use the block specified immediately after the flag as the super
             block for the filesystem.  Block 32 is usually an alternative su-
             per block.

     -c      Convert the filesystem to the specified level.  Note that the
             level of a filesystem can only be raised.  There are currently
             four levels defined:

             0       The filesystem is in the old (static table) format.

             1       The filesystem is in the new (dynamic table) format.

             2       The filesystem supports 32-bit uid's and gid's, short
                     symbolic links are stored in the inode, and directories
                     have an added field showing the file type.

             3       If maxcontig is greater than one, build the free segment
                     maps to aid in finding contiguous sets of blocks.  If
                     maxcontig is equal to one, delete any existing segment
                     maps.

             In interactive mode, fsck_ffs will list the conversion to be made
             and ask whether the conversion should be done.  If a negative an-
             swer is given, no further operations are done on the filesystem.
             In preen mode, the conversion is listed and done if possible
             without user interaction.  Conversion in preen mode is best used
             when all the filesystems are being converted at once.  The format
             of a filesystem can be determined from the second line of output
             from dumpfs(8).

     -d      Print debugging output.

     -f      Force checking of file systems.  Normally, if a file system is
             cleanly unmounted, the kernel will set a ``clean flag'' in the
             file system superblock, and fsck_ffs will not check the file sys-
             tem.  This option forces fsck_ffs to check the file system, re-
             gardless of the state of the clean flag.

     -m      Use the mode specified in octal immediately after the flag as the
             permission bits to use when creating the lost+found directory
             rather than the default 1700.  In particular, systems that do not
             wish to have lost files accessible by all users on the system
             should use a more restrictive set of permissions such as 700.

     -n      Assume a no response to all questions asked by fsck_ffs except
             for `CONTINUE?', which is assumed to be affirmative; do not open
             the filesystem for writing.

     -p      Specify ``preen'' mode, described above.

     -y      Assume a yes response to all questions asked by fsck_ffs; this
             should be used with great caution as this is a free license to
             continue after essentially unlimited trouble has been encoun-
             tered.

     Inconsistencies checked are as follows:
     1.   Blocks claimed by more than one inode or the free map.
     2.   Blocks claimed by an inode outside the range of the filesystem.
     3.   Incorrect link counts.
     4.   Size checks:
          Directory size not a multiple of DIRBLKSIZ.
          Partially truncated file.
     5.   Bad inode format.
     6.   Blocks not accounted for anywhere.
     7.   Directory checks:
          File pointing to unallocated inode.
          Inode number out of range.
          Dot or dot-dot not the first two entries of a directory or having
          the wrong inode number.
     8.   Super Block checks:
          More blocks for inodes than there are in the filesystem.
          Bad free block map format.
          Total free block and/or free inode count incorrect.

     Orphaned files and directories (allocated but unreferenced) are, with the
     operator's concurrence, reconnected by placing them in the lost+found di-
     rectory.  The name assigned is the inode number.  If the lost+found di-
     rectory does not exist, it is created.  If there is insufficient space
     its size is increased.

     Because of inconsistencies between the block device and the buffer cache,
     the raw device should always be used.


DIAGNOSTICS

     The diagnostics produced by fsck_ffs are fully enumerated and explained
     in Appendix A of Fsck - The UNIX File System Check Program.


SEE ALSO

     fstab(5), fs(5), fsdb(8), newfs(8), reboot(8), fsck(8)

4th Berkeley Distribution      November 29, 1994                             3