Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Daniel Christiansen]

I am using Mandrake 8.2 with the 2.4.18-6mdk kernel and reiserfsck
3.x.0j.  I have a reiser file system on my / drive hdb2 and /home hdb6. 
These are on a new 40G IBM hard drive.

Whenever I boot up sysinit cannot write to several files in /var/log, in
particular to dmesg.  I get a "Permission Denied" message. The same is
true when I try to access these five or six files as root.  I don't
think this is a permission problem; permissions are
/var/log drwxr-xr-x root root.

I ran reiserfsck from the rescue disk.  "Echo $?" showed error code 255.
 I can't find what this means.

The message in the logfile was"Node (8272) with wrong level (0) found in
the tree (should be 1)." [There was also a message on the screen of
"pass_through_tree: unable to read 2949119 block on device 0x4."]  The
--fix-fixable option didn't seem to do anything.
[Although, if I recall correctly, there was a message having to do with
resizing that I didn't understand.]

I started to use the --rebuild-tree option but was dissuaded by the
message about only using it if I was desperate.  Perhaps I need to take
a deep breath and use this option.

Other indications of a problem:  I ran the dmesg program from /bin and
got "Warning log replay starting on readonly filesystem" and lots of
"i/o failure trying to find stat data" messages.

Every hour or so I get about 25 new messages in /usr/var/messages like
the following (all having to do with block 8272):

"kernel: is_tree_node: node level 0 does not match to the expected one 1
kernel: vs-5150: search_by_key: invalid format found in block 8272.
Fsck?"

I would appreciate any suggestions as to how fix my problem.

[I tried to accurately transcribe the messages but as they are from my
office machine and I am sending this from home, I may have made a typo
or two.]

Thanks.

Dan Christiansen
Albion College

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Oleg Drokin]

Hello!

On Sun, May 05, 2002 at 12:18:28PM -0400, Daniel Christiansen wrote:

> The message in the logfile was"Node (8272) with wrong level (0) found in
> the tree (should be 1)." [There was also a message on the screen of
> "pass_through_tree: unable to read 2949119 block on device 0x4."]  The
> --fix-fixable option didn't seem to do anything.
> [Although, if I recall correctly, there was a message having to do with
> resizing that I didn't understand.]

Can you find out that message in your logs? It may be important one.

> I started to use the --rebuild-tree option but was dissuaded by the
> message about only using it if I was desperate.  Perhaps I need to take
> a deep breath and use this option.

Make sure to get latest reiserfsprogs (v3.x.1b) from namesys ftp site.

> Other indications of a problem:  I ran the dmesg program from /bin and
> got "Warning log replay starting on readonly filesystem" and lots of
> "i/o failure trying to find stat data" messages.

Your filesystem was corrupted by something. Do you have Windows on that box,
too?

> "kernel: is_tree_node: node level 0 does not match to the expected one 1
> kernel: vs-5150: search_by_key: invalid format found in block 8272.
> Fsck?"

This message confirms damaged blocks theory.

> I would appreciate any suggestions as to how fix my problem.

Get latest reiserfsprogs package and run reiserfsck --rebuild-tree.

Bye,
    Oleg

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Daniel Christiansen]

>>> Oleg Drokin <green@namesys.com> 05/06/02 07:21 AM >>>

Make sure to get latest reiserfsprogs (v3.x.1b) from namesys ftp site.

I did this and installed it.  But, of course, my rescue disk has the old
3.x.0j version not the new 3.x.1b version.  How can I use the new
version?

> Other indications of a problem:  I ran the dmesg program from /bin and
> got "Warning log replay starting on readonly filesystem" and lots of
> "i/o failure trying to find stat data" messages.

Your filesystem was corrupted by something. Do you have Windows on that
box,
too?

I have windows on the first drive, which I rarely use, and a vfat
windows partition on the second drive so that I could transfer files.

I'm not sure, but I think my problems started after a power outage.


> "kernel: is_tree_node: node level 0 does not match to the expected one
1
> kernel: vs-5150: search_by_key: invalid format found in block 8272.
> Fsck?"

This message confirms damaged blocks theory.

> I would appreciate any suggestions as to how fix my problem.

Get latest reiserfsprogs package and run reiserfsck --rebuild-tree.

I presume I'm supposed to remount my / drive as read only.  I'm not sure
how to do that.  I'll try to find out.


Thanks for the help.

Dan


Bye,
    Oleg

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Oleg Drokin]

Hello!

On Mon, May 06, 2002 at 12:07:26PM -0400, Daniel Christiansen wrote:

> Make sure to get latest reiserfsprogs (v3.x.1b) from namesys ftp site.
> I did this and installed it.  But, of course, my rescue disk has the old
> 3.x.0j version not the new 3.x.1b version.  How can I use the new
> version?

Copy the new version to your rescue floppy.

> > Other indications of a problem:  I ran the dmesg program from /bin and
> > got "Warning log replay starting on readonly filesystem" and lots of
> > "i/o failure trying to find stat data" messages.
> Your filesystem was corrupted by something. Do you have Windows on that
> box,
> too?
> I have windows on the first drive, which I rarely use, and a vfat
> windows partition on the second drive so that I could transfer files.
> I'm not sure, but I think my problems started after a power outage.

Hm. Do you have write cache enabled on your harddrive? That may explain
your problems (and yes, most of drive manufacturers do enable write caching
by default).

> Get latest reiserfsprogs package and run reiserfsck --rebuild-tree.
> I presume I'm supposed to remount my / drive as read only.  I'm not sure
> how to do that.  I'll try to find out.

No. simple remounting won't help, you need to boot off some rescue media and run
reiserfsck on completely unmounted partition.

Bye,
    Oleg

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Daniel Christiansen]

Everything seems to work by using the 3.x.1b version of reisfsck with
--rebuild-tree.  Thank you very much, Oleg, for taking the time to solve
my problem.

I don't know anything about the "write cache enabled" issue below.  Is
this something I have to change with a jumper, a bios setting, or a
software configuration?

Thanks again.

> > Other indications of a problem:  I ran the dmesg program from /bin
and
> > got "Warning log replay starting on readonly filesystem" and lots of
> > "i/o failure trying to find stat data" messages.
> Your filesystem was corrupted by something. Do you have Windows on
that
> box,
> too?
> I have windows on the first drive, which I rarely use, and a vfat
> windows partition on the second drive so that I could transfer files.
> I'm not sure, but I think my problems started after a power outage.

Hm. Do you have write cache enabled on your harddrive? That may explain
your problems (and yes, most of drive manufacturers do enable write
caching
by default).

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Manuel Krause]

On 05/06/2002 09:12 PM, Daniel Christiansen wrote:

> Everything seems to work by using the 3.x.1b version of reisfsck with
> --rebuild-tree.  Thank you very much, Oleg, for taking the time to solve
> my problem.
> 
> I don't know anything about the "write cache enabled" issue below.  Is
> this something I have to change with a jumper, a bios setting, or a
> software configuration?
> 


Huh! Maybe you can jumper this on your MB, too?! Or maybe also set it in 
your BIOS?

Use "hdparm -i /dev/drive-whatever" to get this information from your 
disk drive.
If your drive supports it, you 'll find a number in kB after 
"BuffSize=". If your jumpers/BIOS do support it with your current 
settings or your disks defaults do it, search for a 
"WriteCache=enabled". If your BIOS doesn't make it for you it, you can 
enable it by a "hdparm -W1 /dev/drive-whatever" and disable it with 
parameter "-W0" instead of "-W1". And, of course, have a look at the 
manpage -- this feature is marked "(DANGEROUS)" (just in case your 
hardware does not support it)! I have hdparm v4.6 on here since January 
but I just saw a v4.9 on
  ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/hardware     and on
  ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/hardware/    .

> Thanks again.
> 
> 
>>>Other indications of a problem:  I ran the dmesg program from /bin
>>>
> and
> 
>>>got "Warning log replay starting on readonly filesystem" and lots of
>>>"i/o failure trying to find stat data" messages.
>>>
>>Your filesystem was corrupted by something. Do you have Windows on
>>that box, too?
>>I have windows on the first drive, which I rarely use, and a vfat
>>windows partition on the second drive so that I could transfer files.
>>I'm not sure, but I think my problems started after a power outage.
>>
> 
> Hm. Do you have write cache enabled on your harddrive? That may explain
> your problems (and yes, most of drive manufacturers do enable write
> caching
> by default).
> 


Oleg, do you really think a dumb-crashing-Windows to be a reason?? What 
version do you run on your disks? I have a Win98 spread over the 
partitions of my 2 disks but the only things I get from a 
crashed=powered-off Win98 are many-many unusable files in Win98 -- not 
affecting my Linux system.
When I have a complete-crash=power-off when there was a running VMware 
with Win98 inside (but it's a dual boot system with real partitions' 
access for VMware from Linux) I have 2-to-5 truncates-to-complete on 
restart/mount of my reiserfs / and the "usual" vfat problems later... 
like missing files, checks needed and so on)

Maybe it's the kernel <-reiserfs-sub-version-> version Daniel runs at 
the moment? Oleg?

Or is it somekind of connected to Chris Masons thread "2.4.19-pre7 / 
corruption on unwanted reboot"??? If Chris and Jens found bugs on IDE 
interaction with ReiserFS they should really put out a patch soon... ;-)

Chris M.? Is that related eventually? Just a doubt!


Best regards,

Manuel

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Chris Mason]

On Mon, 2002-05-06 at 20:54, Manuel Krause wrote:
> On 05/06/2002 09:12 PM, Daniel Christiansen wrote:
> 
> > Everything seems to work by using the 3.x.1b version of reisfsck with
> > --rebuild-tree.  Thank you very much, Oleg, for taking the time to solve
> > my problem.
> > 
> > I don't know anything about the "write cache enabled" issue below.  Is
> > this something I have to change with a jumper, a bios setting, or a
> > software configuration?
> > 

Most new IDE drives have this on by default.  You can turn it off with
hdparm -W 0, which will make you more able to withstand power failures.

> 
> Or is it somekind of connected to Chris Masons thread "2.4.19-pre7 / 
> corruption on unwanted reboot"??? If Chris and Jens found bugs on IDE 
> interaction with ReiserFS they should really put out a patch soon... ;-)
> 
> Chris M.? Is that related eventually? Just a doubt!

I haven't been able to reproduce problems after a crash with pre7, but
Dirk is not often wrong when we reports about a bug.  If anyone can
reliably reproduce I'd be grateful.

-chris

Re: Error Code 255 and "Permission Denied"

[Oleg Drokin]

Hello!

On Tue, May 07, 2002 at 02:54:04AM +0200, Manuel Krause wrote:

> >Hm. Do you have write cache enabled on your harddrive? That may explain
> >your problems (and yes, most of drive manufacturers do enable write
> >caching
> >by default).
> Oleg, do you really think a dumb-crashing-Windows to be a reason?? What 

Yes. Sometimes Windows gets partitioning in a wrong way and writes to
incorrect places on HDD. (BTW, see this list archive for past month,
there were told at least two stories on Windows corrupting innocent Linux
filesystems, once on a read-only partition.)
Filesystems usually do not write garbage in metadata blocks by themselves.

> version do you run on your disks? I have a Win98 spread over the 

Version of what? I do run reiserfs of a lot of different kinds, including
testing my own patches which are very dangerous things sometimes ;)

> partitions of my 2 disks but the only things I get from a 
> crashed=powered-off Win98 are many-many unusable files in Win98 -- not 
> affecting my Linux system.

Lucky you. There are people who are not that lucky.

> Maybe it's the kernel <-reiserfs-sub-version-> version Daniel runs at 
> the moment? Oleg?

The 2.4.18-6mdk? I think it should have standard reiserfs stuff as in
vanilla 2.4.18.

> Or is it somekind of connected to Chris Masons thread "2.4.19-pre7 / 
> corruption on unwanted reboot"??? If Chris and Jens found bugs on IDE 

I doubt that Mandrake people are that stupid to include not tested very much
experimental code in their recommended kernels.

> interaction with ReiserFS they should really put out a patch soon... ;-)

Sure. But for now we only had one bug report, and 2.4.19-pre7 was around for
quite a while already.
If you know for a way to reproduce on certain common IDE hardware, we are
interested.

Bye,
    Oleg