Re: [PATCH RFC] xfs: remap block layer ENODATA read errors to EIO

[Eric Sandeen <sandeen@redhat.com>]

On 8/19/25 4:45 PM, Dave Chinner wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 19, 2025 at 10:38:54AM -0500, Eric Sandeen wrote:

...

>> Ok, this is getting a little more complex. The ENODATA problem is
>> very specific, and has (oddly) been reported by users/customers twice
>> in recent days. Maybe I can send an acceptable fix for that specific,
>> observed problem (also suitable for -stable etc), then another
>> one that is more ambitious on top of that.
> 
> Right, the lowest risk, minimal targetted fix for the problem
> reported is to remap the error in the attr layers. Nothing else is
> then affected (ie. global changes of behaviour have significant
> potential for unexpected regressions), but the issue is solved for
> the users that are tripping over it.
> 
> Then, if someone really wants to completely rearchitect how we
> handle IO errors in XFS, that can be done as a separate project,
> with it's own justification, design review, planning for
> integration/deprecation/removal of existing error handling
> infrastructure, etc.
> 
> We do not tie acceptance of trivial bug fixes with a requirement to
> completely rearchitect fundamental filesystem behaviours that are
> only vaguely related to the bug that needs to be fixed.

Agree, though I don't think (I hope) that any of this discussion was
a NAK, just a "there might be a bigger problem to solve here, too" and
I agree with that. I do want to push to get the demonstrable bug fixed
in a direct, safe way first, though, and not bog it down with grander
plans.

I'll try to find time to do that, and look at the bigger problem,
if I have the time and ability. :)

Thanks,
-Eric

> -Dave.