Re: NFSv3 pathname problems in 2.4 kernels

[Gordon Lack <gmlack@freenet.co.uk>]

Neil Brown wrote:
> 
> This shouldn't be a problem for Solaris 2.6, but definately is for
> Irix.

   Well, there are many 2.6 systems and they all fail in the same aay
as Irix.  So does Solaris 2.7.  (2.8 seems to be Ok).

> > b) if so, do they have a solution?
> 
> 1/ Don't use irix.

   Not an option!

> 2/ Don't use NFSv3

   Not an option - some of the files are multi-GB ones.

> 3/ Get a patch from Irix... I believe an upcoming release of Irix
> fixed the problem, but I don't recall the details.

   Fixed in 6.5.13 (I believe) but that requires fixing it in *many* clients, and doesn't help the
Solaris2.6/2.7 systems.

> Look in fs/nfsd/nfsfh.c, in fh_compose.
> If you change:
>         if (ref_fh &&
>             ref_fh->fh_handle.fh_version == 0xca &&
>             parent->d_inode->i_sb->s_op->dentry_to_fh == NULL) {
> to
>         if (parent->d_inode->i_sb->s_op->dentry_to_fh == NULL) {
> you will probably get what you want, for ext2 at least.

   Thanks, but this is for xfs (I didn't fancy fsck'ing a 470GB file
system!).  I suppose it's suck it and see....

> "Best" option is to complain to SGI and get a patch.

   Not necessarily.  That is certainly a long(ish)-term path, but there
are *far* more clients than servers, so a server-side fix, even if just
a temporary fudge, is must better in practical terms. Change Control procedures
for systems is more accurately described as Change Prevention!


   Many thanks...