SUMMARY Simple method to convert EXT4 to XFS without data restore

Hi Lorak,

I have not used fstransform since my proof-of-concept test in 2021.

Note that all of us in this forum strongly advise against using it in any production-like environment. This is really more like a "toy" for enthusiasts :)

Without having more details of your problem, I can make the following summary for the moment:

a) fstransform failed to mount the file system in question.

This happened in the following part of Shell script (yes, fstransform is a plain old Shell script):

find_device_mount_point_and_fstype() {
  local my_dev="$DEVICE"
  local my_mount_point= my_fstype= my_now=
  local ret="`echo_device_mount_point_and_fstype \"$my_dev\"`"
  if test "$ret" = ""; then
    log_info "device '$my_dev' not found in the output of command $CMD_mount, assuming it is not mounted"
    initial_mount_device
    local ret="`echo_device_mount_point_and_fstype \"$my_dev\"`"
    if test "$ret" = ""; then
      log_err "just mounted device '$my_dev' at mount point '$DEVICE_MOUNT_POINT'"
      log_err_add "but still cannot find it in the output of command $CMD_mount"
      log_err_add "I give up, sorry"
      exit 1
    fi
...

b) find_device_mount_point_and_fstype calls initial_mount_device, which is defined as:

initial_mount_device() {
  DEVICE_MOUNT_POINT="$TMP_DIR/fstransform.mount.$$"
  "$CMD_mkdir" -p "$DEVICE_MOUNT_POINT" >/dev/null 2>&1

  CLEANUP_0="'$CMD_rmdir' '$DEVICE_MOUNT_POINT'"

  if test "$DEVICE_FSTYPE" != ""; then
    exec_cmd "$CMD_mount" -t "$DEVICE_FSTYPE" "$DEVICE" "$DEVICE_MOUNT_POINT"
  else
    exec_cmd "$CMD_mount" "$DEVICE" "$DEVICE_MOUNT_POINT"
  fi
  CLEANUP_0="'$CMD_umount' '$DEVICE'; $CLEANUP_0"
}

c) So, it is obvious that mounting of file system /dev/datavg/lv01 failed.

May I ask a few questions:

1. Is /tmp file system mounted with "noexec" option?

2. Did you use any command-line option for fstransform:

Usage: /sbin/fstransform [OPTION]... DEVICE NEW-FILE-SYSTEM-TYPE
Transform file system inside DEVICE to NEW-FILE-SYSTEM-TYPE,
preserving its contents and without need for backup

Options:
  --help                        Print this help and exit
  --new-size=SIZE               Set new file system length. default: device length
  --old-file-system=OLD-TYPE    Override current (old) file system type autodetection
  --force-untested-file-systems Transform also untested file systems (DANGEROUS)
  --list-source-file-systems    Print list of file systems supported as source
  --list-target-file-systems    Print list of file systems supported as target
  --reversible[=yes|no]   Create zero-file, fsremap will do a reversible transformation
                                default: no
  --no-questions          Never ask any question or confirmation
  --show-time[=yes|=no]   Show current time before each message. default: yes
  --loop-file=LOOP-FILE   Override loop-file path
  --loop-mount-point=PATH Override loop-file mount point
  --zero-file=ZERO-FILE   Override zero-file path
  --cmd-CMD-NAME=CMD-PATH Set external command CMD-NAME to use. default: autodetected
  --opts-fsmove=OPTS      Pass OPTS as additional options to 'fsmove'
  --opts-fsremap=OPTS     Pass OPTS as additional options to 'fsremap'
  --opts-mkfs=OPTS        Pass OPTS as options to 'mkfs'. default: '-q'
  --opts-fsck-source=OPTS Override 'fsck' options for old file system. default: '-p -f'
  --opts-fsck-target=OPTS Override 'fsck' options for new file system. default: '-p -f'
  --x-OPTION=VALUE        Set internal, undocumented option. For maintainers only.

3. Were there any other errors before the script failed?

Regards,

Dusan Baljevic (amateur radio VK2COT)