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diff --git a/Documentation/filesystems/ext4/checksums.rst b/Documentation/filesystems/ext4/checksums.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..5519e253810d --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/filesystems/ext4/checksums.rst @@ -0,0 +1,73 @@ +.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 + +Checksums +--------- + +Starting in early 2012, metadata checksums were added to all major ext4 +and jbd2 data structures. The associated feature flag is metadata\_csum. +The desired checksum algorithm is indicated in the superblock, though as +of October 2012 the only supported algorithm is crc32c. Some data +structures did not have space to fit a full 32-bit checksum, so only the +lower 16 bits are stored. Enabling the 64bit feature increases the data +structure size so that full 32-bit checksums can be stored for many data +structures. However, existing 32-bit filesystems cannot be extended to +enable 64bit mode, at least not without the experimental resize2fs +patches to do so. + +Existing filesystems can have checksumming added by running +``tune2fs -O metadata_csum`` against the underlying device. If tune2fs +encounters directory blocks that lack sufficient empty space to add a +checksum, it will request that you run ``e2fsck -D`` to have the +directories rebuilt with checksums. This has the added benefit of +removing slack space from the directory files and rebalancing the htree +indexes. If you \_ignore\_ this step, your directories will not be +protected by a checksum! + +The following table describes the data elements that go into each type +of checksum. The checksum function is whatever the superblock describes +(crc32c as of October 2013) unless noted otherwise. + +.. list-table:: + :widths: 20 8 50 + :header-rows: 1 + + * - Metadata + - Length + - Ingredients + * - Superblock + - \_\_le32 + - The entire superblock up to the checksum field. The UUID lives inside + the superblock. + * - MMP + - \_\_le32 + - UUID + the entire MMP block up to the checksum field. + * - Extended Attributes + - \_\_le32 + - UUID + the entire extended attribute block. The checksum field is set to + zero. + * - Directory Entries + - \_\_le32 + - UUID + inode number + inode generation + the directory block up to the + fake entry enclosing the checksum field. + * - HTREE Nodes + - \_\_le32 + - UUID + inode number + inode generation + all valid extents + HTREE tail. + The checksum field is set to zero. + * - Extents + - \_\_le32 + - UUID + inode number + inode generation + the entire extent block up to + the checksum field. + * - Bitmaps + - \_\_le32 or \_\_le16 + - UUID + the entire bitmap. Checksums are stored in the group descriptor, + and truncated if the group descriptor size is 32 bytes (i.e. ^64bit) + * - Inodes + - \_\_le32 + - UUID + inode number + inode generation + the entire inode. The checksum + field is set to zero. Each inode has its own checksum. + * - Group Descriptors + - \_\_le16 + - If metadata\_csum, then UUID + group number + the entire descriptor; + else if gdt\_csum, then crc16(UUID + group number + the entire + descriptor). In all cases, only the lower 16 bits are stored. + |