[Bug 455024] Re: resize2fs: memory allocation failed while trying to resize

[Theodore Ts'o]

No other file system supports shrinking the file system (whcih is what
you are trying to do with resize2fs -M).   And honestly, it's rare that
people with very large file systems try to shrink file systems, which is
why (a) most other file systems don't support it at all, and (b) it's
not a super high priority for ext4 developers to try to track down.

If you are trying to grow the file system, that should work without
problems (and in fact, given 1.42.5, I'd recommend using on-line
resizing to grow file systems as oposed to off-line resizing, as there
are a couple of bugs that weren't fixed until the very latest version of
e2fsprogs).

I asked last time someone complained about this problem (1) how much
memory they had, and (2) did they have swap enabled, and (3) was this a
32-bit or 64-bit system?   If you have a 64-bit system, and you have
plenty of swap enabled, and you are still running into the problem and
are willing to work with us a bit to try to debug the problem (which may
require compiling the latest version of e2fsprogs from the git tree with
some debugging code inserted), please contact the linux-ext4 mailing
list directly.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/455024

Title:
  resize2fs: memory allocation failed while trying to resize

Status in “e2fsprogs” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: e2fsprogs

  When I try to resize a big EXT3 filesystem on a RAID5 (/dev/md0) from
  5TB to 7TB i get this output:

  # resize2fs -p /dev/md0                                 
  resize2fs 1.41.9 (22-Aug-2009)
  Resizing the filesystem on /dev/md0 to 1709329888 (4k) blocks.
  Start von Durchgang 1 (max = 14904)
  Vergrößere die Inode-TabelleXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
  resize2fs: Memory allocation failed beim Versuch, die Größe von /dev/md0 zu ändern
  Please run 'e2fsck -fy /dev/md0' to fix the filesystem
  after the aborted resize operation.

  Note: Im using Ubuntu Hardy due to its LTS. But I installed the
  packages from Karmic, because they had no special dependencies, I
  could install them without any problem. The message above is from this
  updated e2fsprogs version (note the version). I get the exactly same
  message from the original e2fsprogs, except the last two lines (Please
  run...).

  I use 4KB Blocks, so EXT3 should be able to address 8TB...

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