[Bug 1365874] Re: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, 14.04 LTS, 16.04 LTS do not support ext4 metadata checksumming

[Simon Iremonger]

HOWEVER, Trusty e2fsprogs backporting situation actually seems to be that, some change between  1.43.3-1~bpo8+1  and  1.43.4-2  is where the trusty-incompatibility has accrued, 1.43.9-2 does NOT build on trusty! :-
https://www.iremonger.me.uk/noidx/e2fs/e2fsprogs-1.43.9_trusty_build-fail.log

A simple patch to the 'debian/control' file adding the explicit '-dbg' package entries on the end *APPEARS* to solve all the problems, and allows 1.43.9 [or 1.44.0 for that matter!] to SEEMINGLY build fine, pass all tests, and work fine on trusty without any issues I can find so-far!:-
https://www.iremonger.me.uk/noidx/e2fs/e2fsprogs-1.43.9_trusty_debian-control.patch
https://www.iremonger.me.uk/noidx/e2fs/e2fsprogs-1.44.0_trusty_debian-control.patch

This all SEEMS to work fine, but I'd like tytso to comment on this, is
this really a safe workaround or just 'fixing the symptom'.  From what I
can see all the right programs are generated and work fine.

AGAIN, I'd highly recommend installing byte-for-byte the 'original' mke2fs.conf in any trusty-backport version of e2fsprogs, so as to avoid any unwanted behavioural-changes or configuration-file-update-prompts :-.
https://www.iremonger.me.uk/noidx/e2fs/mke2fs.conf.trusty

>From what I can SEE, if doing a significant backport to trusty, I can't
see why not to just go straight to 1.44.0 in this case [again, hopefully
tytso can comment!].

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1365874

Title:
  Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, 14.04 LTS, 16.04 LTS do not support ext4 metadata
  checksumming

Status in e2fsprogs package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  In the Trusty release notes "Metadata checksumming" is listed as one
  of the tech highlights of kernel 3.13.

  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseNotes#New_features_in_14.04_LTS

  However, the userland tools do not support this kernel feature. To the
  best of my knowledge this will be supported in 1.43, and won't be
  backported to 1.42.

  IMHO this is very misleading. It's like a car salesperson sold you a
  sports car with an V8 engine. After you drove it home, you opened the
  hood and realized only 6 cylinders are working because 2 of the spark
  plugs were not included, and you have to buy aftermarket ones.

  <rant>BTW, I've been following the development of e2fsprogs for over a
  year. 1.43  release has been in limbo for God knows how long :(
  </rant>

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