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bad entry in fs!?

Sep 12 00:00:03 central kernel: EXT2-fs error (device 08:02): ext2_readdir:
bad entry in directory #1727795: rec_len is smaller than minimal - offset=0, inode=1727795, rec_len=4, name_len=1

What the hell is this? I run a perfect Linux server but I always get this every once in a while. Anyone????

I run a Slackware 3.4 with kernel 2.0.35 and a buslogic BT958/Western Digital 4.3 SCSI3 HD. BT958 bios 5.07b.

Please!

JYoungman

You apparently have a corrupted directory entry. First, fsck the filesystem. Go to single-user mode ("telinit 1") and then fsck that filesystem ("fsck -t ext2 -f /dev/sda2"). Then find inode 1727795 ("find /the-sda2-mount-point -inum 1727795"). The output of that command will be the name of the directory which contains the corrupted entry.

Recreate the whole contents of that directory from a backup. The problem directory entry won't be appearing in directory listings or backups itself.

scottg

ASKER

Fixing it is the easy part. I need to know how to stop it from happening in the first place. Its appears to be random. I really don't need a corrupt /usr directory. Usually its been something in /usr/src which I don't care about.

JYoungman

Since you have a stable kernel and a decent SCSI system, I'd be very much inclined to suspect your memory. I have had FS corruption caused by bad DRAM; even involving files that never really got read. After I made useful complaints to the supplier, they changed the SIMMS I was using and the problems went away.

scottg

ASKER

I'll try replacing the memory, I'll know soon I guess.

JYoungman

Let me know how it turns out.

JYoungman

Hello?

scottg

ASKER

I haven't responded because I'm still waiting to see if it screws up or not. I made some changes such as reseating the memory in different banks, slowing the SCSI transfer rate from 40 to 20MB, downgrading my SCSI bios(apparently recommended if under Linux), and tested for HD bad sectors and scanned the memory to see if there was trouble there. No bad sectors, and the memory seems ok - although there was a small timing error with the memory, but this might have been the cheap program because all other scans(3 different ones) indicate ok.

Even know its been error free for 5 days, that means nothing. I've had it go for 2 1/2 months before the error surfaced again. Give me about 5 more days...

JYoungman

I reckon the reverse. If only one of the three programs detected an error, I'd think that the other two are less discerning :-)

scottg

ASKER

It appears to be ok. Although that doesn't mean much, I've had it go longer without a problem before. It should be ok.

How the hell to I answer your original question? I got no option to do that on this page.

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JYoungman

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scottg

ASKER

Thanks.