This simple toolset allows you to change type of file system in the lack of backup space. The idea is to use sparse files support of primary filesystem. We create a sparse image of block device, mkfs secondary filesystem on it, mount it, mv files from primary filesystem to mounted image and then map image to the device.

Remapping utility uses some kind of journaling to avoid breakage in case of power failure. It's expected that you have linux 2.4, glibc 2.2, recent util-linux, fileutils.

You can convert from virtually any filesystem type to virtually any one as long as they are both block-oriented and supported by Linux for read/write, and as long as primary filesystem supports sparse files.

Please send bug reports etc to tzukanov AT narod.ru

Not-so-near future

Advanced filesystem/partition editor. The whole process looks like you got brand new hard disk with the same size as old one and just copied your data to it. This will allow you to not just resize/convert/move partitions but make absolutely new layout of disk (e.g. split too big /usr partition). See GNU Parted mailing list archives for more info.

Far future

Same as in previous paragraph but *online*. Sounds insane but I am sure it's possible.

USE AT YOU OWN RISK!

Please don't use at all if you don't understand how it works.

Changelog

January 13, 2005

Fix for file names with spaces from Paul Cunnane.

March 18, 2002

New user friendly shell script with support for ext2/3, xfs, jfs, minix, reiserfs from Kent Robotti.

March 1, 2002 (as always upgrade is recommended)

Fixed segmentation fault in load_index().

February 3, 2002 (upgrade strongly recommended)

Align fsimage to primary fs' block size; now can convert filesystems larger than 2GB.

January 10, 2002

Cleaned up algorithm; minor bugfixes.

January 07, 2002

Got the time to make usable version with journaling.

August 23, 2001

Proof-of-concept version.