The Linux 4.0 EXT4 RAID Corruption Bug Has Been Uncovered

[signals]

This isn't a problem for Linux users on distributions like RHEL, Ubuntu, and other fixed-release distributions that don't tend to update major versions of their kernel post-release, but this corruption issue has already become a problem for Arch Linux and other rolling-release distributions with users who quickly jump to new versions of upstream software.

So, basically, you are implying that one should stick to LTS releases and throw their graphics card through the window? And YOU pretend Linux is ready for the desktop? LOL

No, I don't think he was implying that at all. He was just trying not to cause a panic among those folks who aren't running a bugged kernel, which is probably 90% of the readership here.

On topic: I'm glad this was solved. I've been running my personal desktop on a bleeding edge kernel but don't have any EXT4 on RAID. Was just holding my breath until I got hit with this bug. (Only / is EXT4, so not a huge deal if it breaks.) Glad to hear I probably won't be.

[zeroepoch]

Michael, thanks for actually looking at my bug report and at least linking to the patch along with some context. Other media sites it seems don't want to put in that effort. Keep up the good work.

[Guest]

A friend of mine has a prison pen pal who insists there are other filesystems besides ext4.

xfs master-race

[gigaplex]

wrong
you need both mesa and llvm

Try again. You definitely need to keep up to date with the kernel for KMS based drivers. Also, LLVM is only required for some of the drivers.

[vktgz]

only RAID users is affected, rigth?

It seems that raid0 users only are affected. I have 4.0.3 compiled with only raid1 support running for a week now and my array is fine.

[torsionbar28]

A friend of mine has a prison pen pal who insists there are other filesystems besides ext4.

LMAO!! Well played sir. I had forgotten about good ole Hans.

[torsionbar28]

That photo with a RAID of WD Green drives makes me cringe. RAID on Green drives is a recipe for data loss.

[duby229]

That photo with a RAID of WD Green drives makes me cringe. RAID on Green drives is a recipe for data loss.

I know... It's such a bad idea. Those drives are running on a short timescale as is.

EDIT: I don't understand how BTRFS does RAID, but I don't think it works in the traditional way. So the hardware limitations of the green drives firmware microcode may not apply for all I know.

[GreatEmerald]

EDIT: I don't understand how BTRFS does RAID, but I don't think it works in the traditional way. So the hardware limitations of the green drives firmware microcode may not apply for all I know.

What limitations? The only thing I know of is that they by default do head parking way too often, but that's fixable.

[duby229]

What limitations? The only thing I know of is that they by default do head parking way too often, but that's fixable.

I can't say I fully understand it. It has something to do with limitations WD imposes at the firmware level. One problem green drives have is they can trigger RAID controllers to mark the drive bad because of missing error correction feature TLER. Another problem green drives have is they don't have the logic to keep seeking syncronized between drives and it adds a bunch wear and tear. These are issues that only occur in RAID setups.