Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 22:53 Post subject: What filesystems are supported on DIR-825?
I have DD-WRT v3.0-r39572 std on a DIR-825 and I want to install Entware (Optware replacement) on a USB flash drive and some packages. I have formatted the flash drive with ext2 using Gparted but DD-WRT fails fails to mount it.
Service - USB menu:
Code:
--- /dev/sda
Block device, size 7.227 GiB (7759462400 bytes)
DOS/MBR partition map
Partition 1: 7.226 GiB (7758413824 bytes, 15153152 sectors from 2048)
Type 0x83 (Linux)
Ext4 file system
Volume name "Optware"
UUID 15D9D13C-F822-455D-A009-69D13794F99D (DCE, v4)
Volume size 7.226 GiB (7758413824 bytes, 1894144 blocks of 4 KiB)
Status: Not mounted - Unsupported file system or disk not formated
--- /dev/sda1
Block device, size 7.225 GiB (7757365248 bytes)
NTFS file system
UUID 25709EFA68DD9823
Volume size 7.225 GiB (7757364736 bytes, 15151103 sectors)
I don't know why it says "Ext4". I specifically asked for "ext2" when formatting it using Gparted and it lists it as "ext2". Which is it now, ext2 or ext4?...
I have already enabled "Core USB Support" and "USB Storage Support" from the Service - USB menu. There is no option that specifically mentions enabling "ext2". Or have I missed it?.. where would I find it? Is this instruction specific to Mega and Mini builds? Mine is regular ("std") build?
Quote:
NOTE: not all dd-wrt versions have embedded filesystems support (Although these options are accessible via WEB-interface). If your hardware has flash 4MB or less - it may not include filesystems kernel modules. Try to search your filesystem for files ext2.ko, ext3.ko, vfat.ko and so on. If they are absent, your system doesn't support filesystems and you need some kind of trick Mounting_USB_drive_without_located_onboard_fs_modules.
I need to establish what my build of DD-WRT is capable of before I can move forward with my intended goal (installing Entware) or dig deeper in troubleshooting efforts. If someone can help me answer some of these basic questions I would appreciate it.
Last edited by Fractalogic on Sat May 22, 2021 10:09; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 14221 Location: Texas, USA
Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 23:17 Post subject:
And the output of lsmod and contents of ls /lib/modules/$(uname -r) is? You should be able to determine what kernel modules are present and what filesystems are supported on your router that way. I am going to go out on a limb and say that it likely has the ext4.ko module, but not ext3.ko or ext2.ko. There really is no updated matrix of features and supported filesystems, unfortunately, so you have to do it the fun way... _________________ "Life is but a fleeting moment, a vapor that vanishes quickly; All is vanity"
Contribute To DD-WRT Pogo - A minimal level of ability is expected and needed... DD-WRT Releases 2023 (PolitePol)
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Linux User #377467 counter.li.org / linuxcounter.net
Does this mean it supports ext2, fat, jffs2, fat and vfat?
Do I have to reboot in order to mount the drive?
The instructions say:
Quote:
Plug in the USB stick or harddrive into the router. The router 'may' have to be rebooted. Check Services – USB to see if it shows up. Make a note of the current mount point, ex: /tmp/mnt/sda_part1, should be /opt if you did the above correctly.
What is the meaning of the comment about mount point? Does it mean that a drive would normally mount to /tmp/mnt unless the drive is labeled "Optware" in which case it would mount to /opt? I can select default mount point in web interface, either /mnt or /opt or /jffs. I have selected /opt and the default is /mnt.
Well, I have tried rebooting now. Twice! I also tried reformatting the USB drive, using command line sudo mkfs.ext2 /dev/sdb1 and it mounts fine on Ubuntu but not on DD-WRT.
Code:
--- /dev/sda
Block device, size 7.227 GiB (7759462400 bytes)
DOS/MBR partition map
Partition 1: 7.226 GiB (7758413824 bytes, 15153152 sectors from 2048)
Type 0x83 (Linux)
Ext4 file system
UUID 1237A4DF-492E-4A4D-A5EE-A6BEABDC5240 (DCE, v4)
Volume size 7.226 GiB (7758413824 bytes, 1894144 blocks of 4 KiB)
Status: Not mounted - Unsupported file system or disk not formated
It still says it's Ext4?..... Gparted says it's "ext2".
Joined: 18 Mar 2014 Posts: 12884 Location: Netherlands
Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 10:13 Post subject:
That is really strange you should not have ext2.ko in the first place that has long been succeeded by ext4.ko (which is backwards compatible with ext2)
I'm not sure if it justifies as old, but that's what I have at the moment.
It would seem strange that it thinks it's "Ext4" while Gparted in Ubuntu says it's "ext2". At the same time, I have "ext2.ko" but I don't have "ext4.ko". It's as if its expecting ext4.ko to be present but it's not?
I have not done much customization to this installation and it has served me well. The reason I want to use "ext2" specifically is because the instructions for installing Entware say so:
Quote:
On your computer plug in the USB stick or harddrive, reformat the USB stick or harddrive using a program like Partition Wizard (Windows) or GParted (Linux). Make sure the format of the drive is ext2 for a USB stick, or ext3 or NTFS if it is a harddrive, Primary, not Logical. Label should be Optware if you want it to mount automatically.
Code:
sudo mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/sdb1
Is this command correct? Assuming of course sdb1 is my drive. Should I skip the "-F 32" part? This formats vfat 32 bit? I do have "vfat.ko" so it should mount then?
Joined: 18 Mar 2014 Posts: 12884 Location: Netherlands
Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 11:19 Post subject:
Your build is two years old so yes that is old
There have been a lot of (security) updates.
However not saying that this will help in your problem.
If this is an 8 MB flash router it is possible that only vfat is present we just do not know.
The workaround described by @kp69 was something like making an a small vfat partition which you can mount, put ext4.ko on that partition and insmod it from there.
There are threads about this.
But it could well be that a modern build for your router has ext4.ko so that upgrading will solve this problem.
The revision I have is "B1" so it's 8 MB then. I have checked. (Only C revision is 16 MB.)
I will look into updating DD-WRT if it's still built for my router.
I tried to run the installation script for Entware and I got to this line: "Info: Congratulations!" However, I received some archive extraction errors regarding symlink creation. It appears to be some kind of permission problem or installation path conflict. This is for another topic, I rather not go off topic here.
I understand it's not easy to establish what filesystems are supported on a Linux system. I have never had a need to know the answer to this before (spoiled by desktop OS perhaps).
Thanks for your help! If you have any further input or tips on how to figure out what file systems are supported feel free to post it and I will take time to test the idea. Otherwise I will consider this problem as solved (I have vfat support, not ext2/ext3/ext4).
That should show you what filesystems are supported. I do not believe Entware will work with vfat. It requires Linux file permissions which vfat cannot provide.
Even though your build is from 4/19, I would think it should still support ext4. I am pretty sure I have been using a ext4 formatted usb stick since before then, but on a different router.
In ddwrt, go to Services/NAS. At the bottom there is a section to format your flashdrive. See there what formats are available there as well. Maybe even try formatting your drive from there too. _________________ Linksys EA8500 (Internet Gateway, AP/VAP) - DD-WRT r53562
Features in use: WDS-AP, Multiple VLANs, Samba, WireGuard, Entware: mqtt, mlocate
Wireless 5ghz only
Netgear R7800 (WDS-AP, WAP, VAP) - DD-WRT r55779
Features in use: multiple VLANs over single trunk port
Linksys EA8500 WDS Station x2 - DD-WRT r55799
Netgear R6400v2 WAP, VAP 2.4ghz only w/VLANs over single trunk port. DD-WRT r55779
OSes: Fedora 38, 9 RPis (2,3,4,5), 20 ESP8266s: Straight from Amiga to Linux in '94, never having owned a Windows PC.
Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 14221 Location: Texas, USA
Posted: Wed May 19, 2021 14:17 Post subject:
It looks like the kernel supports cdrom, msdos, fat, vfat, ext2, jffs2. Yes, that is an old build, and you should update (E4200 images are 8MB and have ext4 support now):
@lexridge: Not all routers support the same things. This is the bane of inconsistencies within DD-WRT that has existed for quite some time. You cannot compare apples and oranges. _________________ "Life is but a fleeting moment, a vapor that vanishes quickly; All is vanity"
Contribute To DD-WRT Pogo - A minimal level of ability is expected and needed... DD-WRT Releases 2023 (PolitePol)
DD-WRT Releases 2023 (RSS Everything)
----------------------
Linux User #377467 counter.li.org / linuxcounter.net
@lexridge: Not all routers support the same things. This is the bane of inconsistencies within DD-WRT that has existed for quite some time. You cannot compare apples and oranges.
Right and good point, which why I said above "but on a different router". I probably should have been more clear on that. OP, you should definitely upgrade to latest version. _________________ Linksys EA8500 (Internet Gateway, AP/VAP) - DD-WRT r53562
Features in use: WDS-AP, Multiple VLANs, Samba, WireGuard, Entware: mqtt, mlocate
Wireless 5ghz only
Netgear R7800 (WDS-AP, WAP, VAP) - DD-WRT r55779
Features in use: multiple VLANs over single trunk port
Linksys EA8500 WDS Station x2 - DD-WRT r55799
Netgear R6400v2 WAP, VAP 2.4ghz only w/VLANs over single trunk port. DD-WRT r55779
OSes: Fedora 38, 9 RPis (2,3,4,5), 20 ESP8266s: Straight from Amiga to Linux in '94, never having owned a Windows PC.
I don't know what it is that I see (what all of it means), but I know what I don't see: "ext2" and "ext4". If these were supported I would see them here, correct?
In regard to Services - NAS page, I have only two sections there: "Samba Server", and "File Sharing". None of which allow me to format the USB flash drive I have plugged in. (But I can read and write files from/to it from another computer, so at least I know that works. I never used this before.) Are you sure you can format connected drives this way? That would be a cool feature. I have not seen any such options on other routers either, and I have looked at various examples of this interface page on Google Images (with varying options available depending on router model).
I have changed to mounting on /mnt rather than /opt:
Code:
--- /dev/sda
Block device, size 7.227 GiB (7759462400 bytes)
DOS/MBR partition map
Partition 1: 7.226 GiB (7758413824 bytes, 15153152 sectors from 2048)
Type 0x83 (Linux)
FAT32 file system (hints score 5 of 5)
Volume size 7.211 GiB (7743266816 bytes, 1890446 clusters of 4 KiB)
Volume name "Optware"
Status: Mounted on /mnt
Can I choose freely between /mnt and /opt without causing some kind of conflict?
I see it mounted on /tmp/mnt/sda1 now. This is because /mnt is symlink? In any case, it's not mounting on "/mnt" per se, and ext2 is identified as Ext4 and can't mount. Thus far I've been only able to mount vfat.
