Re: Linux slack space question

[Erik Mouw <erik@harddisk-recovery.com>]

On Fri, Dec 08, 2006 at 12:21:04PM -0500, Maria Short wrote:
> I have a question regarding how the Linux kernel handles slack space.
> I know that the ext3 filesystems typically use 1,2 or 4 KB blocks and
> if a file is not an even multiple of the block size then the last
> allocated block will not be completely filled, the remaining space is
> wasted as slack space.
> 
> What I need is the code in the kernel that does that. I have been
> looking at http://lxr.linux.no/source/fs/ext3/inode.c but I could not
> find the specific code for partially filling the last block and
> placing an EOF at the end, leaving the rest to slack space.

Think about it: what value would an EOF have if all byte values are
allowed in a file?

>From the very first Unix filesystem an inode contains both the number
of blocks it contains and the actual file size.

> Please forward the answer to mgolod@ieee.org as soon as possible.

Hmm no. You asked a public forum so the reply will go to that same
public forum. See http://catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#noprivate .


Erik

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