# Help with XFS file system (linux)



## Mussels (Mar 24, 2013)

Short version: i have a NAS device i bought on impulse. It works fine.


However, the ONLY file system it supports, is linux based XFS.


I need to find an operating system that i can run in a VM or boot from a live CD, that will allow me to access the data on these drives should the NAS fail.

I've tried the latest ubuntu - and failed. it didnt see the drive(s) appear when connected to the system.


Can someone suggest alternative operating systems i can try? i'm quite the beginner with linux. ALL i want is something that reads XFS hard drives from this stupid buffalo NAS, and will allow me to copy them to other drives.


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## Mussels (Mar 25, 2013)

bump.


no linux experts here?


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## eidairaman1 (Mar 25, 2013)

you might have to try SourceForge or FSF


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## Mussels (Mar 25, 2013)

eidairaman1 said:


> you might have to try SourceForge or FSF



some more details please?


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## eidairaman1 (Mar 25, 2013)

FSF is Free Software Foundation, or even try the site of your build of linux.


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## RCoon (Mar 25, 2013)

I have Ubuntu 12.4 LTE running on a VM that is sharing a folder tree to windows networked drive through Samba.
That is a total pain in the ass but it works, i just google everything when i feel like killing linus torvalds


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## W1zzard (Mar 25, 2013)

On CentOS 6 you just need to install the xfsprogs package to mount XFS filesystems.

yum install xfsprogs


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## Peter1986C (Mar 25, 2013)

All modern Linux distros should be able to use the XFS FS using xfsprogs, actually. That includes Ubuntu.


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## Mussels (Apr 23, 2013)

Chevalr1c said:


> All modern Linux distros should be able to use the XFS FS using xfsprogs, actually. That includes Ubuntu.



i installed ubuntu and had no luck, is XFSprogs installed by default?


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## bencrutz (Apr 23, 2013)

Mussels said:


> i installed ubuntu and had no luck, is XFSprogs installed by default?



no, well, it think it was, now it isn't

why not just use apt-get install xfsprogs?

edit: am pretty sure you can also 'apt-get install' on live session, so no need to install ubuntu


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## BiggieShady (Apr 23, 2013)

You may want to read this http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1462193


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## Geekoid (Apr 24, 2013)

Any Linux distro can use the XFS file system. Its been around for ages, so even older distros will support it. If you like Ubuntu and unity, then go with that. If not, then pick a distro that suits you: http://distrowatch.com/

If you're using ubuntu, just click Software Centre and install xfsprogs.

I guess its a single drive NAS, as you haven't said?


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## Mussels (Apr 24, 2013)

Geekoid said:


> Any Linux distro can use the XFS file system. Its been around for ages, so even older distros will support it. If you like Ubuntu and unity, then go with that. If not, then pick a distro that suits you: http://distrowatch.com/
> 
> If you're using ubuntu, just click Software Centre and install xfsprogs.
> 
> I guess its a single drive NAS, as you haven't said?



quad drive, but im not running RAID.


i'm a total beginner at linux, so even installing packages was new to me when i made the first post.


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## Mussels (Apr 24, 2013)

ok so i've tried two methods in here just now, and neither worked. please offer help.


1. apt-get install xfsprogs

says im not root. no idea how to change to be root/admin in ubuntu.
edit: sudo, got it. said another process was using needed files, working on that now.


2. 'software centre' i cant find this program. theres software sources and software updater?


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## Mussels (Apr 24, 2013)

ok so XFSprogs is installed, but the drive still doesnt show up automatically like my USB drives do.


any ideas lads?


edit: woot progress!








now to figure out how to read it since its apparently an unknown filesystem :/


http://javathought.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/ubuntu-xfs-and-buffalo-nas/

^ this page has a 'fix' guide but some of the commands appear outdated. he asks to edit a fstab file, which i have now done.


now theres one more step where he gives some commands im not sure what they do:

sudo mkdir/media/MyXFSDriv
sudo mount /dev/sdd6


these do not work (command not found)


another edit:

sudo mount /dev/sdb[6] /media/mussels

^ this command worked, but says "mount: unknown filesystem type 'linux_raid_member'"


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## Mussels (Apr 24, 2013)

ok i've got as close as i think i can get.

apparently the drive thinks its in a RAID 1 array when its not (thanks buffalo!)

the following command should have worked to mount it:

sudo mount -t xfs /dev/sdb[6] /media/mussels

but instead i get the error: 
"mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sdb6,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so"


googling suggests i need a program called mdadm, but installing it gets me stuck on a screen where it asks for a mail server and i cant select or type anything :/ stuck again i guess


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## bencrutz (Apr 24, 2013)

Nice progress there 

Have never playing around with buffalo nas, but i'll see if i can help you later, when i'm back from work.

Ps: sorry, should have mention that sudo thing…


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## Peter1986C (Apr 24, 2013)

Mussels said:


> ok i've got as close as i think i can get.
> 
> apparently the drive thinks its in a RAID 1 array when its not (thanks buffalo!)
> 
> ...



Well if it is on RAID (or Ubuntu "thinks" it is) we should first look at that. Problem is hough that I lack experience with RAID and Linux. 

Maybe you should PM Easy Rhino or Aquinus? They know vastly more than I do.


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## W1zzard (Apr 24, 2013)

try to import that raid .. mdadm is used to administrate raid arrays, you might have to install it.

mdadm --scan should tell you more


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## Mussels (Apr 24, 2013)

W1zzard said:


> try to import that raid .. mdadm is used to administrate raid arrays, you might have to install it.
> 
> mdadm --scan should tell you more



mdadm wont install. it comes up with a prompt about some kind of email server and wont accept any inputs.


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## Geekoid (Apr 24, 2013)

Software Centre is the icon you use to install or remove software in Ubuntu. Some information about it is here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features/more-apps

Its not the only way to install or remove software, but it is graphical and hence easier for people to use that aren't used to typing commands. The icon is a bag, choc full o' stuff and is automatically placed on the left for you. You could also access it from dash home, and will appear automatically as you type 'software'. Its good to use as it will do everything automatically for you, including installing other bits (such as libraries) that may to needed to run the item you have selected.

So, taking this example, to install mdadm to manage your Linux MD arrays, you would open Software Centre and search for mdadm. You would then click 'install' to install it. As you've only got a single 500GB drive in your buffalo NAS, it is indeed pretty strange for it to try and use RAID-1!

Anyway, first things first, you should verify that you really do have xfsprogs installed. You should install this and xfsdump. Software Centre should show them as being installed, and also when you use gparted you will see xfs support has green ticks rather than red circles with crosses (under file system support).


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## Mussels (Apr 25, 2013)

XFSprogs and XFSdump tell me that they're already installed and up todate. i'll try installing MDADM through software centre.

that was so much easier than command prompts.


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## Mussels (Apr 25, 2013)

as soon as MDAM was installed the array automatically popped up and worked.


thank god for that!

lets hope this helps other people in the same boat.


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