secondfs-module

 Another simple Linux kernel filesystem implementation, based on UNIX V6++ (https://gitee.com/solym/UNIX_V6PP). 

The Second Filesystem (SecondFS, UnixV6++ Filesystem)
                                                                      |
(For user manual, please refer to "Usage" section directly.)

UnixV6++ filesystem was designed on the basis of UnixV6++, an
experimental and educational C++ UNIX V6 implementation under Intel
80386 architecture, written by Chen Hongzhong's team
(https://gitee.com/solym/UNIX_V6PP) in Department of Computer Science
and Technology, Tongji University.


Usage

Build SecondFS module

SecondFS is implemented as a Linux Loadable Kernel Module (LKM),
supporting Linux kernel 4.4-146 to 4.14-20 (tested on these 2
versions, the most popular distributions of which are Ubuntu
16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS).

Prerequisites:
 - Linux distribution with supported kernel as the host OS.

 - Linux kernel header files of current kernel (the most
   popular way to install it is by package manager like
   "apt install linux-header-<version number>", where the version
   number can be fetched by typing "uname -a" as shell command line.

 - Most common build tools: make, gcc, g++, gdb...

 - Lastest version of Python 2

Steps:
 - Change current working directory to the directory containing this
   README. (cd <directory>)

 - Run command:
	make

   If everything goes well, you shouldn't see any prompts indicating
   "error", though many WARNINGs will appear complaining some symbols
   are undefined, which will be linked later in the "make" steps.

   If some error is reported, run:
	make clean

   and then:
	make

   again to see if the problem is resolved. If not, you may need expert
   knowledge to solve the problem.

 - Run command:
	ls secondfs.ko mkfs.secondfs

   to list these two files. secondfs.ko is the kernel module, and 
   mkfs.secondfs is the formatter.
   
   If you see the two filenames appear again,
   the "make" process succeeded. Otherwise, you should check if your
   system meets the requirements mentioned above, or you may need expert
   knowledge to solve the problem.


Loading SecondFS module

As an LKM, SecondFS will work only after you "insert" it into current
running system. To do this, you must have access to the "root"
privilege of current OS. A familiar way to use the "root" privilege
is using "sudo <something to do>" command.


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SecondFS is an experimental module and might break your running system
at any time. Please make sure you keep this in mind and use a 
non-productive OS to test it. Also, you may run

	dmesg -wH

to keep an eye on bugs reported on Linux message channel, which may
help fixing the bugs.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


To install the module:
	sudo insmod secondfs

If everything goes well, you should not see any output.

To uninstall the module:
	sudo rmmod secondfs


Preparing an image

SecondFS is designed only for image file based device at present.
That is to say, you should prepare an image file first before you can
load it as a SecondFS volume.

The "c.img" generated as Bochs disk image for UnixV6++ is supported
and can be directly used to mount and load filesystem from. Or you can
create a new image file and format it by typing command lines:

	dd if=/dev/zero of=<filename you want>.img bs=512 count=<sector size you want>
	./mkfs.secondfs <filename you want>.img

<sector size you want> should be at lease 1026 to contain at least one
file with content. For KB order file storage, 2048 sectors are enough.


Mount the image

SecondFS is meant to be mounted to a directory in Linux file tree. 
So first you have to create a directory somewhere to be mounted on:
	mkdir test

Then with root privilege, you can mount the SecondFS image file:
	sudo mount -t secondfs -o loop <filename you want>.img ./test

If everything goes well, you shouldn't see any output.

Then type command line:
	mount

At the end of the output, ensure your image file is mounted on the 
directory you want.


using the filesystem

When the filesystem is mounted, the usage of it has no differences
with other parts of the Linux filesystem. You can:

 - "cd" (change current dir) into the directory of SecondFS and any
   descendant directory under it;

 - use "echo <content> > <filename>" or "vim <filename>" or any other
   method to write content to existing/newly created files;

 - use "cat <filename>" etc. to read content from existing files;

 - "mkdir" (make directory) or "rmdir" (remove directory);

 - "cp" (copy) files or directories from other filesystem volume to
   SecondFS volume;

 - "mv" (move) files or directories inside SecondFS volume;

 - Most other operations you can do on a UNIX-like filesystem.


Run:
	sudo umount <mounted dir>

to unmount the SecondFS volume.


Debug

Some debug message options are turned on. Check the lines marked with
"secondfs" in "dmesg" output to get the current status of the module.

When kernel bug caused by the module occurred, Concrete line numbers
of where the bug occurred can be fetched by gdb.

Install debug symbol package and source code package of current
running kernel version, modify "gdb.script" according to your current
installation, then use

	./lookup.sh function_name+0x(addr)

to locate code in kernel, or use

	./modlookup.sh function_name+0x(addr)

to locate code in module. function_name+0x(addr) can be fetched from
RIP value or backtrace stack in dmesg outputs.


Specification

UnixV6++ uses a disk formatted as UnixV6++ filesystem (volume) to do 
bootstrapping, load kernel image and do file reading and writing. 
UnixV6++ is much the same as V6FS
(https://github.com/us8945/Unix_v6_filesystem/blob/master/docs/Unix_v6_disk.pdf)
of original UNIX V6, except that:

 - the super-block struct has all its members in 32-bit (4-byte) sizes, 
   thus 2 consecutive blocks (each is 512-byte) are needed to store it.

 - the first block of super-block resides at the sector(block) #200
   instead of sector #1.

 - also i-nodes and directory entries have members with more bits
   and take more spaces.

 - i-nodes are addressed (i-numbers) from 0 rather than 1 as in 
   UNIX V6 FS.

 - in UnivV6++, no "." and ".." is included in directory files.
   (Yes, you can't chdir into parent dir by typing  "cd .." in UnixV6++
   shell!) However, SecondFS is adding back these two directory entries
   by setting an option in super-block (s_has_dots) to 0xFFFFFFFF.
   This is associated with option (-d/--dots) in mkfs.secondfs.

 - and other detailed differences not covered here.

For details, please refer to the project report (Chinese) and 
code.


Compatibility with UnixV6++

SecondFS module can load and modify UnixV6++ images (c.img)
safely, except there are files with ILARG flag.

When formatting filesystem, -d (--dots) option marks this
filesystem as "having dots", which means there are "." and
".." directory entry in every directory file. 

In UnixV6++, the s_flock member of the super-block is used
as a lock, so it is never set to be 0xFFFFFFFF. To distinguish
a SecondFS "has-dots" volume, s_flock is set to be 0xFFFFFFFF,
i.e. if and only if s_flock == 0xFFFFFFFF, this volume is
treated as it has "dots" in directory files. Images with this
type of SecondFS cannot be used by UnixV6++.

Theoretically, mkfs.secondfs-generated image file with "no dots" 
and with at least 20160 blocks can successfully boot a UnixV6++
system, as long as:

 - the image has "no dots" and at least 20160 blocks

 - it has a UnixV6++ kernel at its first 200
blocks

  dd conv=notrunc if=<UnixV6++ image>.img of=<target mkfs.secondfs-generated>.img bs=512 count=200

 - necessary directories and files are created;

 - /dev/tty1 device file is manually created and set mode as
   0xA1FF (IALLOC | CHAR_DEVICE | PERMISSION777,
   by editing hex values of its inode in The image file),
   because SecondFS module does not support creation of special
   (char device) files.

from https://github.com/shunf4/secondfs-module