btrfs Tree checker in 5.2 plus Kernels

[vinnywright]

if you use btrfs and have a 5.2+ kernel their is a new feature called "tree checker"

if you have old files it seems that older kernels would some times get the "atime" of the file wrong as in my case a "atime" of 2025
this makes "Tree checker" throw an error and block the file/files .

you can see the errors in "dmesg" after opening a directory with the offending files or immediately after booting if bad enough.

https://www.kubuntuforums.net/showth...-3-0-12-kernel

if you can boot to an older kernel (5.0 is ok) that's not affected "cp -r <some file/directory> <some other directoy> delete original , move back" will fix it .

one of the kernel devs working on Tree checker gave me that workaround and is even now patching for it .

apparently I'm one of 2-3 people that have reported it so far according to 2 patch emails I got from him today. (I have no idea how to apply a patch) probably just a info email that he included me in for the report

the "dump" in the thread linked to will show file names as well so making finding the directory easier , of course replace the #string with the # of the block reported in your error .

[  476.437134] BTRFS error (device sdb1): [COLOR=#ff0000]block=150186876928[/COLOR] read time tree block corruption detected
[  476.437323] BTRFS critical (device sdb1): corrupt leaf: root=5  [COLOR=#ff0000]block=150186876928[/COLOR] slot=3 ino=49938688, invalid inode generation: has  18446744073709551492 expect [0, 80501]

well thought I'd just give a FYI for yall case ya run into it .

VINNY

[GreyGeek]

Although I am not 100% active on KFN it is posts like this that make reading KFN a must.

VINNY, you can do "man patch" to find out how to apply a patch, which must be applied to the source code of the binary that is giving you the problem. Then you have to use gcc and recompile the source, using the make file, to product a new binary. Then, "make install" installs the binary. It's a process that I stopped using several years ago.

An aside: When I installed 18.04 a couple years ago I used a btrfs snapshot to bring forward everything I had installed on my Kubuntu since 2009. Mostly things like client dev tools, the 2010 Orbital, Steam, Sage, and a variety of other technically related apps. I few days ago lightening hit and one of my two spinning drives, which had been throwing errors, threw nine in a few minutes and I got a warning about imminent death. Not only that, on reboot my GT 650M GPU failed to bring up my desktop and the computer hung at the login screen without showing the login screen.

I decided to clean house. I ordered a new Samsung 860 EVO 500G SSD and replaced the 750G WD spinner. I then did a clean re-install of 18.04.1 and used my most recent @home snapshot to bring in just the stuff I wanted, which didn't include the client software, the Orbital program, etc... My iPhone 6+ had died in the middle of August and I replaced it with a Redmi Note 7 for $189. !!! It is fantastic. As I reported earlier, it fits my 18.04 installation like a glove. So, now, I am syncing everything on my 18.04 with my Redmi Note 7. My new 18.04 boots in 11 seconds. I am going to replace the Toshiba 750GB HD residing in the HD Caddy plugged into the CDROM port with another EVO when I can scrap up the dough.

The GT 650M with two SSD's makes this machine FLY.

[TWPonKubuntu]

GG, good to see you again!

[vinnywright]

@GreyGeek
Nice to see your words hear again , I do not think I will be doing the patch thing , I'll just boot the 5.0.0-29 0r 30 kernels or the 4.15.0-65 I have and or just keep an eye on dmesg if I'm on the 5.3.0-12 since I did get the bad "atime's" fixed and almost all is good .

if you know whats happening it's just an annoyance and relatively easy to fix as long as you have an older kernel that's not affected or a live media with an older kernel .

VINNY

VINNY