Re: Linux & FAT32 label

From: Pali RohÃr
Date: Sun Oct 15 2017 - 18:04:58 EST


On Sunday 15 October 2017 08:59:01 Pavel Machek wrote:
> Hi!
>
> > Based on results I would propose following unification:
> >
> ...
> > 4. Prefer label from the root directory. If there is none entry (means
> > there is also no erased entry), then read label from root sector.
> >
> > --> Reason: Windows XP and mlabel ignores what is written in boot
> > sector. Windows XP even do not update boot sector, so label
> > stored in boot sector is incorrect after any change done by
> > Windows XP.
> >
> > But due to compatibility with older dosfslabel, which stores
> > label only to boot sector, there is need for some fallback. Due
> > to point 1. the best seems to be to process also erased label in
> > root directory (marked with leading 0xE5) and fallback to boot
> > sector only in case label in root directory is missing.
> >
> > What do you think about it?
>
> 4. seems dangerous. Assume we have "OLD" in boot sector and "0xe5-EW" in the directory
> entry. The label will change from <none> to "OLD" when the directory entry is reused by
> "FOO.TXT", right? That seems surprising / dangerous.

Hm... that is a good question what happen (I do not know). I think that
current situation when Windows XP show different label as Linux is also
_surprising_.

Do you have a better idea what to do and how to handle this situation?

--
Pali RohÃr
pali.rohar@xxxxxxxxx