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fsdb(8)

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NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       fsdb - File system debugger

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       /usr/sbin/fsdb [options] special

OPTIONS    [Toc]    [Back]

       Display usage Override some error conditions Set prompt to
       string Open for write

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       Since fsdb reads the disk raw, it is  able  to  circumvent
       normal  file  system security.  Extreme caution is advised
       in determining its availability on the system.   Suggested
       permissions are 500, owned by bin.

       You must root to use this command.

       The fsdb command can be used to repair a damaged file system
 after a crash. It has conversions to  translate  block
       and  i-numbers  into  their  corresponding disk addresses.
       Also included are mnemonic  offsets  to  access  different
       parts  of  an inode. These greatly simplify the process of
       correcting control block entries or  descending  the  file
       system tree.

       The  fsdb command contains several error-checking routines
       to verify inode and block addresses. These can be disabled
       if necessary by invoking fsdb with the -o option.

       The  fsdb  command  reads a block at a time and works with
       raw as well as block I/O. A buffer management  routine  is
       used  to  retain  commonly used blocks of data in order to
       reduce the number of read  system  calls.  All  assignment
       operations  result  in  an  immediate write-through of the
       corresponding block. Note that in order to modify any portion
 of the disk, fsdb must be invoked with the -w option.

       Wherever possible, adb-like syntax was adopted to  promote
       the use of fsdb through familiarity.

       Numbers  are  considered  hexadecimal by default. However,
       you have control over how  data  is  to  be  displayed  or
       accepted. The base command displays or sets the input/output
 base. Once set, all input will default  to  this  base
       and all output will be shown in this base. The base can be
       overridden temporarily for input by preceding  hexadecimal
       numbers with '0x', preceding decimal numbers with '0t', or
       octal numbers with '0'. Hexadecimal numbers beginning with
       a-f  or A-F must be preceded with '0x' to distinguish them
       from commands.

       Disk addressing by fsdb is at  the  byte  level.  However,
       fsdb  offers  many  commands  to  convert a desired inode,
       directory entry, block, superblock etc. to a byte address.
       Once the address has been calculated, fsdb will record the
       result in dot.

       Several global values are maintained by fsdb: The  current
       base  (referred to as base); the current address (referred
       to as dot); the current inode (referred to as inode);  the
       current count (referred to as count); and the current type
       (referred to as type). Most commands use the preset  value
       of dot in their execution. For example: > 2:inode

       will  first  set the value of dot to 2, ':' will alert the
       start of a command, and the inode command will  set  inode
       to  2.  A  count is specified after a ','. Once set, count
       will remain at this value until a new command  is  encountered
  which  will  then  reset  the  value back to 1 (the
       default). So, if > 2000,400/X

       is typed, 400 hex longs are listed  from  2000,  and  when
       completed,  the  value  of dot will be 2000 + 400 * sizeof
       (long). If you press the Return key,  the  output  routine
       uses  the  current values of dot, count, and type and displays
 400 more hex longs.   An  asterisk  (*)  causes  the
       entire block to be displayed.

       End  of  fragment,  block and file are maintained by fsdb.
       When displaying data as fragments or blocks, an error message
  is  displayed  when  the end of fragment or block is
       reached. When displaying data using the db, ib, directory,
       or file commands, an error message is displayed if the end
       of file is reached. This is mainly needed to avoid passing
       the  end  of  a  directory or file and getting unknown and
       unwanted results.

       An example showing several commands and the use of  Return
       follows: > 2:ino; 0:dir?d

       or > 2:ino; 0:db:block?d

       The  two  examples are synonymous for getting to the first
       directory entry of the root  of  the  file  system.   Once
       there,  subsequent  use  of  the  Return  key  (  or +, -)
       advances to subsequent entries. The following  display  is
       again synonymous: > 2:inode; :ls /

       or > :ls /

EXAMPLES    [Toc]    [Back]

       displays  2010 in decimal (use of fsdb as a calculator for
       complex arithmetic).  displays i-number 386  in  an  inode
       format.  This  now becomes the current inode.  changes the
       link count for the current inode  to  4.   increments  the
       link count by 1.  displays the creation time as a hexadecimal
 long.  displays the modification time in time format.
       displays, in ASCII, block zero of the file associated with
       the current inode.  displays the  first  blocks  worth  of
       directory  entries for the root inode of this file system.
       It will stop prematurely if the eof is  reached.   changes
       the  current  inode to that associated with the 5th directory
 entry (numbered from zero) of the current inode.  The
       first  logical  block  of  the  file  is then displayed in
       ASCII.  displays the superblock of this file system.  displays
  cylinder group information and summary for cylinder
       group 1.  changes the i-number for the  seventh  directory
       slot  in  the root directory to 3.  changes the name field
       in the directory slot to name.  displays the  third  block
       of  the current inode as directory entries.  gets fragment
       3c3 and fill 20 type elements with 0x20.   sets  the  contents
  of  address  2050  to 0xffffffff. 0xffffffff may be
       truncated depending on the current type.  places the ASCII
       for the string at 1c92434.


   Expressions    [Toc]    [Back]
       The  symbols  recognized  by fsdb are: update the value of
       dot by the current value of type  and  display  using  the
       current  value  of count.  numeric expressions may be composed
 of +, -, *,  and  %  operators  (evaluated  left  to
       right) and may use parentheses.  Once evaluated, the value
       of dot is updated.  count indicator.  The global value  of
       count will be updated to count. The value of count remains
       until a new command is run. A count specifier of '*'  will
       attempt  to  show  the information of a block. The default
       for count is 1.  display in structured style  with  format
       specifier  f.   display  in unstructured style with format
       specifier f.  the value of dot.  increment  the  value  of
       dot  by  the expression e. The amount actually incremented
       is dependent on the size of type: dot = dot + e  *  sizeof
       (type)

              The default for e is 1.  decrement the value of dot
              by the expression e (see +).  multiply the value of
              dot  by the expression e.  Multiplication and division
 do not use type.  In the above calculation  of
              dot,  consider  the size of (type) to be 1.  divide
              the value of dot  by  the  expression  e  (see  *).
              restore  an  address  saved in register name.  name
              must be a single letter or digit.  save an  address
              in  register name.  name must be a single letter or
              digit.  display indicator. If  f  is  a  legitimate
              format  specifier,  then  the  value of dot is displayed
 using format specifier f. Otherwise, assignment
   is   assumed.   assignment  indicator.   The
              address pointed to by dot has its contents  changed
              to  the  value  of the expression e or to the ASCII
              representation of the quoted (" ") string  s.  This
              may be useful for changing directory names or ASCII
              file  information.   incremental  assignment.   The
              address  pointed  to by dot has its contents incremented
 by expression  e.   decremental  assignment.
              The  address  pointed  to  by  dot has its contents
              decremented by expression e.

   Commands    [Toc]    [Back]
       A command must be prefixed by a ':' character. Only enough
       letters  of  the  command  to  uniquely distinguish it are
       needed. Multiple commands may be entered on  one  line  by
       separating them by a space, tab or ';'.

       In order to view a potentially unmounted disk in a reasonable
 manner, fsdb offers the cd, pwd, ls,  and  find  commands.
  The  functionality of these commands substantially
       matches those of its UNIX counterparts.  The '*', '?', and
       '[-]'  wild card characters are available.  display or set
       base.  As stated above, all input and output  is  governed
       by  the current base. If the '=b' is left off, the current
       base is displayed. Otherwise, the current base is  set  to
       b.  Note  that  this is interpreted using the old value of
       base, so to ensure correctness use the '0', '0t', or  '0x'
       prefix  when  changing  the  base. The default for base is
       hexadecimal.  convert the value of dot to a block address.
       change  the  current directory to directory dir.  The current
 values of inode and dot are also updated. If  no  dir
       is  specified,  then  change directories to inode 2 ("/").
       convert the value of dot to a cylinder group.  If the current
  inode  is a directory, then the value of dot is converted
 to a directory slot offset in  that  directory  and
       dot  now  points to this entry.  the value of dot is taken
       as a relative block count from the beginning of the  file.
       The  value  of  dot  is  updated to the first byte of this
       block.  find files by name or i-number.  find  recursively
       searches  directory  dir  and below for filenames whose inumber
 matches i or whose name matches  pattern  n.   Note
       that  only  one of the two options (-name or -inum) may be
       used at one time.  Also,  the  -print  is  not  needed  or
       accepted.   fill an area of disk with pattern p.  The area
       of disk is delimited by dot and count.  convert the  value
       of  dot to a fragment address. The only difference between
       the fragment command and the block command is  the  amount
       that is able to be displayed.  convert the value of dot to
       an inode address. If  successful,  the  current  value  of
       inode  will  be updated as well as the value of dot.  As a
       convenient shorthand, if ':inode' appears at the beginning
       of  the line, the value of dot is set to the current inode
       and that inode is displayed in inode format.  list  directories
  or  files.  If  no  file is specified, the current
       directory is assumed. Either or both of the options may be
       used  (but, if used, must be specified before the filename
       specifiers). Also, as stated above, wild  card  characters
       are  available  and  multiple arguments may be given.  The
       long listing shows only the i-number and the name; use the
       inode  command  with '?i' to get more information.  toggle
       the value of override. Some error conditions may be  overridden
  if override is toggled on.  change the fsdb prompt
       to p.  p must be surrounded by (")s.  display the  current
       working  directory.  quit fsdb.  the value of dot is taken
       as a cylinder group  number  and  then  converted  to  the
       address  of  the  superblock  in that cylinder group. As a
       shorthand, ':sb' at the beginning of a line will  set  the
       value   of  dot  to  the  superblock  and  display  it  in
       superblock format.  escape to shell

   Inode Commands    [Toc]    [Back]
       In addition to the above commands, there are several  commands
  that deal with inode fields and operate directly on
       the current inode (they still require the ':').  They  may
       be  used  to  more easily display or change the particular
       fields.

       The value of dot is only used by the ':db' and ':db'  commands.
 Upon completion of the command, the value of dot is
       changed to point to that particular  field.  For  example,
       >:ln=+1

       would  increment  the  link count of the current inode and
       set the value of dot to the  address  of  the  link  count
       field.  access time.  block size.  creation time.  use the
       current value of dot as a direct block index, where direct
       blocks  number  from 0 - 11. In order to display the block
       itself, you need to 'pipe' this result into the  block  or
       fragment command. For example, >1:db:block,20/X

              would  get  the contents of data block field 1 from
              the inode and convert it to  a  block  address.  20
              longs  are  then displayed in hexadecimal (see Formatted
 Output section).  group id.  use the current
              value of dot as an indirect block index where indirect
 blocks number from 0 - 2. This will  only  get
              the indirect block itself (the block containing the
              pointers to the actual blocks). Use the  file  command
  and  start  at  block 12 to get to the actual
              blocks.  link  count.   modification  time.   mode.
              major   device   number.    minor   device  number.
              although  listed  here,   this   command   actually
              operates  on  the directory name field. Once poised
              at the desired directory entry (using the directory
              command),  this command will allow you to change or
              display  the  directory  name.   For   example,   >
              7:dir:nm="foo"

              will  get  the  7th  directory entry of the current
              inode and change its name to foo. Note  that  names
              cannot be made larger than the field is set up for.
              If an attempt is made, the string is  truncated  to
              fit  and  a  warning message to this effect is displayed.
  file size.  user id.

   Formatted Output    [Toc]    [Back]
       There are two styles and many format types. The two styles
       are structured and unstructured. Structured output is used
       to display inodes, directories, superblocks and the  like.
       Unstructured  just  displays raw data. The following table
       shows the different ways of displaying: Format  specifier,
       followed  by one of: display as cylinder groups display as
       inodes display as directories display as superblocks  Format
  specifier,  followed by one of: display as bytes display
 as characters display as octal shorts or  longs  display
  as  decimal  shorts  or longs display as hexadecimal
       shorts or longs

       The format specifier immediately follows the  '/'  or  '?'
       character.  The  values displayed by '/b' and all '?' formats
 are displayed in the  current  base.  Also,  type  is
       appropriately updated upon completion.

FILES    [Toc]    [Back]

       Specifies the command path

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

      
      
       Commands: fsck(8)




                                                          fsdb(8)
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