ext4 USB 3.0 drive failing to mount - unsupported optional features

[drummer914]

I'm trying to get a 32GB flash drive to mount on my RT-AC68P. I used the latest version of gparted to format it to ext4 and everything seemed fine. Here are the logs from the router. Running 380.65_2. Any ideas?

Mar 16 11:24:13 kernel: usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
Mar 16 11:24:13 kernel: scsi2 : usb-storage 1-1:1.0
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: scsi 2:0:0:0: Direct-Access     SanDisk  Ultra Fit        1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] 60062500 512-byte logical blocks: (30.7 GB/28.6 GiB)
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel:  sda: sda1
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI removable disk
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: EXT4-fs (sda1): couldn't mount RDWR because of unsupported optional features (400)
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: EXT3-fs (sda1): error: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (240)
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: EXT2-fs (sda1): error: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (240)
Mar 16 11:24:14 hotplug[2537]: USB /dev/sda1(ext) failed to mount at the first try!
Mar 16 11:24:14 usb: USB /dev/sda1(ext) failed to mount at the first try!
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: EXT3-fs (sda1): error: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (240)
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: EXT4-fs (sda1): couldn't mount RDWR because of unsupported optional features (400)
Mar 16 11:24:14 kernel: EXT2-fs (sda1): error: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (240)

 

[paulbates]

What format did you select? Cifs, ntfs,...?

I used ntfs 4K sectors on my usb3 drive and that works well.


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[drummer914]

I'd like to see if I can get ext4 working. I'm sure it's ext4 that is the problem though (it's mentioned in the title, just not in the body of my post - I'll edit)

 

[paulbates]

I would try quick formatting it ntfs on a windows box and try again. Routers will be limited as appliances.


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[drummer914]

ext3 is working, I'll leave it at that until anyone has an idea.

ext4 is listed as a supported format: http://event.asus.com/2009/networks/disksupport/

and merlin recommended it: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/formatting-external-usb-drive-on-ac68u.22660/

 

[jack901]

I am using a 64gb usb formatted with ext 4 with no issues on a ac56

 

[ColinTaylor]

I'm using ext4 without any problems as well. I'd suggest that you build the file system again, but this time use mkfs.ext4 on the router itself. That way it shouldn't be adding any features it doesn't know about.

 

[Marko Polo]

but this time use mkfs.ext4 on the router itself. That way it shouldn't be adding any features it doesn't know about.

But does this command available on router? I get

-sh: mkfs.ext4: not found

 

[ColinTaylor]

But does this command available on router?

Not on some routers like the RT-N66U.

 

[sfx2000]

FWIW - ran into a similar problem with Lexar USB3 drives - and it was the factory partition map...

fdisk on debian wouldn't deal with it correctly, ended up using GNU parted, and nuking every partition on the device and starting over...

Don't feel bad - Solaris used to barf on 520K sectors, which is common on fibre-channel arrays, and the drives are cheap - and they wouldn't format correctly, as Solaris usually likes 512K sectors - one would have to use the scu package to force the issue...

 

[Marko Polo]

Not on some routers like the RT-N66U.

I run AC-68U, which seems almost similar to those of OP.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I run AC-68U, which seems almost similar to those of OP.

Apologies, you need to specify the full path:

admin@RT-AC68U:/# /usr/sbin/mkfs.ext4
Usage: mkfs.ext4 [-c|-l filename] [-b block-size] [-C cluster-size]
        [-i bytes-per-inode] [-I inode-size] [-J journal-options]
        [-G flex-group-size] [-N number-of-inodes]
        [-m reserved-blocks-percentage] [-o creator-os]
        [-g blocks-per-group] [-L volume-label] [-M last-mounted-directory]
        [-O feature[,...]] [-r fs-revision] [-E extended-option[,...]]
        [-t fs-type] [-T usage-type ] [-U UUID] [-jnqvDFKSV] device [blocks-count]

 

[Marko Polo]

Apologies, you need to specify the full path:

Bummer! Only these FS commands are listed in my /usr/sbin dir:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 polo root 131104 Jun 1 13:13 mkfatfs
-rwxr-xr-x 1 polo root 552604 Jun 1 13:13 mkntfs

Can I somehow download the binary to the router?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Bummer! Only these FS commands are listed in my /usr/sbin dir:

That's very strange. I've just checked the latest RT-AC68U firmwares from Merlin and John and they both have those files as symbolic links.

-rwxr-xr-x    1 admin    root         85448 Jun 27 14:31 mke2fs
lrwxrwxrwx    1 admin    root             6 Jun 27 14:31 mkfs.ext2 -> mke2fs
lrwxrwxrwx    1 admin    root             6 Jun 27 14:31 mkfs.ext3 -> mke2fs
lrwxrwxrwx    1 admin    root             6 Jun 27 14:31 mkfs.ext4 -> mke2fs

 

[Marko Polo]

That's very strange. I've just checked the latest RT-AC68U firmwares from Merlin and John and they both have those files as symbolic links.

Maybe this is because I am using OEM firmware?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Maybe this is because I am using OEM firmware?

Ah. Well this is the Merlin forum so...

 

[Marko Polo]

Ah. Well this is the Merlin forum so...

Just thought they are compatible in that way
Well, I formatted disk via gparted, but now the router sees and mounts only NTFS partition (SYSTEM), whilst EXT4 is not shown. This is what df -h gives

Filesystem                Size      Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/root                37.4M     37.4M         0 100% /
devtmpfs                124.8M         0    124.8M   0% /dev
tmpfs                   124.9M      1.1M    123.7M   1% /tmp
/dev/mtdblock4           62.8M      3.2M     59.6M   5% /jffs
/dev/sda1               406.3G     18.5G    387.8G   5% /tmp/mnt/SYSTEM

When I try to mount EXT4-partition manually like mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/DATA, it gives me

mount: mounting /dev/sda2 on /mnt/DATA failed: Invalid argument

Is there any trick?

fdisk -l shows this

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1   *           1       53033   425986048   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2           53033      121602   550774784  83 Linux

 

[Marko Polo]

Ok, problem solved. I had the same issue as OP It seems, that third-party EXT4 format tools are still not compatible with AsusWRT.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Ok, problem solved. I had the same issue as OP It seems, that third-party EXT4 format tools are still not compatible with AsusWRT.

OK. Thanks for the update.

How did you get around it. Did you just reformat sda2 using another tool or did you have to rebuild the partition table (as MBR instead of GPT)?

 

[Marko Polo]

OK. Thanks for the update.

How did you get around it. Did you just reformat sda2 using another tool or did you have to rebuild the partition table (as MBR instead of GPT)?

For now I reformatted it to EXT3, until I flash Merlin. I found that mkfs.ext3 tool exists on router. However, I am not sure flashing Merlin will bring me mkfs.ext4 formatter. For example, this guide states, that mkfs.ext4 is shipped only with ARM-routers and Merlin sticks to official builds mostly. Anyway, some clarification is highly appreciated: does all OEM builds lack mkfs.ext4 tool and it is added only in custom builds or things go other way?