Bug 12755

Summary: Ubuntu FAT-implementation lacks EPOC/Psion support
Product: File System Reporter: Duane Hinnen (duanedesign)
Component: FAT/VFAT/MSDOSAssignee: OGAWA Hirofumi (hirofumi)
Status: CLOSED WILL_NOT_FIX    
Severity: low CC: alan, krank23
Priority: P1    
Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
Kernel Version: 2.6.28-7 Subsystem:
Regression: No Bisected commit-id:

Description Duane Hinnen 2009-02-22 19:31:42 UTC 
Latest working kernel version: 2.6.28
Earliest failing kernel version: 2.6.27
Distribution: Ubuntu
Hardware Environment: Psion 5mx
Software Environment: Ubuntu Jaunty Alpha 4
Problem Description:  
The Linux kernels, doesn't support FAT in quite the same way Windows, for instance, does. This means, amongst other things, that the FAT-implementation used in the EPOC operating system of old Psion palmtop computers (such as the Psion 5mx) isn't quite compatible. A lot of garbage characters etc.

You can get the patch at the link below:
http://software.frodo.looijaard.name/fat-epoc/ 
This page also has a very good explanation, and the patch is compatible with current Ubuntu kernel source.

Steps to reproduce:
Comment 1 OGAWA Hirofumi 2009-02-22 21:40:10 UTC 
Is this patch is about this thread?

http://marc.info/?t=107513944200003&r=1&w=2

The read would be compatible, but write is not compatible with FAT spec.
So, I think read side may be applied, but write part can't be applied.
Comment 2 Mikael Bergström 2009-02-24 03:24:32 UTC 
Regarding compatibility: the patch seems to be compatible with the EPOC implementation of FAT, both read and write - and as the patch does not overwrite the default implementation but only adds an option... Well, I'm not a real Linux wiz, but it seems to me it should be applicable.

On the other hand, the default linux FAT writing works just fine, it's just the reading part that doesn't work - so, like, whatever you think is best, man.
Comment 3 OGAWA Hirofumi 2009-02-24 07:17:31 UTC 
Can you read that thread? It already explains why the patch
was not merged.

If someone submit the read side fix patch, it would be acceptable.