[Zope] FYI: large files & linux.

[ethan mindlace fremen]

Zopistas,

I was trying to get large file support on linux.  I succeeded, but only
partially.  Steps:

1. Download and install a kernel greater than 2.3.27. 
   It has the large file patch built in.

2. Reformat ext2 partition with 4k blocks:  
   mke2fs /dev/hdaX --block-size 4096
   the maximum filesize for ext2 depends 
   on the blocksize: with 4k blocks, it's 1TB.

3. Use Glibc 2.1.13-5 from debian potato.  
   unknown whether 2.1.12 from the gnu site is sufficient.

4. compile python 1.5.2 like so:
   CFLAGS="-D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64" OPT="-O2 $CFLAGS"
\
 ./configure --with-threads

5. Now you can make files up to 4096 MB in size.  Why no bigger?
   I have no idea.  For me, at least, it means 1/2 as many zopes.

Optional step:

Wait.  In a few short months Linux should handle large files natively.

-- 
ethan mindlace fremen - mindlace@imeme.net
good design is as close as I want to get to ideology.