Create a >281TB ext4 filesystem

Question

I have a connected a 287TB disk-array to a Ubuntu server. (Both Ubuntu server 14.04 LTS and 16.04 LTS tested) and I have written a GPT and created a single partition using all diskspace:

GNU Parted 3.2
Using /dev/sdb
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of command.
(parted) print
Model: LSI MR9286CV-8e (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 287TB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number  Start    End    Size   File system  Name  Flags
 1      1049kB   287TB  287TB               DAS

However, when I try to create a ext4-filesystem, I get the following error:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mkfs.ext4 -T largefile4 /dev/sdb1
/dev/sdb1: Cannot create filesystem with requested number of inodes while setting up superblock
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1
/dev/sdb1: Cannot create filesystem with requested number of inodes while setting up superblock

However, if I create a partition with a size of 281TB or less, I have no problems.

Isn't it possible to create a ext4 filesystem bigger than 281TB?

Maybe related (and this is a big big MAYBE): https://askubuntu.com/q/600159 , https://askubuntu.com/q/70351 and https://askubuntu.com/q/231585 — Videonauth, Dec 11 '17 at 13:37
When you create a 281TB file system, is that with largefile4, or without? — Stephen Kitt, Dec 11 '17 at 14:27
Don't you want to try to create LVM partition on this storage? — M. Dm., Dec 11 '17 at 15:54
@M.Dm.: Why should I create a LVM partition? I mean, what benefits will it have? I still need to create a 287TB filesystem on top of that, doesn't I? — Sitron_NO, Dec 12 '17 at 06:02
@AndreaLazzarotto At 10TB/disk in RAID0, that's only 28 disks or so which can fit into a pretty standard 4RU case with a reasonably-priced RAID controller card. — tudor -Reinstate Monica-, Sep 06 '19 at 08:30
@tudor, if you are going to fit that much data in RAID0, a cheaper alternative would just be dumping it to /dev/null... Things break, so there must be at least another copy. — Andrea Lazzarotto, Sep 06 '19 at 10:45
@AndreaLazarotto There's more than one way to build redundancy. https://xkcd.com/1737/ — tudor -Reinstate Monica-, Sep 07 '19 at 12:34

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Sep 06 '19 at 08:53

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That's happening because you are trying to create a file system on a volume which has 512B block size.

First create a partition with 4K block size and then try to create file system on it.

OR simply use this command.

$ sudo mkfs.ext4 -T largefile4 /dev/sdb1 -b 4096

edited Sep 06 '19 at 08:53

Simon Sudler

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answered Sep 06 '19 at 08:13

Digambar Ingale

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Create a >281TB ext4 filesystem

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