msnfs41client: Patches to document filedisk-sparse in docs+tests, 2025-11-03
Posted by Anonymous on Wed 5th Nov 2025 12:53
raw | new post

From 483a7649d3ad4ce3872f68ba21af14200704b84d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Roland Mainz <roland.mainz@nrubsig.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2025 20:59:50 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/3] tests: Document filedisk-sparse fork of bobranten's
 filedisk-22

Document filedisk-sparse fork of bobranten's filedisk-22.

Signed-off-by: Cedric Blancher <cedric.blancher@gmail.com>
---
 tests/manual_testing.txt | 27 ++++++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/tests/manual_testing.txt b/tests/manual_testing.txt
index 4a2d42d..57c9013 100644
--- a/tests/manual_testing.txt
+++ b/tests/manual_testing.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# ms-nfs41-client manual testing sequence, 2025-11-01
+# ms-nfs41-client manual testing sequence, 2025-11-03
 #
 # Draft version, needs to be turned into automated tests
 # if possible
@@ -1146,16 +1146,25 @@ mkdir testruns && cd testruns
 # FileDisk
 # (use plain files as disks, disk/CDROM images)
 #
+# Original version is 'https://www.accum.se/~bosse/filedisk/filedisk-22.zip',
+# we use our fork which supports punching sparse file holes and minor other
+# tweaks
+#
+
+#
+# build
+#
+export PATH="/cygdrive/c/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Visual Studio/2019/Community/MSBuild/Current/Bin/:$PATH"
+git clone https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse.git
+cd filedisk-sparse/
+MSBuild.exe filedisk.sln -t:Build -p:Configuration=Debug -p:Platform=x64

 #
 # install
 #
-wget 'https://www.accum.se/~bosse/filedisk/filedisk-22.zip'
-unzip filedisk-22.zip
-cd filedisk-22
-cp ./sys/Release/x64/filedisk.sys /cygdrive/c/Windows/System32/drivers/.
-cp ./sys/Release/x64/filedisk.pdb /cygdrive/c/Windows/System32/drivers/.
-cp ./exe/Release/x64/filedisk.exe /cygdrive/c/Windows/.
+cp ./sys/Debug/x64/filedisk.sys /cygdrive/c/Windows/System32/drivers/.
+cp ./sys/Debug/x64/filedisk.pdb /cygdrive/c/Windows/System32/drivers/.
+cp ./exe/Debug/x64/filedisk.exe /cygdrive/c/Windows/.
 chmod a+rx /cygdrive/c/Windows/filedisk.exe
 sc create filedisk binPath='C:\Windows\System32\drivers\filedisk.sys' type=kernel

@@ -1173,8 +1182,8 @@ filedisk /umount V:
 # Create NTFS filesystem and use it
 #
 rm -f /cygdrive/n/winntfs_filedisk_001.img
-filedisk /mount 2 'N:\winntfs_filedisk_001.img' 8192G U:
-format.com U: /FS:NTFS "/V:NTFSonNFS4_001" /Q /X
+filedisk /mount 2 'N:\winntfs_filedisk_001.img' 1T U:
+format.com U: /FS:NTFS /A:8192 "/V:NTFSonNFS4_001" /Q /X
 mkdir /cygdrive/u/test1 && cd /cygdrive/u/test1
 rm -Rfv bash && time nice ksh93 /home/roland_mainz/work/msnfs41_uidmapping/ms-nfs41-client/tests/nfsbuildtest/nfsbuildtest.ksh93 bash build
 cd
--
2.51.0

From 47892e6cae791e87b486ed777f2d01bac9458886 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Roland Mainz <roland.mainz@nrubsig.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2025 21:26:00 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/3] README.md,docs: Document filedisk-sparse as alternative
 to VHD/VHDX disks

Document filedisk-sparse as alternative to VHD/VHDX disks.

Signed-off-by: Cedric Blancher <cedric.blancher@gmail.com>
---
 README.md       | 10 ++++++++++
 docs/README.xml |  9 +++++++++
 2 files changed, 19 insertions(+)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8d34637..fd1ff44 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -776,6 +776,16 @@ Within WSL mount UNC path returned by `/sbin/nfs_mount`
       Dieser Fehler wurde von dem Server zurueckgegeben, auf dem sich die
       Datei befindet. Versuchen Sie, die Datei woanders zu speichern.

+- [VHD/VHDX
+  disks](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/manage-virtual-hard-disks)
+  currently (Win10, Win11) cannot use files on ms-nfs41-client/NFSv4
+  filesystems as storage. It seems the Windows code makes explicit
+  checks for SMB filesystems, and rejects any non-SMB filesystems.
+
+  As an alternative `filedisk-sparse`
+  (<https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse/>) can be used to mount
+  (sparse) files as disks or CDROM images.
+
 # Troubleshooting && finding bugs/debugging

 - `nfsd_debug.exe` has the `-d` option to set a level for debug output.
diff --git a/docs/README.xml b/docs/README.xml
index a1dbd2c..56460d8 100644
--- a/docs/README.xml
+++ b/docs/README.xml
@@ -875,6 +875,15 @@ konnten gespeichert werden. Daten gingen verloren.
 Dieser Fehler wurde von dem Server zurueckgegeben, auf dem sich die
 Datei befindet. Versuchen Sie, die Datei woanders zu speichern.</programlisting>
       </listitem>
+      <listitem>
+        <para><link xl:href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/manage-virtual-hard-disks">VHD/VHDX disks</link>
+        currently (Win10, Win11) cannot use files on ms-nfs41-client/NFSv4 filesystems as storage.
+        It seems the Windows code makes explicit checks for SMB filesystems,
+        and rejects any non-SMB filesystems.</para>
+        <para>As an alternative <literal>filedisk-sparse</literal>
+        (<link xl:href="https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse/">https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse/</link>)
+        can be used to mount (sparse) files as disks or CDROM images.</para>
+      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
   </section>

--
2.51.0

From 31409aa71b356ea42d1eee7cb106bc96ad80e47a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Roland Mainz <roland.mainz@nrubsig.org>
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2025 21:37:51 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] README.md,docs: Add note about per-machine software
 installations on filedisk-sparse

Add note about per-machine software installations on
NTFS<-->filedisk-sparse<-->NFSv4-Client<-->NFS-Server.

Signed-off-by: Cedric Blancher <cedric.blancher@gmail.com>
---
 README.md       | 6 ++++++
 docs/README.xml | 3 +++
 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fd1ff44..2364154 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -786,6 +786,12 @@ Within WSL mount UNC path returned by `/sbin/nfs_mount`
   (<https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse/>) can be used to mount
   (sparse) files as disks or CDROM images.

+  This can also be used to host per-machine software installations/data
+  storage (e.g. use
+  `filedisk /mount 35 'N:\winntfs_filedisk_003.img' S:` as global mount
+  which require NTFS or ReFS, but should be physically hosted on the NFS
+  server.
+
 # Troubleshooting && finding bugs/debugging

 - `nfsd_debug.exe` has the `-d` option to set a level for debug output.
diff --git a/docs/README.xml b/docs/README.xml
index 56460d8..d605c85 100644
--- a/docs/README.xml
+++ b/docs/README.xml
@@ -883,6 +883,9 @@ Datei befindet. Versuchen Sie, die Datei woanders zu speichern.</programlisting>
         <para>As an alternative <literal>filedisk-sparse</literal>
         (<link xl:href="https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse/">https://github.com/gisburn/filedisk-sparse/</link>)
         can be used to mount (sparse) files as disks or CDROM images.</para>
+        <para>This can also be used to host per-machine software installations/data storage (e.g. use
+        <command>filedisk /mount 35 'N:\winntfs_filedisk_003.img' S:</command> as global mount
+        which require NTFS or ReFS, but should be physically hosted on the NFS server.</para>
       </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
   </section>
--
2.51.0