Linux NTFS3 Driver Will Now Support Timestamps Prior To 1970
While NTFSPLUS continues to be developed as a new and modern NTFS open-source driver for Linux systems, at the moment NTFS3 from Paragon Software remains the most capable NTFS file-system driver within the mainline kernel. For the Linux 6.19 merge window a variety of fixes have landed for this driver.
While likely to not see too much use in practice, the NTFS3 driver with Linux 6.19 can now support timestamps prior to the year 1970. The first change noted for NTFS3 in the new kernel is pre-Epoch timestamps support for handling dates prior to the start of Unix time on 1 January 1970. NTFS3 had been relying on an unsigned 64-bit type but has now switched to a signed 64-bit type for coping with pre-epoch timestamps. The issue was raised by the xfstests program testing the file-system. But for anyone that may happen to have pre-1970 timestamps, Linux 6.19 fixes things up for NTFS3.
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.19-NTFS3Open linkView original on toast.ooo
Finally. This was what was keeping me from using ntfs on Linux
The last time I had a time zone issue was tomorrow and I still can't figure out how I got there
What's the weather like, down then? I've got plans for the weekend.
I cant imagine that being terribly useful but I'm sure now that I've said it some one will come up with a reason for why I'm wrong.
I set the timestamps of my music to its original release date, so that I can sort it chronologically... OK, I don't actually do that, but now I'm tempted
I was having an anxiety attack for a second.
I just got done sorting my music library and now you swoop in with a reason to start over.
Seriously though, what are the most common use cases here?
I'm gonna guess checking out the original Apollo 11 Guidance Computer source code would be the closest you'd get. Or other files from the annals of computing history.
(Though that repo doesn't seem to have the original timestamps.)
Honestly I was hoping by making the comment I'd poke the bear and someone would burst in with "well Ackchyually....." and then I'd get the answer.
The mistake I think I made was being to up front about it. I should have left of the last part of my statement.
My usual tactic is to just outright call something stupid and then someone is bound to tell me what an idiot I am and inadvertently give me an answer.
Having the original UNIX source code with fully preserved timestamps?
Yeah I thought of something like that. Something you would pull off of an original tape archive. (An actual tar.) But then why would you put it on ntfs? 🤷
It may have taken a while, but the Year of the Linux Desktop has finally arrived in 1969!
Won't switching from an unsigned 64-bit integer to a signed one of the same size effectively halve how far into the future they can handle dates, exhausting it in 2038?
The 2038 problem is from using a 32 bit int
You're right, I was thinking about 32-bit timestamps. Definitely not an issue for 64-bits.
Hundreds of billions of years should be sufficient t
Won't somebody think of the Eloi?
@FishFace @chrisbit ... and halving the range of a 64-bit number effectively makes it 63-bit. That will give us plenty of time still!
You only need one sign bit right? So I think you are only losing 1 bit. Not 32.
Very cool for archival work!