[Bug-cpio] Re: Linux device number bug report(cpio)

[Sergey Poznyakoff]

Hello,

> In Linux kernel 2.6, device number will be extended from 16-bit to
> 32-bit.
[...] 
> Since I didn¡¯t find any information about this aspect in
> homepage of this package, I wonder whether the latest version has
> completed the device number extension? If not, will it be completed 
> in the future? And when?

According to cpio exchange format specification, device numbers are
represented as six octal digits, therefore cpio cannot handle
device numbers more than 18 bits long. It is definitely not able
to handle 32 bit numbers. If you plan to operate on 32 bit device
numbers, consider using tar instead of cpio.

Regards,
Sergey