Using tune2fs command to convert ext3 to ext4?

[tuxalish]

I'm using KDE4.3.4 (fully updated) and plan on installing PCLOS 2010/KDE4.4 over my root partition only, which is currently ext3. I have separate /home and /data partitions formatted as ext3 that I will not format during the install. I guess I have two questions. 1. Will it be necessary to even try to convert the ext3 partitions to ext4 (to match the new ext4 root partition)? And 2. Will the tune2fs command sequence actually convert ext3 to ext4, or does this command just convert an existing ext2 file system to an ext3 file system? TIA ------> tuxalish  (Inquiring minds want to know!)  

[tschommer]

tuxalish,

1. you can have ext3 and ext4 partitions side by side, so you can just format your root partition and install there and keep all of your other partitions as ext3. I have had a mixture of ext3/ext4 partitions for months now without any issues.

2. the tune2fs command sequence described for converting ext3 to ext4 does just that, except that existing files/directories do not get the full performance benefit unless rewritten (e.g. moved or modified so that the file/directory index changes).

HTH
Torsten