copy-out

copying out the complete file tree from an ext4 formatted partition right on macOS

Mac and Windows users share one thing. Accessing an ext4 formatted partition is virtually impossible. The problem is serious enough so that IoT distributions like Raspberry Pi OS offer workarounds that give Mac and Windows users at least a few opportunities to customize their flashed memory cards before booting the IoT device itself.

Since tools like guestfish are able to mound ext4 partitions why not run such a tool using Docker and access the files this way? I saw the one or the other try but getting it running was a nightmare. Already due to the fact that guestfish logs all of its output as an error which is not forward by Docker. Therefor I developed a script on my own to see if things can’t be easier. And I suppose they can as you can convince yourself on my new gist on copying-out files from ext4 partition resp. any img guestfish can access.