[FS#221] e2fsprogs package is too big to integrate in images for devices with 4 MiB of storage

[LEDE Bugs]

A new Flyspray task has been opened.  Details are below. 

User who did this - bobafetthotmail (bobafetthotmail) 

Attached to Project - LEDE Project
Summary - e2fsprogs package is too big to integrate in images for devices with 4 MiB of storage
Task Type - Bug Report
Category - Packages
Status - Unconfirmed
Assigned To - 
Operating System - All
Severity - Low
Priority - Very Low
Reported Version - Trunk
Due in Version - Undecided
Due Date - Undecided
Details - I think that a device with extroot needs the ability to format and check the filesystem of its drive without requiring the user to have a linux system, so I tried integrating e2fsprogs package in the system image.

When making firmware images for extroot of devices with 4MiB or less storage, it's not possible to include e2fsprogs package on top of the others required to exteroot:
   
blkid block-mount kmod-fs-ext4 kmod-usb-storage kmod-usb-uhci kmod-usb-ohci e2fsprogs

It seems e2fsprogs package is around 200k and requires another 200k library package, it is a lot.

It also seems e2fsprogs come with all the ext2/3/4 tools, when in such a deployment only mke2fs and e2fsck are required to make the device self-sufficient (format and check its own drive).

Currently only f2fs filesystem tools are split like this and can be used in 4MiB devices for extroot.

blkid block-mount kmod-fs-f2fs kmod-usb-storage kmod-usb-uhci kmod-usb-ohci mkf2fs f2fsck

If anyone is able to make a e2fsprogs-minimal or split mke2fs and e2fsck, please do, or at least give some hints on how do do it.

I've tried removing all tools from the package makefile and it still makes a package of the same size. I didn't find a way to remove the library either (it seems to be required even by mke2fs or ext2fsck).

More information can be found at the following URL:
https://bugs.lede-project.org/index.php?do=details&task_id=221