How do I install fuse-ext2 to use with OSXFuse

The build from source how-to is available at the git homepage of fuse-ext2. Please use the lines below though, because I had to make slight changes to get it working (e.g the libtool download source has been moved).

At least the appropriate xcode-command-line-tools and OSXFuse have to be installed.

Download the source from github and unzip the file. Then open Terminal.app and enter

cd ~/Downloads 

assuming the fuse-ext2 file was unzipped there.

First you have to download, make and install several tools (m4, autoconf, automake, libtool, e2fsprogs). Then you can build fuse-ext2. This is all done using Terminal.app.

export PATH=/opt/gnu/bin:$PATH

mkdir gnu
cd gnu

# m4
curl -O http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/m4-1.4.17.tar.gz
tar -zxvf m4-1.4.17.tar.gz 
cd m4-1.4.17
./configure --prefix=/opt/gnu
make -j 16
sudo make install
cd ../

# autoconf
curl -O http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/autoconf/autoconf-2.69.tar.gz
tar -zxvf autoconf-2.69.tar.gz 
cd autoconf-2.69
./configure --prefix=/opt/gnu
make
sudo make install
cd ../

# automake
curl -O http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/automake/automake-1.15.tar.gz
export PATH=/opt/gnu/bin:$PATH
tar -zxvf automake-1.15.tar.gz 
cd automake-1.15
./configure --prefix=/opt/gnu
make
sudo make install
cd ../

# libtool
curl -O http://ftp.hawo.stw.uni-erlangen.de/gnu/libtool/libtool-2.4.6.tar.gz
tar -zxvf libtool-2.4.6.tar.gz 
cd libtool-2.4.6
./configure --prefix=/opt/gnu
make
sudo make install
cd ../

# e2fsprogs
curl -O https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/tytso/e2fsprogs/v1.42.12/e2fsprogs-1.42.12.tar.gz
tar -zxvf e2fsprogs-1.42.12.tar.gz
cd e2fsprogs-1.42.12
./configure --prefix=/opt/gnu
make
sudo make install
sudo make install-libs
cd ../../

# fuse-ext2
cd fuse-ext2-master
export PATH=/opt/gnu/bin:$PATH
./autogen.sh
CFLAGS="-idirafter/opt/gnu/include -idirafter/usr/local/include/osxfuse/" LDFLAGS="-L/opt/gnu/lib -L/usr/local/lib" ./configure
make
sudo make install

All lines without a # have to be entered in Terminal and then executed by hitting the Enter key. You may use copy and paste.


An easier way is to install brew and use these instructions below (also in Terminal).

brew doctor #repair everything you are warned about!
brew install homebrew/dupes/m4
brew install e2fsprogs automake autoconf libtool
cd ~/Downloads/fuse-ext2-master
./autogen.sh
CFLAGS="-idirafter/$(brew --prefix e2fsprogs)/include -idirafter/usr/local/include/osxfuse" LDFLAGS="-L$(brew --prefix e2fsprogs)/lib" ./configure
make 
sudo make install

After finishing either of the two methods all necessary files are installed (including a prefpane) and you should be able to r/w ext2/3/4.