fstab question

vaibhavkhattri · n00b Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 20

Why does gentoo handbook mentions that root and boot partitions be not auto-mounted ? What's the benefit ?

If they are not auto-mounted, how come when I login to the system... I find the root home (for eg.)

Should CD and floppy be give auto mount ?? Why not ?

mdowney · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 11:51 am Post subject:

Boot doesnt get auto mounted because once your system is booted you do not need the boot partition, also it protects your boot files from accidently being overwritten.

Root partition does get auto mounted.

CD and floppy you dont want to auto mount because you would have to have media in the drives in order for it to do anything anyway, and it would slow down the boot slightly while it checks those drives, better to mount as needed. If you want them to mount when media is inserted check out submount or supermount.

adaptr · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 11:52 am Post subject:

As is quite clearly expressed in the Handbook:

1. The /boot directory doesn't need to be mounted at all for the system to boot.
The only time /boot is needed is when the bootloader loads the kernel - which completely bypasses the mounting mechanisms.

2. The / (root) directory, OTOH, is most definitely mounted automatically, since without it you won't have a working Gentoo - just a free kernel panic.
You seem to imply that the handbook contradicts this - I can assure you it does not.

3. Removable devices should not be auto-mounted at boot, since the system has no way of knowing whether there is any media in them.

Kinda pointless, if you think about it.
But then, I guess you didn't ;-)

_________________
>>> emerge (3 of 7) mcse/70-293 to /
Essential tools: gentoolkit eix profuse screen

vaibhavkhattri · n00b Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 20

Thanks a lot guys. Maybe I skipped some sections of the handbook. Thanks for clearing my doubt.

Thanks for providing links to supermount and submount.