devfs & multiple usb-storage devices

jmusits

Hey all, it's been a while since I've posted here, life has kept me much too busy.

Here's my problem: I have three usb devices which utilize the USB-MASS-STORAGE kernel module, 1) a thumbdrive, 2) a scanner, and 3) a digital camera. They all work wonderfully. The only gripe I have is that each one binds to a different device eg: /dev/sda, /dev/sdb. Now thats fine, but the device each one binds to is dependent on the order in which you plug it in. For example, if I plug in the thumbdrive and then the scanner, the thumbdrive is /dev/sda and the scanner is /dev/sdb. But if I plug in the scanner and then the thumbdrive the scanner is /dev/sda and the thumbdrive is /dev/sdb. This causes a problem with the entries in my /etc/fstab file:

roothorick · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 30 May 2004 Posts: 83

I've heard you should use udev, but I haven't even figured out how to do things like that in udev yet. I personally use a more generic /mnt/usb0, /mnt/usb1 etc but this might not work with your setup.
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oumpah-pah · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:04 pm Post subject:

udev is definitly what you're looking for. You can find everything you need to know on these two sites : Decibel's udev setup and writing udev rules.

jmusits · Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2004 5:04 pm Post subject:

In order to use udev, i need to upgrade to the 2.6 kernel. I was hoping to find a solution using devfs because I am happy with the 2.4 kernel as of now.

Jason
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jmusits · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 3:32 am Post subject:

Well it looks like the solution is to upgrade to the 2.6.8 kernel and start using udev (I made my last post before I saw the second response to my first post). Looks like I've got some reading to do for the switch from 2.4 to 2.6 and also for udev.

Thanks for the links and the prompt replies.

Jason
_________________
If you got the DO RE I got MI.

--Jerry Garcia "Run For The Roses"

Lokheed · Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 5:43 am Post subject:

Thanks for the links oumpah-pah. I have been looking at switching to udev from devfs.

Nate_S · Guru Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 414

The switch from 2.4 to 2.6 is really not all that hard (you might not want to go with 2.6.8 jsut yet as it just came out like 2 days ago, 2.6.5 has been rock solid) Just 'make xconfig' and read the help for the different options.

I thought you might be able to use udev on a 2.4 kernel, but I might be wrong about that.

-Nate

jmusits · Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 1:44 am Post subject:

Well I made the migration to 2.6.8, everything went smooth and painless. I noticed a significant speed increase over 2.4.25. I'm glad that devfs was pissing me off enough to prompt the change. One small problem: my scanner no longer works. I started a new thread about it: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=213566&highlight=. Well gotta keep pluggin away to debug this lil bastard of a problem.

Peace

Jason
_________________
If you got the DO RE I got MI.

--Jerry Garcia "Run For The Roses"