2.6.16 -> 2.6.22 update hard drive device question

Nicias · Guru Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 446

My understanding is that with the newest kernels, all drives are /dev/sda's. If I upgrade from 2.6.16 to 2.6.22 I will have to change my /etc/fstab correct? When is the correct time to do this? Also, I won't be able to switch back and forth correct without changing my fstab correct?

merlijn · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:04 pm Post subject:

Where did you obtain that information from? IDE drives are certainly still supported in 2.6.22 and are still referred to as /dev/hdX. I don't see any point why you would have to change your fstab, and in the worst case where you would have to, it's a one minute job with any livecd.

Nicias · Guru Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 446

In a couple of places, mostly while working with my kubuntu machine that I am converting to gentoo. (It has sata drives so there is no problem.) but also on #gentoo, as well as places like

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?p=85884&sid=a6fc79f42fe51951ccc6bd77f6a74882

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=532823

Maybe this is just some *ubuntu/debian weirdness.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought if you enabled support for

frenkel · Veteran Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 1034 Location: .nl

termite · Guru Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 466

You are pretty much correct. If you do that, (enable the new unified PATA/SATA drivers and disable the old ones) everything will switch to sda. Then you will need to edit your fstab.

Personally, I recommend that everyone does this, as the old drivers will cease development sooner or later. There's absolutely no point in having separate drivers.

Nicias · Guru Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 446

my kubuntu system uses UUID's on its fstab which seem to avoid this problem, but removes the human readablity factor that /dev/hda had. I've been looking into using LABEL's can anyone point me to a good tutorial, I found this one, but it's for ubuntu, and I don't completely trust them

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=283131

termite · Guru Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 466

You can use any device reference in the fstab, including names (sda etc), uuid's , labels, id's, and paths. Poke around in the

Nicias · Guru Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Posts: 446

That's great! I see how one sets labels using programs like e2label, but what about my swap partition?

termite · Guru Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 466

Labels are somewhat partition-type specific. I'm not sure if swap partitions can be labeled. At a guess, probably not. Google a bit and see if you can find anything...