Re: Placement of console device for `virtual-dev' package
On Mon, 13 Oct 1997, Charles Briscoe-Smith wrote:
> > It shouldn't be removed from /etc/fstab (in fact, I think it
> >shouldn't be written there). It should be removed from /etc/mtab
> >(there is where the system keeps track of the mounted filesystems).
> >
> > I think that'll be the best solution; IMHO, ramdisks don't
> >need to be unmounted.
>
> I don't believe I should have my scripts mess around with mtab.
> /etc/mtab is supposed to show which filesystems are mounted, and it's
> used by programs like df and mount to generate reports about mounted
> filesystems. If /dev was removed from mtab, things (and sysadmins!)
> would get very confused.
Yes, maybe... but I was only suggested that it could be
removed from mtab in the `halt' phase, i.e., in runlevels 0 and 6.
> If it's not listed in /etc/fstab, though, umount -a will not attempt to
> unmount it, but everything else should work as normal. I prefer that
> solution. I'll even change the package eventually...
No, that's wrong. `mount -a' mounts the filesystems specified
in /etc/fstab, but `umount -a' umounts all the specified in /etc/mtab.
It's not symmetric. `mount -a' means `Mount everything that *should*
be mounted.', but `umount -a' means `Umount *everything* that is
mounted.'
If you don't beleive me, do the following:
# cp /etc/mtab /tmp/mtab
# > /etc/mtab
# umount -a
# cp /tmp/mtab /etc/mtab
And check that all the filesystems are still mounted.
--
Juan Cespedes
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