Why df does not work

[Chris Lingard <chris@highludworth.freeserve.co.uk>]

Have run df though gdb to find out why the message "cannot read table of
mounted filesystems" is always given.

df has a procedure read_filesystem_list, and this calls C-library
procedures:

fp = setmntent(table, "r");
while (mnt = getmntent(fp))

setmntent reads the file   /var/run/mtab   and this is an empty file on
the Hurd.

The file /var/run/mtab is touched by  rc.sh.  In the Hurd source
daemon/ChangeLog, is a note that the file must exist for mke2fs to
work.  Does mke2fs use this file to check for mounted partitions, and if
so can the Hurd mke2fs a mounted partition?

df needs some method of reading which partitions are mounted.  Is this a
Hurd bug?

Chris