Charles Curley wrote:
>
> On Mon, Mar 27, 2000 at 11:36:17PM -0500, Brian T. Schellenberger wrote:
> ->
> -> First, there's no need to modify mtab; that's the current state of the
> -> system. You only need to modify fstab.
> ->
> -> By the same token, the empty mtab is just empty 'cause the mount fails,
> -> but you already knew that; the mtab~ is from when you edited the mtab.
>
> Not necessarily.
>
> When mount and umount run they create a lockfile for themselves so that
> other instances of mount or umount don't try to sieze mtab. The lock file
> is mtab~. So if the system crashes or the mounting/unmounting program
> crashes while the lock file is in place, you won't be able to mount or
> unmount volumes.
>
> So I would get rid of the mtab~.
>
> See my message on this list dated Thu, 16 Dec 1999 11:34:21 -0700
> entitled: "jaZip 0.22 outdated".
>
> BTW, don't _ever_ edit mtab. It is the OS's record of what is
> mounted. Unmount things instead.
Although, (for the record) it IS a good place to look for information
when you accidentally erase your /etc/fstab at 3:30am. :)
(Don't ask, I don't remember what I was trying to do, or exactly what it
was that I did instead.)
- Theo
