Re: [newbie] fstab vs mtab
Sam wrote: Hi, I was looking through the files in /etc and realised that /etc/fstab and /etc/mtab have very similar contents. Could anybody enlighten me on what're the differences between these files, e.g. in terms of function? Thanks. fstab lists predefined filesystems which can be mounted on your system, mstab basically contains the same information but only for filesystems that are currently mounted on your system. If a filesystem is listed in fstab, you can execute mount with only the mount point (or is it only the device, or can it be either), and the filesystem will be mounted with the parameters specified in fstab. The boot process also uses fstab for the same purpose (AFAIK). Hope this helps, Randy Kramer
Re: [newbie] fstab vs mtab
hi. i know the answer to this one=) fstab is the file which tells linux which partitions to mount, where to mount them, and how to mount them during boot. this is where you make changes to the mounting procedure. mtab is what actually is mounted, how where it is mounted. *DO NOT* edit this file. you can look at it, do not edit. i have never tried editing it, but i understand it is a bad bad thing. hope that clears the mud for ya. Adrian Smith 'de telepone dude Telecom Dept. x 7042 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sam [EMAIL PROTECTED] 7:31:04 AM 5/9/01 Hi, I was looking through the files in /etc and realised that /etc/fstab and /etc/mtab have very similar contents. Could anybody enlighten me on what're the differences between these files, e.g. in terms of function? Thanks.
Re: [newbie] fstab vs mtab
Wow! Am very overwhelmed by the replies! Thanks guys! :)) On Thursday 10 May 2001 11:38, David E. Fox wrote: /etc/fstab is a boot time file that the system uses to mount your partitions and /etc/mtab is a run-time file showing what's currently mounted. Thus, if you unmount some partition, /etc/mtab will reflect the change, but /etc/fstab will not.
