lfs-book/chapter08/fstab.xml

<sect1 id="ch08-fstab">
<title>Creating the /etc/fstab file</title>

<para>In order for certain programs to be able to determine where certain
partitions are supposed to be mounted by default, the /etc/fstab file is
used. A new file <filename>/etc/fstab</filename> is created containing the
following:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>cat &gt; /etc/fstab &lt;&lt; "EOF"</userinput>
# Begin /etc/fstab

# location of filesystem	mount point	fs-type		options

/dev/*LFS-partition device*	/		*fs-type*	defaults 1 1
/dev/*swap-partition device*  	swap 		swap		defaults 0 0
proc 				/proc 		proc 		defaults 0 0

# End /etc/fstab
<userinput>EOF</userinput></screen></para>

<para><userinput>*LFS-partition device*</userinput>, 
<userinput>*swap-partition device*</userinput>
and <userinput>*fs-type*</userinput> have to be replaced with the 
appropriate values (/dev/hda2, /dev/hda5 and reiserfs for example).</para>

<para>When adding a reiserfs partition, the <userinput>1 1</userinput> at 
the end of the line should be replaced with <userinput>0 0</userinput>.</para>

<para>For more information on the various fields which are in the fstab
file, see <userinput>man 5 fstab</userinput>.</para>

<para>There are other lines which you may consider adding to your fstab
file.  One example is the line which you must have if you are using
devpts, note that you must also create the /dev/pts directory for this
to work:</para>
<para><screen>none		/dev/pts	devpts   gid=4,mode=620  0 0</screen></para> 

<para>Another example is a line to use if you intend to use USB
devices.  This time, you don't create the directory as it's part of the
proc virtual filesystem:</para>
<para><screen>none		/proc/bus/usb	usbdevfs defaults        0 0</screen></para>

<para>Both of these options will only work if you have the relevant
support compiled into your kernel.</para>

</sect1>