Mounting USB devices with stable names

Robin Laing Robin.Laing at drdc-rddc.gc.ca
Tue Nov 14 15:28:03 UTC 2006


Mike McCarty wrote:
> Robin Laing wrote:
> 
>> Mike McCarty wrote:
>>
> 
> [snip]
> 
>>>
>>> You didn't address my statement, though. Currently, my fstab has to
>>> have the mount parameters in it, and that has to point to a node in
>>> /dev. The node I need to use changes based on the phase of the moon,
>>> and other things I don't have control over. So each time I boot, I have
>>> to edit /etc/fstab to fiddle it up to correspond to how the machine
>>> came up. This is true even if I use the mount point when mounting
>>> (which I normally do), rather than the device node (which I rarely
>>> do).
>>
>>
>>
>> In my case, hal sets the fstab.  There are no entries for /dev/sd(x) 
>> in my work computer.  At least not until I plug in my USB stick.
> 
> 
> Once again, you have not addressed my statement. I need to override the
> default mount modes on my FLASH stick.
> 
>> This is the tail of my /etc/fstab at work before I insert my stick.
>>
>> /dev/hdc                /media/cdrecorder       auto 
>> pamconsole,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
>> -----
>> Here it is after.
>>
>> /dev/hdc                /media/cdrecorder       auto 
>> pamconsole,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
>> /dev/sda1               /media/Robin_Laing      vfat 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------^^^^
> 
> This does not meet my needs. I do not want a vfat mount.
> 
> [snip]
> 
>> It is done automatically.
> 
> 
> First, that does not happen automatically on my machine.
> Second, even if it did, it would not address my needs. I wish
> to override the default mount.
> 
> [snip]
> 
>>> The overall topic seems not to have been addressed at all,
>>> AFAICT.Now my ethernet ports (embeded on mother board) seem to be set 
>>> in /etc/sysconfig/ or someplace.  I don't remember.  I have only had 
>>> one issue with ethernet since putting FC4 on my computer.  See what 
>>> happens when FC6 gets installed.
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Mike
>>
>>
>>
>> Now my ethernet ports (embedded on mother board) seem to be set in 
>> /etc/sysconfig/ or someplace.  I don't remember.  I have only had one 
>> issue with ethernet since putting FC4 on my computer.  See what 
>> happens when FC6 gets installed.  I only use the one port.
> 
>  >
> 
>> I find it hard to have a default name for every device as that would 
>> entail millions of names to deal with duplication of devices on the 
>> same machine.  If the device is identified, then that should be 
>> enough.  Let the user customize.
> 
> 
> But that's precisely what the user *can't* customize, as I've been
> pointing out. Which physical card is eth0 and which is eth1 is
> not something the user has control over. I only have one USB disc
> on my machine. It is always connected. But when I boot it is
> sometimes /dev/sda, sometimes /dev/sde. I have no control.
> 
> [snip]
> 
>> I am no wizard with this and you are now asking me questions beyond my 
>> experience.
> 
> 
> I'm not a wizard at this, either. :-)
> 
> Mike

Ah, now that I have seen that you are still using FC2 (which I must have 
missed in the original post) I feel sorry for you.  I have not used FC2 
for almost a year.

I know your pain as I fought and fought to get the USB mess to work.  I 
never succeeded.  With my aging and failing memory, I tried to use a 
hotplug feature but that never worked as expected.  I had problems with 
my USB printer and sticks.  I had to manually mount them every time 
before I changed my fstab.  With the sticks, I just created a group of 
settings in fstab for the various /dev/sd(x) devices using auto.  Not 
the best option but for me it worked.

I think the /dev/sd(x) order is based on the order that they initialize. 
  As for the eth(0) problems.  I did run into that once but it seemed to 
be okay later.  I cannot remember making any changes.  I have dual eth 
ports on my computer but only using one.  Of course, I only rebooted 
when there was a kernel change.

Sorry for the confusion.

-- 
Robin Laing




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