Scribd
Upload
80 views3 pages

11 File System

This document summarizes the key topics about the Linux file system: - It describes how partitions are mounted and the structure of the kernel and important directories like /proc and /dev. - It explains journaling file systems like ext3 and how directories are organized according to the File Hierarchy Standard. - Useful commands for managing the file system are provided like mkfs, e2fsck, and du as well as tips for converting a partition to ext3 and setting volume labels for easier mounting.

Uploaded by

IjazKhan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
80 views3 pages

11 File System

This document summarizes the key topics about the Linux file system: - It describes how partitions are mounted and the structure of the kernel and important directories like /proc and /dev. - It explains journaling file systems like ext3 and how directories are organized according to the File Hierarchy Standard. - Useful commands for managing the file system are provided like mkfs, e2fsck, and du as well as tips for converting a partition to ext3 and setting volume labels for easier mounting.

Uploaded by

IjazKhan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Linux-Kurs Themen - File System 7 July 2003

Michel Bisson

11 - Linux Filesystem

Mounting of partitions and /etc/fstab


Description of Kernel and its only hook "/"
Description of Kernel Virtual file system (diagram)
Description of /proc and /dev as windows to kernel and devices
Description of Journaling Filesystem eg. reiserfs, ext3,xfs,jfs
Description of /lib and the programming libraries
Description of the File Hierarchy Standard.
+---------+-----------------+-------------+
|
| shareable
| unshareable |
+---------+-----------------+-------------+
|static
| /usr
| /etc
|
|
| /opt
| /boot
|
+---------+-----------------+-------------+
|variable | /var/mail
| /var/run
|
|
| /var/spool/news | /var/lock
|
+---------+-----------------+-------------+

Linux File System Structure Standard (FHS)


http://www.pathname.com/fh/1.2/fsstnd-toc.html
Directories absolutely needed to boot:
/boot(interne or externe of root dir), /etc, /bin, /sbin,
/proc(empty), /dev, /lib, /tmp.
Description of:
mkfs -t ext2
(create an ext2 filesystem)
e2fsck
(check an ext2 filesystem)
fdisk -l
(list all partitions of PC)
df -h
(list free/used space on mounted partitions)
du -sh /root
(display amount of space used by /root dir.)
df -i /dev/hda3 (show amount of free inodes on hda3)
Description and source of the directory structure UNIX V
- /(root) , root user and /root directory clarification
- Mounting points principle

Description of every content of standard Linux directories


see other pages for decription of dir. contents

Good programs to manage the file system


- mc
- konqueror
- nautilus
- gmc
- knc
- krusader
- xfm
- kfm

- very good console program


- Part of KDE
- Part of GNOME
- Part of GNOME
- Part of KDE-1
- x-Program
- X-windows prg. from xap packages on CD
- X-windows KDE standard file manager

11_File_System.sxw - 1

Linux-Kurs Themen - File System 7 July 2003

Michel Bisson

Disk free space programs


- df
- xdf

- standard UNIX command


- X-Windows program

Directories used space program


- du -sh /root
- watch -n5 "du -sh /var"

Kill all processes that uses a mounted filesystem to free it up before


unmounting.
- fuser -km /dev/hda5

Convert an ext2 partition to ext3 Journaling filesystem.


The follwoing command can be issued for either mounted or unmounted
partition: eg. /dev/hda5
tune2fs -j /dev/hda5
After issuing this command:
1. If the partition was mounted then the .journal file will be created in the root
directory of the partition. This file will be made hidden on next boot.
2. If the partition was not mounted then a hidden journalling file will be created.
Note: Remember to change the /etc/fstab to coincide with the new
filesystem format for this partition.

To format a partition as ext3 filesystem(witn bad blocks checking):


mkfs -c -t ext3 /dev/hda5

To display all existing and recognized Hard Disks in the system:


fdisl -l

Partitionen und Mountpoints(german)

Verwendetet man viele Partitionen so verliert man eventuell den Ueberblick darueber,
welche Partition zu welchem Mount Point gehoert. (Spaetestens dann, wenn man von
seiner Notfalldiskette booten muss und die Eintrage in der fstab nicht vorhanden sind.)
Durch das setzen des Volume Labels auf den Namen des Mountpoints gelingt kann man
die Zuordnung erleichtern. Das setzten des Labels erfolgt ueber das Kommando:
tune2fs -L <Name Partition>
Das aktuelle Label kann man z.B. mit
tune2fs -l <Partition>
erfragen. Neuere Versionen des "mount" Kommandos verstehen auch den Parameter "-L"
der es ermoeglicht eine Partition unter Angabe ihres Labels zu mounten.
Beispiel:
mount -L <label> <Mountpoint>

11_File_System.sxw - 2

Linux-Kurs Themen - File System 7 July 2003

Michel Bisson

Tech Tip for ext2 file system


After an ext2 file system has been mounted n number of times, an fsck
is forced on the next mount. Typically n is set to 20.
If you only mount at each reboot, it is typical to have a situation
where for 20 reboots the fsck is skipped, but then at the 21st reboot,
all the file systems are checked. The long wait on this 21st reboot
gets irksome.
dumpe2fs /dev/hda7 | grep '[mM]ount count'
dumpe2fs 1.19, 13-Jul-2000 for EXT2 FS 0.5b, 95/08/09
Mount count:
7
Maximum mount count:
20
This says that /dev/hda7 has been mounted seven times since the last
fsck, and the fsck will be skipped for 20 mounts.
If all your file systems have the same `Mount count' then they will
all fsck together at the 20th reboot. It's easy to fix that. Say:
umount /dev/hda6
tune2fs -C 9 /dev/hda6
tune2fs 1.19, 13-Jul-2000 for EXT2 FS 0.5b, 95/08/09
Setting current mount count to 9
mount /dev/hda6
This changes the `Mount count' to 9.
WARNING WARNING:
ONLY RUN tune2fs ON AN UNMOUNTED FILESYSTEM.
tune2fs goes ahead and does it's job even if the file system is mounted.
Isuspect this is dangerous, so it's up to YOU to be careful.
Suppose you have four file systems. Then set the mount count to 1,5,10 and 15. This evenly
spaces out the fsck for each of them.
By doing this, the expected cost of reboot remains the same. Its just the variance of boot time
thats brought down. Hence this only helps.
The extent to which you like this better depends on how impatient you are; but it is strictly
superior to the default arrangement.
If youre paranoid and like to have lots of fscks, or if you have more than 20 file systems, the
`Maximum mount count can also be changed by saying tune2fs -c N. The value N=-1
disables this feature. You should also know that tune2fs -i 2 says check every two days.
This may be useful for machines such as notebooks.

11_File_System.sxw - 3

You might also like