How knoppix detects ide devices ?

[kunalagon]

I want to know how knoppix detects hard disks drives (optical drives) and automaticaly create fstab entry, and than automaticaly mount ? does it use some script or something for that ?

[jjmac]

>>
I want to know how knoppix detects hard disks drives
>>

Good question ...

Normally, when the kernel boots, it will get to a stage were it will remount the root file system read/write, then continue on to complete its' initialisation. It needs to do that so it can log the final stage. And it needs to do some sought of 'root' mount in order to find an init program/script to run, to govern its' initialisation.

Before it actually does that remount it will need to read the boot drives partition table. From which it gets its' device mappings. That is ... sector addressing info. It will actually read the partition table associated with any hd plugged in.

I can't be certain as to how it actually detects other dives, such as cd/dvd drives. Possibly by probing, or possibly via the bios.

Thats the general process as per your basic hd installed distro.

Knoppix, being a livecd will obviously involve a variance on that process. It will need to write a fstab file at an early stage so i guess it must also involve some specialised scripting as well.


jm

[kunalagon]

o, yes. I am trying to find that script which creates fstab entries. And I am not succesful with that. Do you or anyone else maybe know where is that script or scripts ?

[jjmac]

Sorry for late response,

I think you may be refering to the scripts found in /etc/init.d

The init program will run those just after the kernel has finished loading and the root partition has been remounted read/write.

Specifically you would want to look for the file called ' knoppix-autoconfig'. As i have a vague memory of it mentioning something about writing fstab. It would need to be verified though.

Also have a look at /etc/inittab which the init program will read to govern its' operation.


jm