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<H1><A NAME="SECTION00420000000000000000">The root filesystem</A></H1>
<P>
The root filesystem should generally be small, since it contains
very critical files and a small, infrequently modified
filesystem has a better chance of not getting corrupted. A
corrupted root filesystem will generally mean that the system
becomes unbootable except with special measures (e.g., from a
floppy), so you don't want to risk it.
<P>
The root directory generally doesn't contain any files, except
perhaps the standard boot image for the system, usually called
<tt>/vmlinuz</tt><A NAME="686"> </A>. All other files are in subdirectories in the
root filesystems:
<DL ><DT><STRONG><tt>/bin</tt><A NAME="688"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Commands needed during bootup that might be used
by normal users (probably after bootup).
<DT><STRONG><tt>/sbin</tt><A NAME="690"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Like <tt>/bin</tt><A NAME="692"> </A>, but the commands are not intended
for normal users, although they may use them if necessary
and allowed.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/etc</tt><A NAME="694"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Configuration files specific to the machine.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/root</tt><A NAME="696"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
The home directory for user <tt>root</tt>.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/lib</tt><A NAME="698"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Shared libraries needed by the programs on the root
filesystem.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/lib/modules</tt><A NAME="700"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Loadable kernel modules, especially those that are needed
to boot the system when recovering from disasters (e.g.,
network and filesystem drivers).
<DT><STRONG><tt>/dev</tt><A NAME="702"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Device files.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/tmp</tt><A NAME="704"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Temporary files. Programs running after bootup should
use <tt>/var/tmp</tt><A NAME="706"> </A>, not <tt>/tmp</tt><A NAME="708"> </A>, since the former
is probably on a disk with more space.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/boot</tt><A NAME="710"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Files used by the bootstrap loader, e.g., LILO. Kernel
images are often kept here instead of in the root
directory. If there are many kernel images, the directory
can easily grow rather big, and it might be better to
keep it in a separate filesystem. Another reason would
be to make sure the kernel images are within the first
1024 cylinders of an IDE disk.
<DT><STRONG><tt>/mnt</tt><A NAME="712"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Mount point for temporary mounts by the system administrator.
Programs aren't supposed to mount on <tt>/mnt</tt><A NAME="714"> </A> automatically.
<tt>/mnt</tt><A NAME="716"> </A> might be divided into subdirectories (e.g.,
<tt>/mnt/dosa</tt><A NAME="718"> </A> might be the floppy drive using an MS-DOS
filesystem, and <tt>/mnt/exta</tt><A NAME="720"> </A> might be the same with an ext2
filesystem).
<DT><STRONG><tt>/proc</tt><A NAME="722"> </A>, <tt>/usr</tt><A NAME="724"> </A>, <tt>/var</tt><A NAME="726"> </A>, <tt>/home</tt><A NAME="728"> </A></STRONG>
<DD>
Mount points for the other filesystems.
<P>
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<LI> <A NAME="tex2html572" HREF="node23.html#SECTION00421000000000000000">The <tt>/etc</tt> directory</A>
<LI> <A NAME="tex2html573" HREF="node24.html#SECTION00422000000000000000">The <tt>/dev</tt> directory</A>
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<P><ADDRESS>
<I>Lars Wirzenius <BR>
Sat Nov 15 02:32:11 EET 1997</I>
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