[mdlug] Reordeing IDE drives in a system

[Aaron Kulkis]

Mathew Enders wrote:
> Is it possible to reorder the drives in a system.  I want to do this so
> I can eliminate using an add on IDE card as I believe that to be the
> source of my problems.
> This is the current configuration:
>
> ARDVARC:~# cat /etc/fstab
> # /etc/fstab: static file system information.
> #
> # <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
> proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
> /dev/hda3       /               ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0       1
> /dev/hdc1       /home/staff     ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hde1       /home/stdnt     ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hdg1       /staffbak       ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hdg2       /stdntbak       ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hda2       /var            ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hda1       none            swap    sw              0       0
> /dev/hdb        /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto     0       0
> /dev/fd0        /media/floppy0  auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0
> ARDVARC:~#                                                         
>
> As you can see the drives are currently hda, hdc, hde, and hdg.  I want to 
> physically rearrange the drives so they would become this:
>
> hda = hda
> hdc = hdb
> hde = hdc
> hdg = hdd
>
> Is this possible by just moving the drives around then editing fstab so the 
> new partions match the mount points.
Yes.

When I do something like that, I normally make a chart like this
just for easy sanity checking:

<Mountpoint> <Current device> <New Device>

If you've made any errors, then filling out the chart above
will immediately identify them.

> Like this:
>
> ARDVARC:~# cat /etc/fstab
> # /etc/fstab: static file system information.
> #
> # <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
> proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
> /dev/hda3       /               ext3    defaults,errors=remount-ro 0       1
> /dev/hdb1       /home/staff     ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hdc1       /home/stdnt     ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hdd1       /staffbak       ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hdd2       /stdntbak       ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hda2       /var            ext3    defaults        0       2
> /dev/hda1       none            swap    sw              0       0
> /dev/hde        /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto     0       0
> /dev/fd0        /media/floppy0  auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0
> ARDVARC:~#                                                         
>
> TIA
> Mat Enders