F12 Boot error message re mount of loop device

[Rick Stevens]

On 12/09/2009 10:59 AM, Bill Davidsen wrote:
> David wrote:
>> Maybe I'm doing something wrong, so I'm asking here first. If no-one
>> points out a better way, I'll file a bug report.
>> Also I'd appreciate guidance where best to file it.
>>
>> During boot I want to mount an iso9660 file as a loop device. The iso
>> file is on a ext3 partition labelled HUGE_01 which is mounted at
>> /mnt/huge.
>>
>> FILE = /mnt/huge/get/iso/Fedora-12-i386-DVD/Fedora-12-i386-DVD.iso
>> MOUNTPOINT = /mnt/Fedora-12-i386-DVD.
>>
>> The mount succeeds. However during boot I get this unnecessary failure
>> message:
>>
>> Mounting local filesystems: [ OK ]
>> [snip]
>> Mounting other filesystems: mount: according to mtab
>> /mnt/huge/get/iso/Fedora-12-i386-DVD/Fedora-12-i386-DVD.iso is already
>> mounted on /mnt/Fedora-12-i386-DVD as loop [ FAILED ]
>>
>>> From a user perspective, this error message seems equivalent to:
>> "Because we tried unnecessarily to mount this device a second time
>> after it had already mounted successfully, we now report to you that
>> the second attempt failed."
>>
>> So a failure is reported where no failure occurred. Worse, a failure
>> is reported for the reason that it already succeeded. This seems
>> illogical and unnecessary. Unless I'm doing somethin' stoopid.
>> Relevant details are below.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> David
>>
>> #################################################
>>
>> [f12 at kablamm ~]$ cat /etc/fstab
>> LABEL=kablamm_C / ext3 defaults 1 1
>> LABEL=kablamm_Z /boot ext2 defaults 1 2
>> LABEL=BIG_01 /mnt/big ext3 defaults 1 2
>> LABEL=HUGE_01 /mnt/huge ext3 defaults 1 2
>> LABEL=kablamm_H /home ext3 defaults 1 2
>> LABEL=kablamm_S swap swap defaults 0 0
>> tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
>> devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
>> sysfs /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
>> proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
>> /mnt/huge/get/iso/Fedora-12-i386-DVD/Fedora-12-i386-DVD.iso
>> /mnt/Fedora-12-i386-DVD iso9660 loop,ro,gid=share
>> 0 0
>
> There's a secret way to do this, called "man fstab." Those numbers at
> the end of the line are not random, they control the mounting order. So
> you are trying to mount the DVD file before you mount the filesystem
> providing the ISO image file. Change the "0 0" to something reasonable,
> I think "1 3" will work, or "2 1" if it doesn't.

Eh?  That last digit has nothing to do with the mount order.  It DOES
define what order fsck will occur on the drive if it hits the "mount
N times before forced fsck":

	Field	Use
	-------	-------------------------------------
	1	Name of device to mount
	2	Where in the filesystem to mount it
	3	Filesystem type
	4	Mount options
	5	dump(8) level
	6	fsck(8) priority

Read the man page again.
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- Rick Stevens, Systems Engineer                      ricks at nerd.com -
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