12. File Systems

File systems are how files are on the physical disk. Devices are organized in the /dev and /devices directory and are organized in the /dev directory by type and by connection in the /devices directory. The /dev directory is a link to the device. The syntax for the /dev directory is as follows: /dev/[type]/[specific device], so for /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0, the type is dsk (hard disk), and the specific device (address) is c0t0d0s0.

Target meanings for SCSI ports (Sun/Solaris only). A target number is a way to identify a device that is using the same port, like in a daisy chain.

Here is a comparison of old target settings, and new current ones:

New Solaris V Before change What hard drive
t0 t3 1st
t1 t1 2nd
t2 t2 3rd
t3 t0 4th

These are only recommended, not mandatory

Important directories for devices

To have Solaris find out about a new workstation, go to /devices (the CPU) and locate the device. There you will need to know if it is a device (you would then find the bus type (i.e. PCI)) or if it is a pseudo device. A pseudo device is usually not a physical device, just something emulating one.

To add new hardware in /kernel/drv or /usr/kernel/drv do one of the following:

  1. If you have the device driver and to physically add new gear to the kernel, get the vendor driver and add it to the directory.
  2. To get the information from the device into /kernel/drv, get the file and put it in /usr/lib or /usr/shar/lib/terminfo (for printers or terminals) (/etc/lp/filter is for printers also.)
  3. To reconfigure boot: Create the following file: /reconfigure by doing the following: touch /reconfigure (this file will delete after reboot)
  4. Shutdown the computer by doing the following: Shutdown –I5 –g0 –y (the I is for run level, in this case 5, the g is for grace period in seconds, 0 in this example, and the y is so the computer doesn’t prompt you for shutdown. Put your new hardware in and turn your computer on, which will reconfigure for hardware

For tape backup services (to prevent others from using, while you are using it) do the following for this device: Insert the tape into the drive, Do tapecheck and change the ownership using the chown and chmod command to change it to the user, Use the tape, Use tape eject and change the permissions back.


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