<sect1 id="ch08-fstab">
<title>Creating the /etc/fstab file</title>
<?dbhtml filename="fstab.html" dir="chapter08"?>

<para>In order for certain programs to be able to determine where certain
partitions are supposed to be mounted by default, the /etc/fstab file is
used. Create a new file <filename>/etc/fstab</filename> containing the
following:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>cat &gt; /etc/fstab &lt;&lt; "EOF"</userinput>
# Begin /etc/fstab

# location of filesystem	mount point	fs-type		options

/dev/*LFS-partition device*	/		*fs-type*	defaults 1 1
/dev/*swap-partition device*  	swap 		swap		defaults 0 0
proc 				/proc 		proc 		defaults 0 0

# End /etc/fstab
<userinput>EOF</userinput></screen></para>

<para><userinput>*LFS-partition device*</userinput>, 
<userinput>*swap-partition device*</userinput>
and <userinput>*fs-type*</userinput> have to be replaced with the 
appropriate values (/dev/hda2, /dev/hda5 and reiserfs for example).</para>

<para>When adding a reiserfs partition, the <userinput>1 1</userinput> at 
the end of the line should be replaced with <userinput>0 0</userinput>.</para>

<para>For more information on the various fields which are in the fstab
file, see <userinput>man 5 fstab</userinput>.</para>

<para>There are other lines which you may consider adding to your fstab
file.  One example is the line which you must have if you are using
devpts:</para>
<para><screen>devpts		/dev/pts	devpts   gid=4,mode=620  0 0</screen></para> 

<para>Another example is a line to use if you intend to use USB
devices:</para>
<para><screen>usbdevfs		/proc/bus/usb	usbdevfs defaults        0 0</screen></para>

<para>Both of these options will only work if you have the relevant
support compiled into your kernel.</para>

</sect1>

