Suse 11.4 32bit. Formerly when I plugged in the first USB device it would be identified as /dev/sdb, my primary SATA drive being /dev/sda. The second USB device as /dev/sdc and so on. That has now changed so that the first USB device is /dev/sdc, second one /dev/sdd etc. This causes havoc with several backup scripts. How can I revert to previous assignments?
Thanks.
What does
fdisk -l
show?
Disk /dev/sda: 16.1 GB, 16139354112 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1962 cylinders, total 31522176 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0008e91d
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 3051519 1524736 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2 * 3051520 31522175 14235328 83 Linux
Disk /dev/sdc: 8054 MB, 8054636032 bytes
248 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1023 cylinders, total 15731711 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x3aeea1b9
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 62 15729647 7864793 83 Linux
In any case it is much better to give the file systems on those devices a label. They will be mounted by their label on /media/<label>. Or you can make entries in your fstab for mounting them by label (using */dev/disk/by-label/… *instead of /dev/sd.), thus the correct file systems will be mounted on the correct mount-points.
Using sda,sdb, etc allways depends on the sequence the system detected the devices and thus even a simple mistake by the operator in inserting the USB devices can create havoc.
(Oh, and next time you post computers output, can you please put it between CODE tags: Posting in Code Tags - A Guide? Especialy *fdisk -l *listings become unreadable without them).
I am having a little trouble getting these instructions to work. Is it possible that I need to have Java script enabled to do so?
I guess not. The most simple way is typing the words CODE between and ] before the output and /CODE, also between and ] after it. ( have to explain it like that, because doing it would produce
this is between them
But I usualy click the Advanced button below the the Quick reaction field I am typing this in and then use the button with the # to create those tags. It could be that this more “sophisticated” way needs Java.
Returning to the original problem (sdc1 instead of sdb1), after several reboots it reverted to the original sdb1. I don’t know why it happened, other than I was experimenting with a new backup script on a new netbook, and at least twice the system froze and needed a hard reset. I suspect something related to the /sys directory. I am considering using the “/dev/disk/by-label” method although it does complicate things as I am using different USB drives.
Thank you for your patient assistance.