fstab

The fstab file is a list of hardware devices, file system drive mounts, and mount options. It can be found at /etc/fstab on a Linux system.

Additionally, running mount -a will loop through this file.

Configuration

This fstab file is structured as:

# <volume>    <dir>     <type> <options>   <dump> <fsck>
/dev/sda1     none      swap   defaults    0      2
/dev/sda2     /         ext4   rw,relatime 0      1
UUID=abcdefg  /mnt/hdd  ext4   rw,noatime  0      0

Spacing between columns is arbitrary. You can mix device filenames and volume UUIDs, though the latter are considered more durable. You can get the UUID of a volume with blkid. You can get the file system type of a device also with blkid.

Options

The <options> column can contain any of:

• defaults (rw, suid, dev, exec, auto, nouser, async)

• ro or rw - read-only/read-write permission

• exec or noexec - allow/disallow execute permission

• relatime, strictatime, or noatime - syncing access times relative to modify time, absolutely, or not at all

• nodev - disallow special device files (recommended for hardening)

• nosuid - disallow operation of SUID bit (recommended for hardening)

• noauto - do not mount automatcally (i.e. with mount -a)

• nofail - do not indicate errors if unavailable

• user or nouser - allow/disallow user mounting

dump

The <dump> column is used by the dump utility. If you don't need that utility (and most people don't), set it to 0.

fsck

The <fsck> column is used by the fsck utility, and enables boot-time file system checks.

• 0 disables checks.

• 1 runs corrections based on checks. This is important for the root device.

• 2 forces reboot on error.

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