mount / umount: In Linux, a (data) disk or partition must be mounted to be utilized. Mount is the Linux command to mount a disk, umount is the Linux command to unmount a disk. See man mount for a better definition, in terms of attaching a file system to the file hierarchy tree (rooted at /).

Gotchas:

1. An audio CD does not have to be and must not be mounted in order to play
2. Before mounting a partition you must use mkdir to create a directory / mountpoint if it does not already exist.
3. However, if the directory / mountpoint already exists and contains files, then, if you mount a partition at that mountpoint / directory, the files (and directories) that existed under that directory before mounting the partition will be hidden and unavailable. (They will become available again if the partition is unmounted (umount).)

Example:

mount -t smb //nnn/c /mnt/c -o fmask=666,dmask=777

Note: The following is from memory / best guesses -- needs to be confirmed.

Where:

• -t smb means type Samba
• //nnn/c is the partition or disk to be mounted (in this case a disk on another computer)
• /mnt/c is the mount point (where the partition will be accessible after mounting)
• -o indicates options to follow
• fmask=666 means files are to be given permissions of 666 (-rw-rw-rw-)
• dmask=777 means directories are to be given permissions of 777 (-rwxrwxrwx)

Contributors

• RandyKramer - 15 Jan 2002
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