MM

Chapter5: Mounting and Managing Files

Differences Between Windows 10 and CentOS 7 File System Mounting

  • File System Mounting Approaches

    • Windows 10: Assigns drive letters to partitions, volumes, and CD ROM drives automatically.

      • Example: Lights turn on in every room of a house as soon as you enter.

    • CentOS 7: Requires user action to mount file systems, allowing for optimized performance.

      • Example: Only lights in rooms that are entered are turned on, conserving energy.

Accessing Storage Areas

  • Windows 10 Storage Access

    • Drives are mapped by default; user intervention is minimal.

    • Removable drives (e.g., USB) are mounted upon insertion and must be dismounted before removal.

  • Creating Mounted Drives in Windows 10

    • Mounted drives can be created using the Disk Management Console.

    • Drive paths can replace traditional drive letters, making data accessible through specific folders.

    • Example: Move "documents" folder to another drive and mount it as C:\Documents.

Mounting File Systems in CentOS 7

  • General Process

    • Mounting makes a file system accessible at a designated mount point.

    • Root or super user access required to mount new partitions, while certain partitions auto-mount at boot.

  • Configuration

    • Entries must be added to the /etc/fstab file to mount certain partitions automatically on boot.

    • Mounted partitions appear integrated into the local directory structure.

  • Mount Command

    • Syntax: mount -t <type> <device> <mount_point>

    • Options: Mount as read-only (-r), mount writable (default).

    • Supported file system types: ext4, ext2, ext3, ISO9660, NTFS, and others.

File System Management in Windows 10

  • Local Disk Properties

    • Access these settings via the Computer console and requires administrative rights.

    • General Tab:

      • Displays used and free space, total capacity, and options for disk cleanup and indexing.

    • Tools Tab:

      • Includes options for Error Checking and Disk Defragmentation.

    • Hardware Tab:

      • Provides details and properties for all drives.

    • Sharing Tab:

      • Manage sharing settings for drives based on administrative privileges.

    • Security Tab:

      • Allows for NTFS permissions management to control data access.

    • Quota Tab:

      • Allows tracking and control of disk space usage per user. Enables/Disables quotas.

File System Management in CentOS 7

  • File System Checking and Repair

    • Use fsck command for checking and repairing file systems.

    • Automatic checks happen during boot.

  • Disk Usage Management

    • Use df to report disk space usage.

    • Use du to display disk usage of files and directories recursively.

  • Swap Space Management

    • free command displays used and free memory, including swap space.

    • Swap is helpful for managing memory when running multiple programs.

    • Swap partitions can enhance performance due to the contiguity of disk blocks.

Key Commands in CentOS 7

  • Mounting Command

    • General syntax for mounting: mount [options] <device> <mount_point>

  • Unmounting Command

    • Use umount followed by the directory or device name to detach file systems.

Conclusion

  • Windows 10 is user-friendly, automatically providing storage access but can hinder performance.

  • CentOS 7 requires manual mounting, optimizing performance at the cost of convenience.

  • Each system has unique utilities for file system management, reflecting different philosophies in user experience.