Re: Help - I can't create device files.

From: Dr. David Kirkby (drkirkby_at_ntlworld.com)
Date: 10/27/03 

Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 14:34:17 +0000

Tim Bradshaw wrote:
>
> * David Kirkby wrote:
>
> > The original (small) problem was the external disks would not mount.
> > For reasons I can't work out, following a boot -r, the /dev/dsk/c3*
> > device files had been removed and in their place were files which
> > appeared to be on controller #5 (/dev/dsk/c5*) - which is a bit odd
> > given I only have 4 SCSI controllers - two on the motherboard, plus a
> > dual SCSI card.
>
> There is magic here which is very fiddly to get
> right. /etc/path_to_inst is part of it, but not all. Somewhere, and I
> forget where, the system remembers something about all the
> controllers it thinks its ever seen, in order that it doesn't reuse
> a number when a controller is temporarily unavailable.

The problem is now Tim that the device files are not created anywhere.
Originally there were on c3, but then changed to c5 for some unknown
reason, but worked fine on c5. With hindsight (what a wonderful
thing), I should have just edited /etc/vfstab and let them be on c5.
But now they wont be created anywhere. I don't care too much if they
are created on c100000000000000 now, as long as they exist !!!! c5
rather than the expected was at one time bothering me, but now that is
the least of my worries.

Perhaps there is a conflict here. The file you said is saying the
device files should be created as c5 and another file is saying c3, so
they don't get created at all.

I'm a bit mystified the xntpd daemon wont start now, complaining about
being unable to open /dev/fd/4. Seems very odd. Clearly this is not
just affecting my disks. Both the serial ports and parallel ports are
okay.

I'm getting tempted to do a full re-install from CD, and then
selectively restore individual files from tape. But I'll loose all the
patches applied (since I won't know what to restore) and I know I'll
give my self a lot of headaches. I'd rather not give in and take this
option, but I don't seem to have much left.

The system boot fine, so I can't work out why running a boot -r or
running devfsadm should not create the files.

I can do without these file systems for a few days, so I'll try any
other options suggested before taking the easy (or hard) way out and
doing a complete reinstall.

dave k