Subject: filesystem hierarchy
To: None <port-macppc@netbsd.org>
From: Jeff Fry <jefffry@compuserve.com>
List: port-macppc
Date: 04/01/2004 19:46:33
Currently running NetBSD 1.6.2 (GENERIC) macppc on a PowerTower Pro 
250...


I'm trying to make sense of the NetBSD filesystem hierarchy. I've 
compared the filesystem (directories and files) installed on my system 
(using 'ls -F' and 'ls -l') to that described in the hier(7) man page. 
Listed below are some differences that I have found, some of which I 
don't understand, and some of which I have "theories" about. I would 
greatly appreciate it if anyone could shed some light on these for me.

-------------------

hier(7) describes /[a-z] "user filesystems". I don't see these, 
probably because I didn't create any "additional" partitions on this 
disk? (This is my boot drive, I have not yet "added" my (larger) data 
drive(s) to the NetBSD system.) disklabel output (for boot drive):

# disklabel sd0
# /dev/rsd0c:
type: unknown
disk: mydisk
label:
flags:
bytes/sector: 512
sectors/track: 164
tracks/cylinder: 10
sectors/cylinder: 1640
cylinders: 5168
total sectors: 8496960
rpm: 3600
interleave: 1
trackskew: 0
cylinderskew: 0
headswitch: 0           # microseconds
track-to-track seek: 0  # microseconds
drivedata: 0

8 partitions:
#        size    offset     fstype  [fsize bsize cpg/sgs]
  a:     65600         0     4.2BSD   1024  8192    56   # (Cyl.    0 - 
39)
  b:   2099200     65600       swap                      # (Cyl.   40 - 
1319)
  c:   8496960         0     unused      0     0         # (Cyl.    0 - 
5181*)
  g:   6332160   2164800     4.2BSD   1024  8192    54   # (Cyl. 1320 - 
5181*)


disklabel improperly identifies the drive's rpm at 3600--it's a 7200 
rpm drive (Seagate Barracuda ST34371N). Is this a "bug" in disklabel?

-------------------

hier(7) describes /dump/ "online dump(8) repository". I don't have this 
directory. Would I need to create this myself, if I desired to save a 
'dump' or 'rdrump' to this drive (which may not make sense)?

-------------------

I have /kern/. hier(7) describes /sys/kern/ but no /kern/ at the root 
of the disk. Does this just represent a change in NetBSD 1.6.2, that 
has not been documented (updated) in the hier(7) man page?

-------------------

I will eventually compile a customized kernel, add data drives, etc., 
but I wanted to start out with a "simple" install and configuration 
while I'm learning the "ins and outs" of NetBSD.

Any information to address these discrepancies, and help me to better 
understand the NetBSD filesystem hierarchy, is greatly appreciated.

Thanks