/dev/ file overload. Some advice please.

[coroner]

Run this:

cat /etc/udev/rules.d/* | grep pty

I really can't say what's up with your machine bro, it is probably normal for distributions still trying to properly implement udev.

[beatmeofficer]

With respect to DMA on the CD/DVD ROM drives, it may be related to the ATA driver that is used.

In the past (and still in some linux distros), PATA disk drives got to be /dev/hd* while SATA & SCSI devices were /dev/sd*. Starting in Linux 2.6.2something, it became possible to use a new ATA driver that made both PATA & SATA devices show up as /dev/sd* (or /dev/scd*). Ubuntu started loading this driver by default some time after v. 6.06.

In any case, I've noticed problems with this driver, PATA devices, and hdparm before.

To fix this, you can find out the module name and add it to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist and then hope that your computer can find and load the correct drive for your particular ide chipset at boot time. You could also compile your own kernel and make sure that you don't compile in that driver. Depending on if your root drive is SATA or PATA, you may need to edit your /boot/grub/menu.lst to make sure that you pass the correct name of your root drive to the kernel at boot time.

If you do find that you need to have to set hdparm parameters and they don't get saved over reboots, you can put the command in your rc.local. You should also have a file called /etc/hdparm.conf where you can set the proper options. Ubuntu should be set-up to execute hdparm when you're going into runlevel 1 or 2 and draw the config options from that file. It's a slightly more elegant way to handle things.

As far as your /dev/ directory goes, I wouldn't worry about it. It's not actually taking up any space on your drive.

[FailedArtifact]

Originally Posted by zeusy

Ah, just reboot, you'll be taken back to the normal run level.
Read /etc/inittab .

Use /dev/dvd for the dvd drive, and cdrwl for the cd-only drive.
Therefore the command is `mount -t iso9660 drive /mount/point`.
If it doesn't work it will most likely print some error, you know what to do.

When I try mounting, all I get is

Mount: no medium found

Run this:

cat /etc/udev/rules.d/* | grep pty

I really can't say what's up with your machine bro, it is probably normal for distributions still trying to properly implement udev.

I got this output.

# pty devices
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", KERNEL=="pty*",	GROUP="tty", MODE="0666"
# fill empty serial number
# do not use empty address

Im going to reinstall another linux distro... I think i have done too much previously which could have damaged something. So a fresh install will allow me to have another attempt.

[coroner]

Try Fedora 10. It's really nice, and regardless if you like GUI shit or not, Fedora provides the best of both worlds, nice GUI shit and of course if you're running without X, you still have a base Linux system.

If not Fedora, try Slackware.

[FailedArtifact]

Cheers coroner! Im giving Fedora a chance now.