Hands-on Guide for Linux /root file and folders

Linux /root and its architecture!

Guide outline

1.1. Overview
1.2. The Root Directory
1.3. /bin
1.4. /boot
1.5. /dev
1.6. /etc
1.7. /home
1.8. /initrd
1.9. /lib
1.10. /lost+found
1.11. /media
1.12. /mnt
1.13. /opt
1.14. /proc
1.15. /root
1.16. /sbin
1.17. /usr
1.18. /var
1.19. /srv
1.20. /tm

2. Glossary

Additional Linux Resources

Here is a list of resources for learning Linux:

1.2. The Root Directory

To comply with the FSSTND the following directories, or symbolic links to directories, are required in /.

       /bin       Essential command binaries
       /boot      Static files of the boot loader
       /dev       Device files
       /etc       Host-specific system configuration
       /lib       Essential shared libraries and kernel modules
       /media     Mount point for removeable media
       /mnt       Mount point for mounting a filesystem temporarily
       /opt       Add-on application software packages
       /sbin      Essential system binaries
       /srv       Data for services provided by this system
       /tmp       Temporary files
       /usr       Secondary hierarchy
       /var       Variable data

The following directories, or symbolic links to directories, must be in /, if the corresponding subsystem is installed:

     / -- the root directory
     /home User home directories (optional)
     /lib<qual> Alternate format essential shared libraries
                      (optional)
     /root Home directory for the root user (optional)

Each directory listed above is described in detail in separate subsections further on in this document.

The reference system will be based upon Debian 3.0r0 (Woody), 2.4.18 kernel configured to a Redhat kernel-2.4.18-i686.config file.

Hardware

Intel Celeron 766 Processor
MSI MS-6309 V.2.0 Mainboard
512MB PQI PC133 SDRAM
16x Lite-On LTD-165H DVD-ROM
40x24x10 Sony CRX175A1 CD-RW
NVIDIA RIVA 32MB TNT2 M64
D-Link DFE-530TX 10/100 NIC
Realtek RTL8029(AS) 10 NIC
Lucent Mars2 Linmodem
C-Media CMI8738 PCI Audio Device
Miro DC-30 VIVO
Aopen KF-45A Miditower Case
Acer Accufeel Keyboard
Genius Netscroll+ Mouse
Compaq MV500 Presario Monitor

Software

Windows XP on /dev/hda1
FreeBSD 4.2 on /dev/hda2
Redhat 8.0 on /dev/hda5
Debian 3.0r0 on /dev/hda6
Mandrake 9.1 on /dev/hda7
Swap partition on /dev/hda8

As we all know Linux file system starts with /, the root directory. All other directories are 'children' of this directory. The partition which the root file system resides on is mounted first during boot and the system will not boot if it doesn't find it. On our reference system, the root directory contains the following sub-directories:

bin/ dev/ home/ lost+found/ proc/ sbin/ usr/ cdrom/ opt/ vmlinuz boot/ etc/ lib/ mnt/ root/ tmp/ var/ dvd/ floppy/ initrd/ /tftpboot

In days past it was also the home directory of 'root' but now he has been given his own directory for reasons that will be explained further on in this document.