[SOLVED] create device file for image file?

frozenQueue · 09-08-2010, 06:42 PM

Everything in Linux is a file, right? And everything can be represented by a file? So, say I create an image file, like so:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/home/me/partition.img bs=512 count=80000

Is there some way I could create a block device file that represents (i.e., provides an interface to) this image file? If so, then I could use fdisk on the device file to split it into partitions, format the partitions, and then mount them as directories. I could create a file system within a file system, which would be fun.

jefro · 09-08-2010, 08:37 PM

You could go the long way around I guess. I use qemu and use the file as -hda. Then I can do what I want. If I use a live cd as -cdrom I boot to tools to work with the drive.

They may be many other ways to turn it into a mountable file too.

Chuck56 · 09-08-2010, 09:34 PM

I think you're asking about loop devices. I use them all the time.

Create your_file

losetup /dev/loop0 /your_file

You can fdisk the /dev/loop0 and create the file system of your choice. When done

mount -o loop /dev/loop0 /your_mount_point