/dev/cdrom directory is suddenly gone, how can I get it back?

learnfast · 03-14-2005, 09:12 AM

I wanted to mount my cdrom and noticed that /dev/cdrom is not there anymore.
Is there a way to get linux to "rerecognize" it?
How could this have happened, I'm sure I didn't explicitly delete it.
I'm using Fedora 3 in vmware and I'm trying to install vmware tools (which acts as a CD-ROM that you have to load the files from).

Thanks.

morneo · 03-14-2005, 09:30 AM

did you try restarting the computer.

cos i dont want you to mess with fstab file if you are not comfortable with it.

learnfast · 03-14-2005, 09:47 AM

- I restarted my machine but /dev/cdrom is still not there.
- when I click on the CD icon on the deskktop a window says "mount: can't find /mnt/cdrrom in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab"
- this is just a virtual machine, so what can I need to add to fstab to get linux to recognize the cd drive again?

thanks.

morneo · 03-14-2005, 10:40 AM

check /etc/fstab and see if there is an entry for cdrom. If not add one. Make sure u have a backup of the fstab file before u make any changes to it.

audibel · 03-14-2005, 10:47 AM

You should have something comparable to this, if not add something like it:

/dev/hdc /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0

I have two harddrives so yours may not be named hdc.

enemorales · 03-14-2005, 10:56 AM

For me it is the same: my cdrom device is /dev/hdc (even when I've only one harddisk

).

JaseP · 03-14-2005, 10:58 AM

If the reference in /dev is not there, then there is a fairly good chance there is something physically wrong with the computer,... perhaps the drive has failed. If you can, check the cabling or try the drive in another computer.

The /dev entries in the file system are put there by the OS itself, whereas the /mnt or /media entries are made by adding the drive into your fstab file. Essentially, the /mnt/cdrom or /media/cdrom entries are symbolic links (in a sense) to the /dev entries. When the system boots, it goes through a hardware recognition routine which adds those things there. Sometimes, for instalce, if you put a symbolic link to a removeable device some place other than the system architecture provides, it will disappear if you remove that device for that very reason,... while the normal /dev entry in the filesystem won't...

audibel · 03-14-2005, 12:39 PM

that's only if hdc is not there tho right Jase? If hdc is there, then there shouldn't be a problem, because all /dev/cdrom is is a link to hdc.