In my /etc/fstab file, I have entries for my /boot and /root partitions listed as something like /BOOT rather than /dev/hda7... Should and can I manually change this? I want the partitions to appear as /dev/hdx

I made the partitions using Partition Magic in XP, and installed the OS using Redhat 8... Im trying to compile a new kernel now and am encounter problems... I know whats going wrong, I just want to keep my /etc/fstab file consistent with a typical one...

[yes master 1nfamus?]$cat /etc/fstab
LABEL=/ / ext3 defaults 1 1
LABEL=/boot /boot ext3 defaults 1 2
none /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
none /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
/dev/hdb3 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0
/dev/cdrom1 /mnt/cdrom1 iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto noauto,owner,kudzu 0 0
/dev/hdb4 /mnt/winfat vfat umask=000 0 0

-maybe taht helps u? that is what i have.

Yes, you can change BOOT to dev/hda7

During partitioning (f.ex. using fdisk) you can name (put the label) the partition so label became the /dev/hd... synonym

Theoretically labeling is more flexible - if you make your hda drive to be hdb drive (by adding another drive) the labels will be kept same whereas using /dev/... identifiers you need retype some of the fstab lines

this isn't a reply, its another question about /etc/fstab

I have Sony CD-writer...and recompiled the kernel for my RedHat 7.3...used 2.4.19
<*> Enhancec IDE/MFM/RLL disk/cdrom/tape/floppy support
< > Include IDE/ATAPI CDROM support
<*> SCSI emulation support

<*> SCSI support
<*> SCSI CD-ROM support[*] Enable vendor-specific extensions (for SCSI CD-ROM)
<*> SCSI generic support

I can mount cdroms on my cd-writers, but cannot on my regular Asus 40x cd-rom drive....neither cd-drive is scsi...I think they're just treated as scsi drives

How should my etc/fstab entry look like?

"this isn't a reply"
I've written "Yes, you can change BOOT to dev/hda7" For you it is not a reply?

regarding the CD writer - I do not know (never tested). I'v read the it should be installed as scsi device