why is pivot_root not working here?

cyisfor · 02-22-2016, 02:44 AM

Code:

# mount /dev/new/root /new
# cd /new
# mkdir old
# pivot_root . old
pivot_root: failed to change root from `.' to `old': Invalid argument
#

pivot_root(2) states:

they must be directories (check)
new_root and put_old must not be on the same filesystem as the current root. (check, different logical volume, different disk entirely)
put_old must be underneath new_root (check)
no other filesystem may be mounted on put_old (check)

What am I doing wrong here? Is there some undocumented feature by which pivot_root can't be used if you already booted up your system, even if you're going to a second disk? It ain't exactly kexec!

Habitual · 02-22-2016, 11:21 AM

Try

Code:

pivot_root /new/old old

I don't think the command pivot_root "understands" the . (current directory)