source: chapter06/makedev-inst.xml@ 8f5e9ca3

<sect2><title>&nbsp;</title><para>&nbsp;</para></sect2>

<sect2>
<title>Creating devices</title>

<para>Please note that unpacking the MAKEDEV-&makedev-version;.bz2 file
doesn't create a directory for you to <userinput>cd</userinput> into, as
the file contains one shell script.</para>

<para>Install the MAKEDEV script:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>cp MAKEDEV-&makedev-version; /dev/MAKEDEV</userinput></screen></para>

<para>Prepare the script for execution:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>cd /dev &amp;&amp;
chmod 754 MAKEDEV</userinput></screen></para>

<para>Run the script to create the device files:</para>

<para><screen><userinput>./MAKEDEV -v generic</userinput></screen></para>

<para>If a device you need is missing, try running
<userinput>./MAKEDEV -v &lt;device&gt;</userinput>. Alternatively, you may
create devices via the <emphasis>mknod</emphasis> program. Please refer to
the man and info pages of <emphasis>mknod</emphasis> if you need more
information.</para>

<para>If you intend to use devpts, pass the
<userinput>generic-nopty</userinput> option to <filename>MAKEDEV</filename>.
This creates the same devices as <userinput>generic</userinput>, but it skips
the creation of pty devices so that devpts can manage them itself.</para>

<para><filename>MAKEDEV</filename> will create devices ranging from hda[1-20]
to hdh[1-20] and beyond, but keep in mind that you probably won't be able to
use all of these due to kernel limits on the maximum number of
partitions.</para>

</sect2>