docs.jonasjones.dev/docs/misc/linux/server-admin/drive-automount.md

sidebar_position	slug
2	/misc/linux/server-admin/drive-automount

Adding an Automount Drive on Linux

This guide explains how to configure a drive to automount at boot using /etc/fstab.

---

Steps

1. Identify the Drive

List drives and partitions:

lsblk -f

Find the target partition (e.g., /dev/sdc1) and note its UUID:

blkid /dev/sdc1

2. Create a Mount Point

Choose or create a directory where the drive will mount:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/mydrive

3. Backup /etc/fstab

Always back up before editing:

sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.bak

4. Edit /etc/fstab

Open /etc/fstab with an editor:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add a line with the drive's UUID, mount point, filesystem type, and options. Example for ext4:

UUID=your-uuid-here /mnt/mydrive ext4 defaults 0 2

Replace your-uuid-here with the actual UUID.

5. Test the Configuration

Mount all entries without rebooting:

sudo mount -a

Check if the drive is mounted:

df -h | grep /mnt/mydrive

:::danger If the test fails and you still reboot, the system will drop to emergency mode and manual intervention is required.

In that case SSH WON'T WORK :::

6. Reboot and Verify

Reboot the system and confirm the drive automounts:

sudo reboot

After reboot:

mount | grep /mnt/mydrive

:::note

• Use defaults for standard mount options.
• For other filesystems (e.g., NTFS, FAT32), adjust filesystem type and options accordingly.
• If mounting fails at boot, system may drop to emergency mode; always test with mount -a first. :::