Package: mount
Version: 2.25.2-6
Severity: normal
File: /sbin/losetup
Dear Maintainer,
Not sure if this is upstream.
BUG: losetup fails to list loop devices in use
when /dev/loop directory exists.
I thought the /dev/loop-control file was all that was needed by
losetup, but perhaps not - it's been a few years since I perused the
kernel's loop module source code, which also reminds me, at some point
it would be nice for kernel loop device support to be fully dynamic -
for someone inclined, that could be an opportunity to learn to code in
C and get some kernel cred.
Background:
I created a number of scripts a few years back to facilitate working
with chroots in loop mounted files, run deboostrap in these etc.
To facilitate my automation I found it convenient to create my own
loop device nodes in a directory I created, namely:
/dev/loop/
Today I finally solved the Subject problem that has arisen (I don't
know when) with the /sbin/losetup command for me - it fails to list
info/ list all loop devices (as in produces no output whatsoever)
when there is a directory named /dev/loop - at least, when I deleted
this directory, losetup started working properly again.
>From memory, an 'ancient' version of Debian actually made use of and/ or
supported loop devices being in the sub directory /dev/loop/ - perhaps
5 or more years ago, but don't quote me, my memory may be faulty.
FWIW, I think it is much tidier to have all loop devices in a sub
directory of /dev/ , but my personal scripts need their own directory
anyway, and I think that /dev/loop/ should contain all "default" /
"auto generated"/ system loop devices - but that's just appearance
and would probably require changes to many packages, just guessing.
WORKAROUND: rename loop device directory to /dev/lloop (or
pick any name other than something beginning with "/dev/loop").
* What led up to the situation?
Custom bash scripts breaking.
* What exactly did you do (or not do) that was effective (or
ineffective)?
See WORKAROUND above - rename /dev/loop/ to /dev/something-else/
-- System Information:
Debian Release: 8.3
APT prefers stable-updates
APT policy: (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'proposed-updates'), (500,
'stable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
Kernel: Linux 4.3.0-0.bpo.1-amd64 (SMP w/4 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_AU.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_AU.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
Versions of packages mount depends on:
ii libc6 2.19-18+deb8u4
ii libmount1 2.25.2-6
ii libselinux1 2.3-2
ii libsmartcols1 2.25.2-6
mount recommends no packages.
Versions of packages mount suggests:
ii nfs-common 1:1.2.8-9
-- no debconf information
