File Management Flashcards
I-nodes are pointers to files. What exactly does that mean? What does it mean for it to be a pointer? Is it a pointer to an entire file?
I-nodes are addresses to disk blocks, not files.
What is fragmentation the result of?
Files being created and removed
Which sector of a hard disk does the Master Boot Record (MBR) belong to?
The first sector
What does the Master Boot Record do?
Identifies where the computer’s operating system is located in order to be booted into main memory.
What is a link in Unix file systems
A link is a pointer to a file
What is the difference between large block size and small block size in file systems in terms of wastage
Large blocks waste space, small blocks waster time.
Reducing disk arm motion improves OS performance, how do you reduce disk arm motion?
By putting blocks that likely to be accessed closer together, in sequence.
How do hard links work in respect to inode number?
Inode number is the same as the linked file.
How would you explain what a soft link is to someone who doesn’t know linux?
A soft link is like a shortcut in Windows OS. A pointer to another file.
Do files with soft links have different or same inode numbers as the file it is linking to?
Different
What differentiates a file linked with a hard link with the original file?
Different file name
If you delete the original file, how will data in the hard links with the same inode number be affected?
Not affected, data will still be there in the hard linked file.
