How Do I Change the Disk Identifier in the fstab file to UUID?

Scenarios

After attaching disks to a Linux BMS, you must change the disk identifier in the fstab file to UUID. Otherwise, you cannot enter the BMS OS or the BMS becomes unavailable due to a mount point disorder after you stop and start the BMS, or restart the BMS.

Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) is a 128-bit number used to identify information in computer systems.

Procedure

This section takes CentOS 7 as an example to describe how to change the disk identifier in the fstab file to UUID.

1. Log in to the BMS as user root. Run the blkid command to query all types of file systems that have been mounted to the BMS and UUIDs of the corresponding devices.

   /dev/sda2: UUID="4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130" TYPE="xfs"
   /dev/sda1: UUID="2de37c6b-2648-43b4-a4f5-40162154e135" TYPE="swap"

2. Run the cat /etc/fstab command to open the fstab file.

   /dev/sda2  /       xfs     defaults    0 0
   /dev/sda1  swap    swap    defaults    0 0

3. Check the disk identifier in the fstab file.
   • If the disk identifier is UUID, no further action is required.
   • If the disk identifier is the device name, go to 4.
4. Run the vi /etc/fstab command to open the fstab file, press i to enter editing mode, and change the disk identifier to UUID.

   UUID=4eb40294-4c6f-4384-bbb6-b8795bbb1130 /       xfs     defaults    0 0
   UUID=2de37c6b-2648-43b4-a4f5-40162154e135 swap    swap    defaults    0 0

   Press Esc and enter :wq to save and exit the file.