A system has one hard disk, configured as master and connected to the primary IDE controller, and one CD writer, configured as slave and connected to the secondary IDE controller. If the system is…

Question

Options

• A/dev/scd0
• B/dev/hdd
• C/dev/hdb
• D/dev/sr1
• E/dev/scd1

• A
  5% (1)
• B
  81% (17)
• C
  5% (1)
• E
  10% (2)

Explanation

Option B is correct because Linux names IDE (PATA) devices using the pattern /dev/hd[a-d] based on controller position: a=Primary Master, b=Primary Slave, c=Secondary Master, d=Secondary Slave. The CD writer is Slave on the Secondary IDE controller, making it the 4th device in that sequence - /dev/hdd.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• C (/dev/hdb) is the most tempting trap - it's the Slave position, but on the Primary controller, which is where the hard disk's controller lives (the hard disk itself is /dev/hda).
• A (/dev/scd0) and E (/dev/scd1) use the SCSI CD-ROM naming scheme (scd), which doesn't apply to IDE-connected devices.
• D (/dev/sr1) is also a SCSI/SATA removable device name - again, wrong bus type for an IDE device.

Memory tip: Think of the four IDE slots as letters a–d in order: Primary Master (a), Primary Slave (b), Secondary Master (c), Secondary Slave (d). Just count your way to the right slot - the CD writer is the last of four, so it gets the last letter: d.

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