Automatically distinguish difference between multiple HDDs in linux?

Posted by Jakobud on Super User See other posts from Super User or by Jakobud
Published on 2010-02-14T07:38:35Z Indexed on 2010/03/15 7:50 UTC
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Filed under:

linux

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ubuntu

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usb-drive

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external-harddrive

I'm running Ubuntu Server 9.10. I have two external USB HDDs. I use them each for different backup reasons. So certain data gets stored on one HDD, and different information gets stored on the other HDD.

I want to make a script that can look at the external HDD can determine which HDD it is, so that it can copy the proper information to it. Is there a way for Linux to determine this? Like if I see one HDD as /dev/sdc1, then unplug it and plug in the other HDD, should Linux see it as /dev/sdd1 or will it be /dev/sdc1?

I'm a bit of a Linux newb and I don't quite understand how it determines the /dev/sdxx values that it assigns to drives.

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