chroot man page on OSF1

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chroot(8)							     chroot(8)

NAME
       chroot - Changes the root directory of a command

SYNOPSIS
       /usr/sbin/chroot	 directory command

DESCRIPTION
       Only  root  can use the chroot command.	The chroot command changes the
       root directory from / to the specified directory when the command  exe‐
       cutes. (The command specified includes both the command name as well as
       any arguments.) Consequently, the root of any path (as indicated by the
       first  /	 (slash)  in  the pathname) changes to directory and is always
       relative to the current root.  Even if the chroot command is in effect,
       directory is relative to the current root of the running process.

       Several	programs  may not operate properly after chroot executes.  You
       must ensure that all vital files are present in the new root file  sys‐
       tem  and	 the relevant pathnames for the files map correctly in the new
       root file system.

       For example, the ls -l command fails to give user and  group  names  if
       the  new	 root  file system does not have a copy of the /etc/passwd and
       /etc/group files.  If the /etc/passwd and /etc/group files in  the  new
       root  file  system  represent  different user and group names, then the
       output from the ls -l command will be based on  those  names,  not  the
       ones  for  the  system's	 own  name database.  Utilities that depend on
       description files produced by the ctab command may  also	 fail  if  the
       required description files are not present in the new root file system.

       The  chroot  program  uses the execv() function to invoke the specified
       command. As a consequence, the command specified must be an  executable
       binary,	not a shell script.  Further, if the program requires indirect
       loading (for example, due to unresolved	symbols	 requiring  use	 of  a
       shared  library),  then	/sbin/loader  as well as any files it requires
       (for example, shared libraries) must be present in the  new  root  file
       system in the appropriate locations.

CAUTIONS
       If  special files in the new root have different major and minor device
       numbers than the initial root directory, it is  possible	 to  overwrite
       the file system.

EXAMPLES
       To run a subshell with another file system as the root, enter a command
       similar to the following.  Note in this example, the file system is  on
       the /dev/disk/dsk13a device and is mounted to /mnt/dsk13a:

	      chroot  /mnt/dsk13a  /sbin/sh

	      The  command  shown  in  the previous example specifies a change
	      from the	current	 root  file  system  to	 the  one  mounted  on
	      /mnt/dsk13a  while /sbin/sh (which itself is relative to the new
	      root file system) executes.  When /bin/sh executes, the original
	      root  file  system  is inaccessible.  The file system mounted on
	      /mnt/dsk13a must contain the standard directories of a root file
	      system.  In  particular,	the shell looks for commands in /sbin,
	      /bin, and /usr/bin (among others) on the new root file system.

	      Running the /sbin/sh command creates a subshell that runs	 as  a
	      separate	process from the original shell.  Press Ctrl-d to exit
	      the subshell and return to the original  shell.	This  restores
	      the environment of the original shell, including the meanings of
	      the current directory (.) and the root directory (/).  To run  a
	      command  in  another root file system and save the output on the
	      initial root file system, enter a command similar to the follow‐
	      ing.    Note  in	this  example,	the  file  system  is  on  the
	      /dev/disk/dsk13a device and is mounted to /mnt/dsk13a:

	      chroot  /mnt/dsk13a  /bin/cc  -E	/u/bob/prog.c  > prep.out

	      The previous command runs the /bin/cc command  with  /mnt/dsk13a
	      as   the	 specified   root   file   system.   It	 compiles  the
	      /mnt/dsk13a/u/bob/prog.c file, reads the #include files from the
	      /mnt/dsk13a/usr/include directory, and puts the compiled text in
	      the prep.out file on the initial root file system.  To create  a
	      file  relative to the original root rather than the new one, use
	      this syntax and enter:

	      chroot  directory command > file

FILES
       Specifies the command path.

SEE ALSO
       Commands: cc(1), cpp(1), ls(1), sh(1)

       Functions: chdir(2), chroot(2) exec(2)

								     chroot(8)
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                             _         _         _ 
                            | |       | |       | |     
                            | |       | |       | |     
                         __ | | __ __ | | __ __ | | __  
                         \ \| |/ / \ \| |/ / \ \| |/ /  
                          \ \ / /   \ \ / /   \ \ / /   
                           \   /     \   /     \   /    
                            \_/       \_/       \_/ 
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