The /dev directory

The /dev directory contains special device files that control access to peripheral devices.

There are several subdirectories to the /dev directory. Each of these subdirectories holds special device files related to a certain type of device. For example, the /dev/dsk directory contains device files for floppy and hard disks. The operating system supports both XENIX and UNIX system device naming conventions. Where appropriate, the files in the /dev/dsk directories are linked to the device files that exist in /dev. You can access the same device through the file in /dev or the file for the same device in a subdirectory of /dev.

Commonly-used /dev device nodes

UNIX device	XENIX device	Name
/dev/console	-	system console
/dev/rdsk/	/dev/r	raw devices
/dev/dsk/0s0	/dev/hd00	entire disk on drive 0
/dev/dsk/0s1	/dev/hd01	first disk partition on drive 0
/dev/dsk/0s2	/dev/hd02	second disk partition on drive 0
/dev/dsk/1s0	/dev/hd10	entire disk on drive 1
/dev/dsk/1s1	/dev/hd11	first disk partition on drive 1
/dev/dsk/1s2	/dev/hd12	second disk partition on drive 1
/dev/dsk/f05d9	/dev/fd048ds9	360K floppy drive 0
/dev/dsk/f05q	/dev/fd096ds9	720K floppy drive 0
/dev/dsk/f05h	/dev/fd096ds15	1.2MB floppy drive 0
/dev/dsk/f03h	/dev/fd0135ds18	1.44MB floppy drive 0
/dev/lp	-	lineprinter
/dev/kmem	-	kernel virtual memory
/dev/mem	-	physical memory
/dev/null	-	null device
/dev/rmt0	/dev/rct0	default cartridge tape device
	/dev/rft0	QIC-40 tape device
	/dev/rctmini	minicartridge tape device
/dev/root	-	root file structure
/dev/swap	-	swap area
/dev/ptypnn		pseudo-tty (master)
/dev/ttypnn		pseudo-tty (slave)
/dev/ttynn		console multiscreen
/dev/tty1a	-	main serial line
/dev/tty2a	-	alternate serial line
/dev/tty1A	-	main serial line (modem control)
/dev/tty2A	-	alternate serial line (modem control)