▁system ▁so ▁that ▁it ▁can ▁use ▁the ▁storage . ▁ ▁Unix - like ▁operating ▁systems ▁often ▁include ▁software ▁and ▁tools ▁that ▁assist ▁in ▁the ▁mount ing ▁process ▁and ▁provide ▁it ▁new ▁functionality . ▁Some ▁of ▁these ▁strateg ies ▁have ▁been ▁co ined ▁" auto - mount ing " ▁as ▁a ▁reflection ▁of ▁their ▁purpose . ▁ ▁In ▁many ▁situations , ▁file ▁systems ▁other ▁than ▁the ▁root ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁available ▁as ▁soon ▁as ▁the ▁operating ▁system ▁has ▁bo oted . ▁All ▁Unix - like ▁systems ▁therefore ▁provide ▁a ▁facility ▁for ▁mount ing ▁file ▁systems ▁at ▁boot ▁time . ▁System ▁administr ators ▁define ▁these ▁file ▁systems ▁in ▁the ▁configuration ▁file ▁f stab ▁( v f stab ▁in ▁Sol aris ), ▁which ▁also ▁indicates ▁options ▁and ▁mount ▁points . ▁ ▁In ▁some ▁situations , ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁need ▁to ▁mount ▁certain ▁file ▁systems ▁at ▁boot ▁time , ▁although ▁their ▁use ▁may ▁be ▁desired ▁there after . ▁There ▁are ▁some ▁util ities ▁for ▁Unix - like ▁systems ▁that ▁allow ▁the ▁mount ing ▁of ▁pre defined ▁file ▁systems ▁upon ▁demand . ▁ ▁Rem ov able ▁media ▁ ▁Rem ov able ▁media ▁have ▁become ▁very ▁common ▁with ▁micro comput er ▁platforms . ▁They ▁allow ▁programs ▁and ▁data ▁to ▁be ▁transferred ▁between ▁machines ▁without ▁a ▁physical ▁connection . ▁Common ▁examples ▁include ▁USB ▁mass ▁storage ▁( flash ▁drives ), ▁memory ▁cards , ▁CD - ROM s , ▁and ▁DVD s . ▁Util ities ▁have ▁therefore ▁been ▁developed ▁to ▁detect ▁the ▁presence ▁and ▁avail ability ▁of ▁a ▁medium ▁and ▁then ▁mount