how do you create additional loop devices?

[mungwana]

None of these options worked for either but after reading up a bit on the matter I found that the loop module has been included in the latest linux kernel and needed to be changed there.

I am using Ubuntu 9.10.

What I did was is edit /etc/defaults/grub

and added the code max_loop=64 just after the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT="10"
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash max_loop=64"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

* Don't forget to close the ( " ) after the max_loop=64 part!!

Saved it then ran update-grub and rebooted the machine and thats it.

You can run ls /dev/loop* just to check it but you should see a total of 64 shiny new loop devices.

[tim000]

Here is how I increased loops in GRUB2 in Lupid, it worked.

First see how many loops you have with this command
ls /dev/loop*

Then edit this grub module 10_linux
gedit /etc/grub.d/10_linux

Inside 10_linux, find the line that looks simular to the line below
linux ${rel_dirname}/${basename} root=${linux_root_device_thisversion} ro ${args}

Make the lline look like this -
linux ${rel_dirname}/${basename} root=${linux_root_device_thisversion} ro ${args} max_loop=64

Save it, 10_linux

Remember to run the command below (to incorporate the change)
grub-update

ReBoot your system and rerun this command you should see 64 loops
ls /dev/loop*

[yohoho46]

I have mixed results doing this. On a ovh server at some point in time the server will cease to boot. So far I have never been able to get any one of several back to booting again, so that means I reload the entire server to fix the issue.

Since ovh has some rescue tools it is possible to salvage all the data, but even a reinstall of grub will not get the os partition to ever boot again.

Any thoughts why this would cause a new stable install of ubuntu to never boot again?

[scotjam1981]

Mungwana's solution worked for me on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise) - thanks for your insight!