Linux - How to Update Mount Options at Runtime

To update a mountpoint’s mount options at runtime, for example (root mountpoint), you need to use the “mount -o” command.

Let’s say I want to add disk quota to /, first let me check the existing mount options:

# mount
/dev/sda5 on / type ext4 (rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)

Then, update the /etc/fstab file:

# vi /etc/fstab
update
UUID=76bb9a66-b98a-42ff-9822-d8dfb7fabe78 /                       ext4    defaults        1 1
to
UUID=76bb9a66-b98a-42ff-9822-d8dfb7fabe78 /                       ext4    defaults,usrquota        1 1

Remount “/“:

# mount -o remount,usrquota /
# mount
/dev/sda5 on / type ext4 (rw,usrquota,usrquota)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)

Now you can see “/“ has usrquota option.