linux - Does cloning clone also the old MAC address?

linux clone cloning

07
2014-07

Hadi

If I clone my Linux system to other computers will this also clone the old MAC address to the new computers?

EDIT: due to the answer below

I really know what is a MAC address... And sure Linux is a matter since everything in Linux is a file and thus a network card is just a file inside Linux filesystem and thus cloning byte by byte also may clone this file to other pc's making the new pc have the same MAC address of Old.

Second Edit

The MAC address is outside the Linux FS but there is a udev rule for MAC address which will be cloned and thus override the read MAC in the new System.

What I mean if you open the file /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules you can see:

# PCI device 0x8086:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:19.0 (e1000e)
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", DRIVERS=="?*", ATTR{address}=="xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx", ATTR{dev_id}=="0x0", ATTR{type}=="1", KERNEL=="eth*", NAME="eth0"

# PCI device 0x8086:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.5/0000:09:00.0 (e1000e)
SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", DRIVERS=="?*", ATTR{address}=="xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx", ATTR{dev_id}=="0x0", ATTR{type}=="1", KERNEL=="eth*", NAME="eth1"

Those are mine.

This file will be cloned to the new machine and thus it will override the real MAC and make the file system just read those MAC associated here instead of the real MAC.

Answers

user164384

Your MAC address is a hardware identifier for network cards and as such has nothing to to with your Linux system. The answer is no.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address

Related Question

linux - Script in udev rule doesn’t run

linux usb udev

Eric Heikes

I'm running Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) on a laptop and would like NumLock to automatically toggle depending on whether my USB keyboard is plugged in (numlock on) or unplugged (numlock off).

To accomplish this, I first installed the "numlockx" package. numlockx on and numlockx off works fine.

To hook into the device system, I thought I'd use udev. I have read "Writing udev rules", but I'm having trouble getting the udev rule to work.

First, here's an example of the dmesg output:

[20906.985102] usb 3-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 6
[20907.166403] usb 3-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[20907.192904] input: Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/input/input20
[20907.193100] microsoft 0003:045E:00DB.000B: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.11 Keyboard [Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input0
[20907.217810] input: Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
[20907.217979] microsoft 0003:045E:00DB.000C: input,hidraw2: USB HID v1.11 Device [Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000] on usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1

I used udevadm info to gather the device info:

> udevadm info -a -p /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21

  looking at device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21':
    KERNEL=="input21"
    SUBSYSTEM=="input"
    DRIVER==""
    ATTR{phys}=="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1"
    ATTR{uniq}==""
    ATTR{modalias}=="input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1':
    KERNELS=="3-2:1.1"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="usb"
    DRIVERS=="usbhid"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceNumber}=="01"
    ATTRS{bAlternateSetting}==" 0"
    ATTRS{bNumEndpoints}=="01"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceClass}=="03"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceSubClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bInterfaceProtocol}=="00"
    ATTRS{modalias}=="usb:v045Ep00DBd0173dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00"
    ATTRS{supports_autosuspend}=="1"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2':
    KERNELS=="3-2"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="usb"
    DRIVERS=="usb"
    ATTRS{configuration}==""
    ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 2"
    ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1"
    ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="a0"
    ATTRS{bMaxPower}=="100mA"
    ATTRS{urbnum}=="532"
    ATTRS{idVendor}=="045e"
    ATTRS{idProduct}=="00db"
    ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0173"
    ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00"
    ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1"
    ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="8"
    ATTRS{speed}=="1.5"
    ATTRS{busnum}=="3"
    ATTRS{devnum}=="6"
    ATTRS{version}==" 2.00"
    ATTRS{maxchild}=="0"
    ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0"
    ATTRS{authorized}=="1"
    ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3':
    KERNELS=="usb3"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="usb"
    DRIVERS=="usb"
    ATTRS{configuration}==""
    ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 1"
    ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1"
    ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="e0"
    ATTRS{bMaxPower}=="  0mA"
    ATTRS{urbnum}=="127"
    ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d6b"
    ATTRS{idProduct}=="0001"
    ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0206"
    ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="09"
    ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00"
    ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00"
    ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1"
    ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="64"
    ATTRS{speed}=="12"
    ATTRS{busnum}=="3"
    ATTRS{devnum}=="1"
    ATTRS{version}==" 1.10"
    ATTRS{maxchild}=="2"
    ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0"
    ATTRS{authorized}=="1"
    ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Linux 2.6.31-16-generic uhci_hcd"
    ATTRS{product}=="UHCI Host Controller"
    ATTRS{serial}=="0000:00:1a.0"
    ATTRS{authorized_default}=="1"

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0':
    KERNELS=="0000:00:1a.0"
    SUBSYSTEMS=="pci"
    DRIVERS=="uhci_hcd"
    ATTRS{vendor}=="0x8086"
    ATTRS{device}=="0x2937"
    ATTRS{subsystem_vendor}=="0x1558"
    ATTRS{subsystem_device}=="0x0860"
    ATTRS{class}=="0x0c0300"
    ATTRS{irq}=="16"
    ATTRS{local_cpus}=="ff"
    ATTRS{local_cpulist}=="0-7"
    ATTRS{modalias}=="pci:v00008086d00002937sv00001558sd00000860bc0Csc03i00"
    ATTRS{broken_parity_status}=="0"
    ATTRS{msi_bus}==""

  looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00':
    KERNELS=="pci0000:00"
    SUBSYSTEMS==""
    DRIVERS==""

So I created a file called /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:

# Turn on NumLock when keyboard is plugged in.
ACTION=="add", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft", SUBSYSTEM=="input", RUN+="/usr/bin/numlockx on"

# Turn off NumLock when keyboard is unplugged.
ACTION=="remove", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Microsoft", SUBSYSTEM=="input", RUN+="/usr/bin/numlockx off"

I have used udevadm test to verify that the rules are correct:

> udevadm test --action=add /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
run_command: calling: test
udevadm_test: version 147

[...]
parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules' as rules file
udev_rules_new: rules use 180864 bytes tokens (15072 * 12 bytes), 31614 bytes buffer
udev_rules_new: temporary index used 49760 bytes (2488 * 20 bytes)
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d7d80 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/sbin/modprobe -b $env{MODALIAS}' /lib/udev/rules.d/80-drivers.rules:5
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' /lib/udev/rules.d/90-hal.rules:2
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d8560 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1'
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x28d8708 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/usr/bin/numlockx on' /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:7
udevadm_test: UDEV_LOG=6
udevadm_test: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
udevadm_test: PRODUCT=3/45e/db/111
udevadm_test: NAME="Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000"
udevadm_test: PHYS="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1"
udevadm_test: UNIQ=""
udevadm_test: EV==10001f
udevadm_test: KEY==837fff 2c3027 bf004444 0 0 1 10f84 8a27c007 ff7f7bfa d9415fff febeffdf ffefffff ffffffff fffffffe
udevadm_test: REL==40
udevadm_test: ABS==1 0
udevadm_test: MSC==10
udevadm_test: MODALIAS=input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw
udevadm_test: ACTION=add
udevadm_test: SUBSYSTEM=input
udevadm_test: run: '/sbin/modprobe -b input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw'
udevadm_test: run: 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event'
udevadm_test: run: '/usr/bin/numlockx on'

And here's the "remove" test:

> udevadm test --action=remove /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21

run_command: calling: test
udevadm_test: version 147

[...]
parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules' as rules file
udev_rules_new: rules use 180864 bytes tokens (15072 * 12 bytes), 31614 bytes buffer
udev_rules_new: temporary index used 49760 bytes (2488 * 20 bytes)
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd2fd80 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event' /lib/udev/rules.d/90-hal.rules:2
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd2fff8 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1'
udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0xd30690 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2'
udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN '/usr/bin/numlockx off' /etc/udev/rules.d/usb-keyboard.rules:10
udevadm_test: UDEV_LOG=6
udevadm_test: DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/input/input21
udevadm_test: PRODUCT=3/45e/db/111
udevadm_test: NAME="Microsoft Natural® Ergonomic Keyboard 4000"
udevadm_test: PHYS="usb-0000:00:1a.0-2/input1"
udevadm_test: UNIQ=""
udevadm_test: EV==10001f
udevadm_test: KEY==837fff 2c3027 bf004444 0 0 1 10f84 8a27c007 ff7f7bfa d9415fff febeffdf ffefffff ffffffff fffffffe
udevadm_test: REL==40
udevadm_test: ABS==1 0
udevadm_test: MSC==10
udevadm_test: MODALIAS=input:b0003v045Ep00DBe0111-e0,1,2,3,4,14,k71,72,73,74,75,77,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8E,90,96,98,9B,9C,9E,9F,A1,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AB,AC,AD,AE,B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF,C0,C1,C2,CE,CF,D0,D1,D2,D5,D9,DB,DF,E2,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,F0,100,162,166,16A,16E,178,179,17A,17B,17C,17D,17F,180,181,182,185,18C,18D,192,193,195,1A0,1A1,1A2,1A3,1A4,1A5,1A6,1A7,1A8,1A9,1AA,1AB,1AC,1AD,1AE,1B0,1B1,1B7,r6,a20,m4,lsfw
udevadm_test: ACTION=remove
udevadm_test: SUBSYSTEM=input
udevadm_test: run: 'socket:@/org/freedesktop/hal/udev_event'
udevadm_test: run: '/usr/bin/numlockx off'

The problem is that when the keyboard is plugged in or unplugged, the NumLock status doesn't change. I have tried restarting the udev service, with no luck. Are my udev rules wrong? Am I going about this the wrong way?

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linux - Does cloning clone also the old MAC address?