diff --git a/customization/bind-dirs.md b/customization/bind-dirs.md
index 77ce2cba..06280d99 100644
--- a/customization/bind-dirs.md
+++ b/customization/bind-dirs.md
@@ -8,14 +8,19 @@ redirect_from:
# How to make any file in a TemplateBasedVM persistent using bind-dirs #
-## What is bind-dirs.sh? ##
+## What is bind-dirs? ##
-With [bind-dirs.sh](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-core-agent-linux/blob/master/vm-systemd/bind-dirs.sh)
-you can make arbitrary files or folders persistent in TemplateBasedVMs.
+With [bind-dirs](https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-core-agent-linux/blob/master/vm-systemd/bind-dirs.sh)
+any arbitrary files or folders can be made persistent in TemplateBasedVMs.
## What is it useful for? ##
-For example, it is useful for Whonix, sys-whonix, where [Tor's data dir /var/lib/tor has been made persistent in the TemplateBased ProxyVM sys-whonix](https://github.com/Whonix/qubes-whonix/blob/8438d13d75822e9ea800b9eb6024063f476636ff/usr/lib/qubes-bind-dirs.d/40_qubes-whonix.conf#L5). So sys-whonix does not require to be a StandaloneVM. And therefore can benefit from the Tor anonymity feature 'persistent Tor entry guards' without the overhead of a StandaloneVM.
+In a TemplateBasedVM all of the file system comes from the template except /home and /usr/local.
+This means that changes in the rest of the filesystem are lost when the TemplateBasedVM is shutdown.
+bind-dirs provides a mechanism whereby files usually taken from the template can be persisted across reboots.
+
+For example, in Whonix, [Tor's data dir /var/lib/tor has been made persistent in the TemplateBased ProxyVM sys-whonix](https://github.com/Whonix/qubes-whonix/blob/8438d13d75822e9ea800b9eb6024063f476636ff/usr/lib/qubes-bind-dirs.d/40_qubes-whonix.conf#L5).
+In this way sys-whonix can benefit from the Tor anonymity feature 'persistent Tor entry guards' but does not have to be a StandaloneVM.
## Minimum Qubes Version ##
@@ -29,26 +34,18 @@ Inside your TemplateBasedVM.
sudo mkdir -p /rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d
-2. Create a file `/rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d/50_user.conf` with root rights inside a VM.
+2. Create a file `/rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d/50_user.conf` with root rights inside a TemplateBasedVM.
- sudo nano /rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d/50_user.conf
-
-3. Append a folder or file to the `binds` variable. In the following example we are using folder `/var/lib/tor`. You can replace that folder with a folder of your choice.
-
- binds+=( '/var/lib/tor' )
-
-In the following example we are using file `/etc/tor/torrc`. You can replace that file with a file of your choice.
-
- binds+=( '/etc/tor/torrc' )
-
-Multiple configuration lines, files and folders supported. For example, you could use both.
+3. Edit the file 50_user.conf to append a folder or file name to the `binds` variable. (In the following example we are using folder `/var/lib/tor`. You can replace that name with a folder or file name of your choice.)
binds+=( '/var/lib/tor' )
binds+=( '/etc/tor/torrc' )
+Multiple entries are possible, each on a separate line.
+
4. Save.
-5. Reboot your TemplateBasedVM.
+5. Reboot the TemplateBasedVM.
6. Done.
@@ -60,16 +57,32 @@ If you added for example folder `/var/lib/tor` to the `binds` variable, from now
* `/etc/qubes-bind-dirs.d` (intermediate priority, for template wide configuration)
* `/rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d` (highest priority, for per VM configuration)
+## How does it work? ##
+
+bind-dirs.sh is called on startup of a TemplateBasedVM, and configuration files in the configuration folders above are parsed to build a bash array.
+Files or folders identified in the array are copied to /rw/bind-dirs if they do not already exist there, and are then bind mounted over the original files/folders.
+
+Creation of the file and folders in /rw/bind-dirs should be automatic the first time the TemplateBasedVM is restarted after configuration.
+
+If you want to circumvent this process, you can create the relevant filestructure under /rw/bind-dirs and make any changes at the same time that you perform the configuration, before reboot.
+
+
## Limitations ##
-* Files that exist in the TemplateVM root image cannot be made deleted in the TemplateBasedVMs root image using bind-dirs.sh.
-* Does not work if the file / folder in question does not already exist in the root image. I.e. a file that does not exist in the root image cannot be bind mounted in the TemplateBasedVM.
-* Re-running `sudo /usr/lib/qubes/bind-dirs.sh` without previous `sudo /usr/lib/qubes/bind-dirs.sh umount` does not work.
-* Running `sudo /usr/lib/qubes/bind-dirs.sh umount` after boot (before shutdown) is probably not sane and nothing can be done about that.
+* Files that exist in the TemplateVM root image cannot be deleted in the TemplateBasedVMs root image using bind-dirs.sh.
+* The file / folder in question must already exist in the root image. I.e. a file that does not exist in the root image cannot be bind mounted in the TemplateBasedVM.
+* Re-running `sudo /usr/lib/qubes/bind-dirs.sh` without a previous `sudo /usr/lib/qubes/bind-dirs.sh umount` does not work.
+* Running 'sudo /usr/lib/qubes/bind-dirs.sh umount' after boot (before shutdown) is probably not sane and nothing can be done about that.
+* Many editors create a temporary file and copy it over the original file. If you have bind mounted an individual file this will break the mount.
+Any changes you make will not survive a reboot. If you think it likely you will want to edit a file, then either include the parent directory in bind-dirs.rather than the file, or perform the file operation on the file in /rw/bind-dirs.
+* Some files are altered when a qube boots - e.g. /etc/hosts. If you try to use bind-dirs on such files you may break your qube in unpredictable ways.
+
## How to remove binds from bind-dirs.sh? ##
-`binds` is actually just a bash variable (an array) and the bind-dirs.sh configuration folders are `source`d as bash snippets in lexical order. Therefore if you wanted to remove an existing entry from the `binds` array, you could do that by using a lexically higher configuration file. For example, if you wanted to make `/var/lib/tor` non-persistent in `sys-whonix` without manually editing [`/usr/lib/qubes-bind-dirs.d/40_qubes-whonix.conf`](https://github.com/Whonix/qubes-whonix/blob/master/usr/lib/qubes-bind-dirs.d/40_qubes-whonix.conf), you could use the following.
+`binds` is actually just a bash variable (an array) and the bind-dirs.sh configuration folders are `source`d as bash snippets in lexical order.
+Therefore if you wanted to remove an existing entry from the `binds` array, you could do that by using a lexically higher configuration file.
+For example, if you wanted to make `/var/lib/tor` non-persistant in `sys-whonix` without manually editing [`/usr/lib/qubes-bind-dirs.d/40_qubes-whonix.conf`](https://github.com/Whonix/qubes-whonix/blob/master/usr/lib/qubes-bind-dirs.d/40_qubes-whonix.conf), you could use the following.
`/rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d/50_user.conf`