[SOLVED!] Mounting Hard drives!!!!!

[andreasj64]

I deleted a couple of files which I backed up, and I need to move back into a directory from the command line. Everytime I try to do it though, I get a "Read-only file system" message.

I am trying the following command...

sudo cp fstab /etc

sudo cp fstab.pre-ntfs-config

[Snowhog]

Re: HELP!!!!!

You have two files - fstab and fstab.pre-ntfs-config you want to copy back into the /etc folder. Okay, easy enough.
From the console, ensure you are in the directory that contains these two files (your backup directory). Then type:

sudo cp fstab fstab.pre-ntfs-config /etc

You have to use sudo cp as the destination ( /etc ) is a directory containing files owned by root. As a non-root user you can't copy files there.

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

I figured it out...

I needed to open the files first, so linux could find the sudo user first. so, my first step was to open fstab, and then do a cp command...

I still can't seem to write to the drive though, which is getting a little frustrating....

[Snowhog]

Re: HELP!!!!!

Even if you open the files on your backup directory (they are owned by you, the non-root user almost assuredly), you have to do so as root if you intend to save them in a root owned directory. In 8.10 this isn't "straight forward" as I learned by trail and error, but still simple to do.

Alt+F2 and type: kdesudo /usr/bin/kate [path_to_your_backups]/fstab
This will launch Kate "as root" and open the file. You can then do a Save as... and point to /etc and it will be written to that directory. You can then just click on Open and select the other file and repeat the Save as... procedure.

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

I deleted the fstab.pre-ntfs-config file all together, because I think i generated that one intitially, and didn't really need it. I formatted the drive through gpart as ext3. still can't access it though...

[Snowhog]

Re: HELP!!!!!

Open a console and type:

sudo fdisk -l

(that's a lower case L)
Copy/paste the output into your reply.

Also, let's look at your fstab file:

cat /etc/fstab

Copy/paste the output into your reply.

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 18.3 GB, 18351959552 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2231 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6c6c6c6c

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2132 17125258+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2133 2231 795217+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 2133 2231 795186 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2d9c782f

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 4865 39078081 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 1 4865 39078049+ 83 Linux

cat /etc/fstab

britne@britne-desktop:~$ sudo cat /etc/fstab
UUID=a8d759a6-4d0f-46db-aea1-1ae2155e5fd1 / ext3 defaults 01
UUID=f148d532-7241-4e6f-8ff0-d92ac56c5e0a swap swap sw 0 0
UUID=b0098e7f-b258-462d-bacc-c013a95da281 /media/extra ext3 defaults0 0

/dev/scd1 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 noauto 0 0

The error I get when trying to mount now...

An error occurred while accessing 'extra', the system responded:
org.freedesktop.Hal.Dev
Device /dev/sdb5 is listed in /etc/fstab
Refusing to mount

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

I: know the sdb5 entry referred to the original ntfs volumes/partitions before I reformatted everything, so maybe the sdb5 entry is still looking for those partitions.

[Snowhog]

Re: HELP!!!!!

Good. Okay, need to more 'reports' from the console:

blkid

Copy/paste the output.

dir /media

Copy/paste the output.

[Snowhog]

Re: HELP!!!!!

I: know the sdb5 entry referred to the original ntfs volumes/partitions before I reformatted everything, so maybe the sdb5 entry is still looking for those partitions.

The results of blkid will confirm this (and I'm confident you are right).

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

blkid

/dev/ramzswap0: TYPE="swap"
/dev/sda5: TYPE="swap" UUID="f148d532-7241-4e6f-8ff0-d92ac56c5e0a"
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sdb5: LABEL="extra" UUID="b0098e7f-b258-462d-bacc-c013a95da281" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/sda1: UUID="a8d759a6-4d0f-46db-aea1-1ae2155e5fd1" TYPE="ext3"


dir /media

Back-Up\ Drive cdrom cdrom0 cdrom1

hmmm...

didn't realize Back-Up Drive was still there... it's an old name

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

I deleted 'Back-Up Drive' and I'm rebooting now, so give me a moment...

[Snowhog]

Re: HELP!!!!!

You are missing the extra mount-point in /media

Open a console and type:

sudo mkdir /media/extra

Then type:

sudo mount /media/extra

Then access the partition. You should now be able to.

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

rebooting...

failed attempt, but I was messing with mount manager that rewrote the fstab... I think I'm getting the hang of it though... I'm liking the flexibility to tinker on this level...

[andreasj64]

Re: HELP!!!!!

Now I get this error when I try and mount it in the terminal

mount: can't find media/extra in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab

Here's my mtab file

/dev/sda1 / ext3 rw 0 0
tmpfs /lib/init/rw tmpfs rw,nosuid,mode=0755 0 0
/proc /proc proc rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
varrun /var/run tmpfs rw,nosuid,mode=0755 0 0
varlock /var/lock tmpfs rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777 0 0
udev /dev tmpfs rw,mode=0755 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=620 0 0
fusectl /sys/fs/fuse/connections fusectl rw 0 0
lrm /lib/modules/2.6.27-7-generic/volatile tmpfs rw,mode=755 0 0
securityfs /sys/kernel/security securityfs rw 0 0