Can't Delete or Rename on ext HDD

Discussion in 'Acer Aspire One' started by oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008.

  1. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    I have connected up an external hdd to my linux AA1, installed the ntfs-3g thing so it would recognise it.

    All great, it sees it perfectly and opens the items on it etc, however, when I right click the delete and rename options are greyed out, also if I go to the permissions tab everything is greyed out and it wil not let me change anything.

    Seems quite a simple task, yet I am having problems!!
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  2. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    I kinda need to sort this by the end of this evening! - Can anyone give me any pointers?

    Thanks!
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  3. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    Maybe you'll need to change the permissions on the mount point for that drive? Does it mount in /media ? Go there: cd /media and then do ls -l to see what's there and the permission settings. Post results here.

    Another possibility is that some udev rule needs to be changed/created for a ntfs device allowing r/w for everyone when the drive is mounted.

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  4. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    The results of ls -l in user@localhost media is:

    What ever that means!
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  5. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    I don't use ntfs drives, so don't have direct experience. There is an utility called ntfs-config used by Ubuntu users to set permissions on ntfs drives both internal and external drives. See this ...

    http://flomertens.free.fr/ntfs-config/screen.html

    However it appears to only be available in DEB files for Linux distros based on Debian. Maybe someone has made it available for Fedora 8 systems? Google it.

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  6. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    Appears that everyone has read, write and execute permissions on that drive. What more is needed for ntfs, I'm not sure. Read my last reply above.

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  7. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    ntfs-config is available through the Linpus package manager. Here's the description of the package:

    Install the package, run the program and you should be good to go.

    Install from terminal:

    sudo yum install ntfs-config

    after it finishes installing in terminal do:

    sudo ntfs-config


    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  8. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    Hmm, I now get a failed to mount error -

    mount: only root can mount /dev/sdb1 on media/portableseagate

    ?!
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  9. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    When do u get this? When running ntfs-config, after running it and trying to mount the drive?

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  10. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    after I have run it and am attempting to access the drive through my documents.

    this is pretty bad, it was bad enough not being able to write, but not being able to read would be a nightmare! - I have circa 15hours of travelling in the next 2 days!!

    When I did the auto configure thing it said the device was busy, did I want to use lazy unmount, so I ticked yes, it still winged so I cancelled. Now I can't access it!
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  11. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    When you open My Documents, the filemanager Thunar starts. Does it show the ext drive in the left panel? That's where it should show up.

    With Thunar open, unplug and replug the ext drive or turn it off and on. Does it mount and show up then in left panel?

    I can stick with you for a bit longer today on this thing, so let me know the results of above. Not working, we look further into what's going on.

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  12. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    Yes, it does show up on the left - but not as before - just as portable seagate, not with the little circle you use to 'eject it'

    I tried unplugging and plugging it in with the file manager open, the same popup appears - Failed to Mount
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  13. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    Do you have IM setup yet on the Acer, so we can chat in realtime? Like through a gmail talk account? If not, do you have another way, say through an IRC client? Another computer running IRC where we can connect through my IRC channel? Would make things alot faster and easier than posting here. But if not, we can stick with this rather slow means.

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  14. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    I have msn or aim which I could use?
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  15. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    Darn, I have neither. Do mine through google talk. What IM client you using?

    Another idea, got a computer with Java installed? I can get you into my IRC chat room, through your web browser.

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  16. oldskooladdict

    oldskooladdict

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    yup, the pc I am sitting in front of now... :)
     
    oldskooladdict, Sep 4, 2008
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  17. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    rbil, Sep 4, 2008
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  18. oldskooladdict

    guazzoni

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    Did you guys solve this in the end?
    It seems i might have the same problem.

    I installed ntfs-config with the help of the package manager in linpus. I am now able to access the external disk but only after a reboot.
    If I just plug them in they are recognized but i get a similar message when i try to access them:
    Also, when i have done the reboot and have used the disk i'm unable to unmount them.
    What should/can i do to solve this problem?
    (i ran ubuntu on my previous laptop and this never posed any problem)
     
    guazzoni, Sep 9, 2008
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  19. oldskooladdict

    rbil

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    Although I have no ntfs drive here, I've been trying to help oldskooladdict with his problem, via IRC. Before we could resolve it, he had to leave on vacation. I left a PM for him with another suggestion he can try, but I have yet to hear back from him, as to whether that helped or not. If you want to try it, here's what I suggested he try:

    Edit the /etc/fstab file and make a change there.

    Here's the steps to editing it, in case you don't know the process.

    Make a backup of the file first:

    sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.backup

    Then edit the file:

    sudo mousepad /etc/fstab

    find the line that looks like this:

    /dev/sdb1 /media/portableseagate ntfs-3g defaults,nosuid,nodev,locale=en_GB.UTF-8,ro 0 0

    (note: your locale may vary, so make sure to be aware of what that should be on your system).

    and comment out that line by adding a # character at the beginning of the line. Then below that line add this line to replace it:

    /dev/sdb1 /media/portableseagate ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_GB.utf8 0 0

    (note: that locale= again).

    Save the file and reboot the computer. With the ntfs drive plugged in, see whether that then allows you to read and WRITE to the drive.

    BTW you can always unmount the drive by doing this:

    sudo umount /dev/sdb1

    Cheers.
     
    rbil, Sep 9, 2008
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  20. oldskooladdict

    guazzoni

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    Thanks for your reply.
    I haven't tried yet your solution, but i'll do so one of the following days and will post here on the result.

    But, and of course this works, you reminded me of the fact i can always mount/unmount the disk by using the terminal. Way more practical than rebooting...
     
    guazzoni, Sep 10, 2008
    #20
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