simple question from a very new user

[futari]

Hi,
I have mandrake installed on my computer and I am unable to access my floppy drive. When I click on the floppy icon I get the following message:- "unable to file:/mnt/floopy. You do not have access rights to this location"
I have logged in as the 'root' user and I still get the same error. In the file explorer the floppy directory has a padlock over it. Also my DVD/CD-RW drives have the same problem.
I sure the problem has a simple solution.....
James
A very new linux user :confused:

[Craig McPherson]

As root, you can use this command the mount the floppy disk:

mount -t auto /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy

/mnt/floppy must exist and should be an empty directory.

[bugfix]

What version of 'drake are you using? 8? Because I'd imagine it would auto-mount (recognise the files) on each drive. Try right-clicking on the drive and going down to 'mount' and trying again.

[futari]

Thanks Craig, you suggestion helped. I can now access my floppy. When I boot again will I have to add that command line in a consol to access my floppy? Why couldn't I access it in the first place?
Thanks
Bugfix:- I can't the information about what version of drake I have. Where do I have to look.
Thanks

James

[Craig McPherson]

You must always mount a floppy before you can use it. You must always unmount a floppy before you remove it, or else you're likely to not be able to use your floppy drive again until you reboot your system.

Here's how you unmount a floppy:

umount /dev/fd0

Remember to always unmount it before you remove the disk.

[futari]

Thanks Craig once again,
When I'm in XWindows (the graphical interface) do I need to mount and unmount the floppy or does it mount/unmount automatically?
Thanks
James

[futari]

Thanks Craig once again,
When I'm in XWindows (the graphical interface) do I need to mount and unmount the floppy or does it mount/unmount automatically?
Thanks
James

[Craig McPherson]

X has nothing to do with it. Mounting filesystems is something that happens at the kernel level. Some distributions may have GUI systems set up that attempt to mount the floppy automatically through a GUI interface, and the Redhat family has a program called "supermount" which I believe does something similar, but such things are ugly hacks and IMHO should be avoided.

[Linuxcool]

You might need to edit your /etc/fstab file to get the floppy icon to work. Could you post a copy a of your fstab file?

[Red Lotus]

I suggest you read the man pages for mount and fstab, as I did when I wanted to learn about mounting. fstab is a file (located at /etc/fstab), which gives you details about your partitions. You can also add information to fstab in order to make the mounting easier.

Again, read those man pages and you'll understand everything (if you pay close attention to the details).

[futari]

Hi Linuxcool,
If I post the file you have requested, what will you do with it? Not that I don't trust you, but I wouldn't want any one taking the file, mess with it and for me to have bug/virus/corrupt file problems.

James

[futari]

Hi Red Lotus, I give your suggestion a go. I'm still surprised the mounting of drives isn't automatic. I would have expected this with a graphical interface. Maybe I'm to used to Windows. :)

James

[Linuxcool]

futari, I just wanted to see if you had an entry for your floppy disk. You need to have an entry in there or your desktop icon can't mount the drive when you click on it. My floppy disk entry looks like this:

/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy vfat noauto,user,rw 0 0

When I click on my desktop icon, it will mount my floppy at ' /mnt/floppy ' and it will be file system ' vfat ' and it will be ' read/write '. The ' user ' part means that any user can mount the floppy and ' noauto ' means not to mount the floppy on boot up.

[ 23 September 2001: Message edited by: Linuxcool ]

[futari]

Hi Linuxcool, I'll have a look at the file you suggested and see whether that line of text is not. If I cannot find it or I have problems, I happy to send you the file. Where do I send to(ie email).
Thanks
James

[Linuxcool]

futari, the /etc/fstab file is a simple text file. You don't have to send it to me. All you do is copy and paste it into your next post. We can look at it and make suggestions as to what you should add and/or change. You just use a text editor to make the changes if you want to. To view the contents of the file use the command cat /etc/fstab. This will display the contents on the screen.

[futari]

Hi Linux cool,
Actually, A:drive has started working. I don't know why, MAybe I did something? It definatley wasn't working a couple of days ago. Up to today I have been using the Console to access the drive.
I finding it impossible to paste the text to this text box. If you wish you can send me your email address at futari@hotmail.com and I'll send you the text file.
Thanks heaps.
James