'Feature only available with HAL' as i mount drives as Root

**douche** · 10-25-2007, 09:45 PM

This happens when i am logged in as Root. What does that mean? How can i fix this? I installed Knoppix v5.1.1 to my hard disk as a Debian-based system. I was having so many issues, but thanks to these forums, i've solved most of them. But, the above serious problem remains.

Also, as a user, i can NOT mount ANY Hard disks, either. I'm told i have NO permission:

"could not mount device the error report was:
error opening partition device: permission denied
failed to startup volume: permission denied
couldn't mount device '/dev/sda1': permission denied
mount failed"

Reading these forums, i found that if i type this code into a Root Shell, i can mount a drive: "mount /dev/xdax /media/xdax -t ntfs -o umask=0222." But, i have to do this for EACH drive, and furthermore, upon reboot i have to do it all over again. How would i make a startup script so each time i boot it'll let me mount drives? OR do i need to edit some file to able to mount a drive?

Thanks.

**Harry Kuhman** · 10-25-2007, 09:50 PM

Please see answer #7.

**douche** · 10-25-2007, 11:32 PM

There. Sorry for the vague subject line. I was going to originally post the subject like this, but since i had MORE than one problem, i couldn't fit both of them in the subject line. I've decided that the first problem is much more of an issue.

**Harry Kuhman** · 10-26-2007, 12:16 AM

Thanks for making the subject change.

If you have multiple unrelated questions, feel free to start multiple threads. This would be the best way to cary on conversations about each issue without causing confusion.

I can't help you with any problems related to installing Knoppix to hard disk though. Maybe someone else can help. The only advice on this subject that I can offer is that Knoppix hard disk installs are very frequently plagued with problems that they shouldn't have, and that installing Debian instead will likely avoid these problems. Of course, I'm not saying that Debian is the right choice of a distro for everyone, but it's the closest distro to Knoppix that is intended for hard disk install.

**rvijay** · 04-19-2008, 06:09 PM

While logged in as user, I opened a console and then went su, then mounted the DVD. This solved the issue and I was able to access the DVD from then on as user.

Hope this helps.

For a permanent solution it appears that the settings change in /etc/fstab and /etc/mtab will help. I am not sure exactly what though. I am happy with the solution I found for this for now.

Wonder what other problems plague HD install of Knoppix ? It would be helpful to know about them.

**cbagger01** · 04-19-2008, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by rvijay

While logged in as user, I opened a console and then went su, then mounted the DVD. This solved the issue and I was able to access the DVD from then on as user.

Hope this helps.

For a permanent solution it appears that the settings change in /etc/fstab and /etc/mtab will help. I am not sure exactly what though. I am happy with the solution I found for this for now.

Wonder what other problems plague HD install of Knoppix ? It would be helpful to know about them.

For many installs of KNOPPIX (and livecd) the /etc/fstab is autodetected and rebuilt from scratch every time that you boot up the computer. This will "undo" any changes that you make to the /etc/fstab file at your next bootup.

If you need to change this behavior add the cheatcode

nofstab

to your boot command line.