Knoppix can't read the hard disk filesystem type?

**GuessWho** · 05-24-2005, 01:41 PM

Hey. I'm new to knoppix, got it a week ago. I've got a few problems though.

first, I can't access my harddrives. when i click ''Hard Disk (sda) /mnt/sda/", a box shows up:

"/dev/sda: Input/output error

mount: I could not determine the filesystem type, and none was specified

Please check that the disk is entered correctly."

Of course, It is entered correctly, since i also use windows. could this be the problem? I've read on the web about knoppix being able to read almost all disks. These are SATA Drives, and I am no hardware freak, so i do not really know anything about what SATA is, But could that be the problem? I think the filesystem is FAT32, if that could be the problem. also, i can click "Hard disk (sys) /sys/" but i get another box with the text:

"mount: only root can mount /sys on /sys

please check that the disk is entered correctly"

My other problem, (probably depending on this one) is that i can't save knoppix configuration. I've done it on a floppy disk, but when i type "knoppix myconfig=/mnt/auto/floppy", it makes an attempt to load the config, but it doesn't find the dir. and "knoppix myconfig=scan" doesn't work either, it won't find anything.

And, this is not necessary, But i'd like to have sound enabled... is it possible with a live-cd?

if you come up with an answer to these problems, please keep in mind that i cannot download any bigger files, since I'm using a 56k.

Please help a learning Newbie.

Thanks, GuessWho.

**angor** · 05-25-2005, 06:30 AM

GuessWho,

I won't be able to fix your problems, but I'll try to provide some pointers, and perhaps others may weigh in with their opinions.

SATA problem: First of all, there is a problem with the drive name; it should not be sda but sdaX (X stands for a number, e.g.
sda1). sda is the device itself, not the filesystem on that device. Also, there are two mutually exclusive drivers for SATA
and it just might be that your Knoppix version uses the wrong one for you. I don't think you can do anything about this, at least not as long as you're running from CD (and I'm not suggesting a HD installation on a system where the hardware is not
properly supported).

Aside from that, it's not very helpful that FAT32 is not a problem.

Your sound problem could simply be that the volume is set to zero - try KMenu->Multimedia->Kmix.

Sorry for not being able to be of real help.