(Noob) fstab mount question...

[Cuddles]

Ok, I just thought I messed up my complete Knoppix HD Install because I changed/added a bad entry into my fstab - I have Knoppix install on hda1, hda2 is a DOS partition (vfat).

I accidently got both hda1 and hda2 to point to the same mount point, and thought my system was fried...

So, hmmmmm, so I don't do THAT again, what would I put as an entry for my hda2 partition in the fastab? Hda2 is not bootable, but I would like to run things (exec), write, and of course, read, files on the device.

I thought my (invalid and is what casused my Knoppix to get Permission Denied messages, and lock up -=- see Post under HDD Install - Titled "Knoppix 3.3 gets ... Permission Denied (solved)" for more information on this catastrophe) ... my invalid fstab entry was such...

/dev/hda2 / vfat defaults,user,exec 0 0

I think

I would like the device to be mounted, on boot, if possible, and accessed by all users, if at all possible.

Thanks, and hopefully the next boot, after the change, I have a active (vfat) partition, but am not booting it within Knoppix, as I think my previous was doing,
Cuddles

[tearinghairout]

Cuddles
I am glad you managed to get your system sorted out again. I read your earlier post and have since been trying to think of what might have gone wrong but couldn't come up with any ideas.

What you need to do is change the / to something else. Exactly what you change it to is up to you, but you just need to make sure that it is the name of an empty directory somewhere.

Maybe you could create a directory called /dos or /opt/dos or /usr/dos or /home/dos or whatever. Then you change the slash in the fstab entry to be the name of the directory you created.

eg.
/dev/hda2 /home/dos vfat defaults,user,exec 0 0

When you mount the filesystem, the files and folders will then appear in that directory.

THO

[Cuddles]

Thanks THO, that did the trick... I can see the device now, and even mounted it, and viewed the DOS contents... Now the tricky part, the reboot... (crossing fingers)

The more I learn about Linux, the more (strange) and interesting it is...

Creating files/folders for devices, now, at least, I know why so many folders (like cdrom and cdrom1) are empty - the folders are "place holders" - in essence - for the device to "push its data" into? (is that a correct terminology?) Is this how Linux is setup? Using folders to contain destinations for devices when they are mounted? ( if it is, I think I am starting to get the hang of this OS )

Oh well, Thanks again TearingHairOut, you saved my fanny -=- again...
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

Rebooted, root can access and read and everything else the hda2

Upon going into Knoppix account, hda2 is mounted, I can create an icon to it but when I try to open it, I get access denied.

What do I have to set the privileges to ??
Cuddles

[tearinghairout]

Creating files/folders for devices, now, at least, I know why so many folders (like cdrom and cdrom1) are empty - the folders are "place holders" - in essence - for the device to "push its data" into? (is that a correct terminology?) Is this how Linux is setup? Using folders to contain destinations for devices when they are mounted? ( if it is, I think I am starting to get the hang of this OS )

Yeah, this is pretty much exactly it.

Those empty folders - the "place holders" - are what I would refer to as a mount point. And then the filesystems are, well, "mounted" on the mount point.

This is the mechanism used by UNIX, and all the derivates such as Linux, BSD etc.

[tearinghairout]

Have a look at the permissions of the mount point. I suggest you unmount hda3 first.
I guess it should be 777.

[fingers99]

Try adding yourself to the disk group (in /etc/group)

I can never get on with the binary(?) demarcation, but my (seperate) home partition is owned by root (in the staff group). In Kde, the permisions are like this:

x     x    x    0

 x     0    x    0

 x     0    x    0

more importantly, my own directory (/home/john) is owned by john in group john and has the same permissions.

The /etc/fstab entry reads:

/dev/hdc3 /home ext3 auto 0 0

[rusty]

I had a similar problem trying to get a user to be able to read and write a vfat partition.

As root, I chmod 777 /mnt/hdx but as the user, the icon wouldn't allow access.

Out of frustration, or lack of a better solution, As user I simply right clicked on the desktop icon for the partiton, clicked on the device tab, clicked on the arrow (down), chose the partition and everything worked. Worth a try..

[Cuddles]

COOL I T W O R K S

I had a look in "group" file, all users are in the proper group, set up on the device...

Checked the mount point permissions, /usr/dos -=- that was the trick, ls -l reported the directory as:

drwxrwsr-x

so I did a chmod 777 /usr/dos -=- and now it looks like this:

drwxrwxrwx

I also needed to change the permissions on the desktop icons as well, they showed up as -rwxr-xr-- -=- I think, so I changed those to the same as a chmod 777 would have done...

I popped into my user accounts, did the icon change, and whamo - we got it...

I think I am going to take a little break now... (I think I have used up my allocation of resources here, for at least a few weeks... But... What I am probably going to do is, install a second 2.0 gig hard drive as a secondary, which already has Win98 installed on it - and then I will need some input on what I can do with this DOS partition in Linux - considering its 1.5 gig of space, anyone have any ideas????)

Oh well, I just want to get my DOS program running happy first, then I can go after what to do with the DOS partition for Knoppix/Linux... I will probably be around, lurking, seeing if I can help some people out here, but I don't see posting any new questions, or problems, within the next few weeks....

Everyone, thank you for all the help, and getting me going again ( K U D O ' S for EVERYONE :! )
Cuddles

[fingers99]

I had suggested your little hard drive as a seperate /home, but it'll be far too small for that. How about (depending on the size of your collection, of course) using it for ogg/mp3 storage? My collection is pretty big, but I'm looking at using one of my old 6 or 10 gig drives for that (frees up a little space of my 100gig /home partition and will make backup strategies a little easier).