NTFS Partitions and Ubunutu - Still a problem.

Soldato
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Hey all.

I am still having issues mounting my NTFS partitions to Ubuntu. I did try mounting it manually with the following: mount - t ntfs-3g...(can't remember the rest)

And it gives me the following error:

Mount: Only root can do that.

:confused:

Using Ubuntu 7:10.

Any ideas?

Many thanks! :D
 
On UNIX and Unix-like systems the administrative user is called root. Root is the user that has all permissions and can do anything. In order to change system files and do things that would effect all users of a system, root must execute the operation.

On Ubuntu you never actually log in as root (unless you really want to), but instead you preface a command with sudo, sometimes said to stand for Super User DO, to execute that command as the root user.

For example, apt-get update doesn't run when you are logged in as yourself. It does run when you call it as sudo apt-get update.
 
I tried that command, all it seems to do is give me more information (Useless ) on the whole mount command. It however doesn't want to mount the USB or NTFS files. If I try edit the fstab file it says I do not have permissions to do so....:S

Really confused here, guys. :(
 
Open up a terminal and type:

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

Now add the line to the bottom:

/dev/sda4 /*location*/*location* ext3 defaults 0 2

/*location*/*location* should say the location of the mounted folder

You may have to create that folder first

ie I create a file in /home/brummie called NTFS so the line i add to /etc/fstab is

/dev/sda2 /home/brummie/NTFS ext3 defaults 0 2



Make any sense?
 
Last edited:
Open up a terminal and type:

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

Now add the line to the bottom:

/dev/sda4 /*location*/*location* ext3 defaults 0 2

/*location*/*location* should say the location of the mounted folder

You may have to create that folder first

ie I create a file in /home/brummie called NTFS so the line i add to /etc/fstab is

/dev/sda2 /home/brummie/NTFS ext3 defaults 0 2



Make any sense?

If he is trying to mount an NTFS volume, he will need 'ntfs-3g' not 'ext3' as the partition type.

Ice On Fire:
What were the 'more errors' you got when running:
$> sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/(hdax or sdax) /path/you/want/to/mount/it/to

As these may help us sort the problem for you.

//TrX
 
Hi TrX.

I've just had to reinstall my Linux system, once it's up I will copy & past the other errors I am getting. :)

Appreciate the help, guys!
 
Open up a terminal and type:

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

Now add the line to the bottom:

/dev/sda4 /*location*/*location* ext3 defaults 0 2

/*location*/*location* should say the location of the mounted folder

You may have to create that folder first

ie I create a file in /home/brummie called NTFS so the line i add to /etc/fstab is

/dev/sda2 /home/brummie/NTFS ext3 defaults 0 2



Make any sense?

That won't work, for one the filesystem isn't ext3, it's NTFS so putting that into the /etc/fstab will screw up the mount. Furthermore, how do you know it is sda4? The partition could (almost) be anything.

Firstly, run the command

sudo fdisk -l

(the last character being a lower case L)

This will give you a list of all the partitions available on your computer, mounted or unmounted. They should all be in the form /dev/sd{a,b,c,...}X or /dev/hd{a,b,c,...}X (e.g. /dev/hda1 or /dev/sdb3). Basically the a,b,c bit indicates which hard drive the partition is on (so if you have only one hard drive it'll almost certainly be /dev/hdaX or /dev/sdaX) and the 'X' bit is the partition number. Have a look at the table and see which one is the same as the partition you want to mount and write that down somewhere. It's very important you get that right, if create a conflicting line in the fstab you'll have problems.

Another important factor is that you have to specify a directory to which you will be able to access the hard drive. I don't know if you know this or not but how linux manages partitions is very different to windows. In linux you specify a folder in which every time you access it you get the entire contents or the partition. So for example if you mounted a partition to '/home/dave/stuff', then everytime you accessed 'stuff' whilst the partition was mounted you would be shown the entire contents of the partition. If you knew that my apologies, but it's quite important.

So before we can mount the drive we need to create the directory in which we will mount it. If you've already got one in mind that's fair enough, just make sure the permissions are alright (i.e. you can read and write to it) and that it's completely empty. If you haven't you can create one using the command:

mkdir /path/to/your/directory/

Btw, don't put sudo in front of this command, if you do you won't be able to write to the partition because you would have given it root privilages.

Ok, so now type:

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

The text editor gedit should pop up. This command gives that window full root privileges to edit any file on your computer. For the computer to mount your partition you need to add this to the bottom of the file:

/dev/sdaX /path/to/your/mountpoint/ ntfs defaults 0 1

It's very important that you get the spacing right. There can't be any spaces in the path or /dev/sdaX and there must be a space where I've put them. Otherwise the computer won't be able to recognise the line and the partition won't be mounted.

Oh and I've got to admit I'm not too sure what the last two numbers mean, perhaps a more knowledgeable user could correct it if I'm wrong but it should work.

Then save the file, reboot and you (should) have your partition mounted :)
 
Yes ntfs (Not NTFS-3g) as above not ext3 i forgot about that.

I was about to say:

It's -t ntfs for the normal linux read only NTFS driver, and -t ntfs-3g if you want read/write support.
see:
http://www.ntfs-3g.org/

However it looks like ubuntu has taken the NTFS-3G driver and renamed it to ntfs in their distro.. Fair play.

root@trx-lin:/# mkdir dowze
root@trx-lin:/# mount -o loop -t ntfs Vista_backup.img /dowze/
root@trx-lin:/# cd dowze/
root@trx-lin:/dowze# echo lalala > test
root@trx-lin:/dowze# cat test
lalala
root@trx-lin:/dowze#

//TrX
 
That won't work, for one the filesystem isn't ext3, it's NTFS so putting that into the /etc/fstab will screw up the mount. Furthermore, how do you know it is sda4? The partition could (almost) be anything.

Already sorted the NTFS gaff and if the partition wasn't known they wouldn't have already tried mounting it ntfs-3g so that got omitted.
 
7:10 has ntfs-3g installed as standard so your ntfs drives should be picked up on install anyway.

2371648411_b899d6dc26_o.png


Only three of those drives are not ntfs.. and one of those is the dvdrw.
Just clicking on one first time will ask for password (but not anymore for the remainder of the session).

So which is more trouble ? Faff arsing around in fstab or entering your password ONCE ?
It's even easier in 8:04 as it asks for your password once and never again (if you desire).
 
I am guessing that that isn't working, and so he's tried mount -t... and that isnt working..so he's posted here.

Ice On Fire, am I correct? have you tried the gui?

//TrX
 
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