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#1 2009-03-08 14:09:18

ktzqbp
Member
Registered: 2008-12-08
Posts: 13

Can't mount my Windows partition

Hey Arch Forums.

I've installed Arch64 and Arch32 on my desktop and laptop respectively, both on an array of Ext4 partitions (both have separate partitions for /, /home and /var). I followed the beginner's guide down to the letter, and now have both machines running GNOME.

Both machines also have a separate NTFS Windows XP partition, but the trouble is that neither can mount, browse or access the Windows partition without being root.

First off, typing 'mount /dev/sda1' (that's the Windows partition) resulted in '/dev/sda1 not in fstab or mtab.'

So, I added /dev/sda1 to fstab with options 'rw,users,noauto 0 0'. Rebooted, but then I found out that it decided to automatically mount itself anyway and it wasn't showing in places, and I still couldn't access the partition without being root. Anyway, so I sudo umount it, and then discover I need to add my user account to the 'disk' group to be able to issue mount/umount commands.

This worked, but it was still automounting on boot and I still couldn't access it without being root. I basically want to be able to just select the 'Windows' entry from the Places menu, have it mount and show on the desktop (it's not showing on the desktop when I boot up atm), and have Nautilus open up with the partition's root directory.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

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#2 2009-03-08 14:18:25

toad
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From: if only I knew
Registered: 2008-12-22
Posts: 1,775
Website

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Try the "defaults" option in fstab or google?


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#3 2009-03-08 14:25:58

proxima_centauri
Member
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
Registered: 2008-07-17
Posts: 117
Website

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

If it helps this is my fstab entry. Works fine for me.

/dev/sda1 /media/Preload  ntfs-3g  defaults 0 0


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#4 2009-03-08 16:29:10

Ranguvar
Member
Registered: 2008-08-12
Posts: 2,544

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

The reason your mount command failed was because that's not the right syntax. It's "mount /dev/foo /bar" where /bar is the directory to where you want to mount the partition. If you try to mount without that, it will look in fstab to see if there's already a line for it to use for that partition.

What's your full fstab, please? Are you trying to mount as type ntfs or ntfs-3g?

The ntfs driver in the kernel barely has any write support, but ntfs-3g does (install it). Try mounting the drive with "mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/foo /bar" (obviously replacing foo and bar). It may be that that partition has Windows on it which did not power down cleanly last time. If so, use "-o force" I believe as well.

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#5 2009-03-09 22:19:51

ktzqbp
Member
Registered: 2008-12-08
Posts: 13

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Well, I was trying previously to mount it with ntfs, as that's what was used under Ubuntu. But it's working now with ntfs-3g, I don't need to be root to read/write the disc now. However, I'm still having trouble with mounting it as non-root.

First off, this is my fstab:

none                   /dev/pts      devpts    defaults            0      0
none                   /dev/shm      tmpfs     defaults            0      0

#/dev/cdrom             /media/cd   auto    ro,user,noauto,unhide   0      0
#/dev/dvd               /media/dvd  auto    ro,user,noauto,unhide   0      0
#/dev/fd0               /media/fl   auto    user,noauto             0      0

UUID=6cae25c5-cc5b-42ae-ad3a-70e892274a34 / ext4 defaults,noatime    0 1
UUID=f7e4d887-43d5-4ac4-869f-a2a5e4c16e2f /var ext4 defaults 0 2
UUID=4a07547f-1fd6-41ea-8db7-469120830111 /home    ext4 defaults,noatime    0 2
UUID=08d54f59-520a-4e8e-9a9d-d440f2eff54e swap swap defaults 0 0

UUID=5AB82DB8B82D9393 /media/Windows ntfs-3g defaults,users,exec 0 0

As you can see, it's mounting on boot up at the moment. When I put noauto into the options, it doesn't mount, but when I'm on the desktop and try to mount it as non-root, I get the error "ntfs-3g-mount: user has no write access to mountpoint /media/Windows". As I was typing that out, another error appeared telling me that DBus encountered an error as it did not receive a reply.

When I issue the mount command in terminal, I get "mount: only root can do that." - what should I do?

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#6 2009-03-09 23:07:01

Fragger
Member
From: The Netherlands
Registered: 2009-03-09
Posts: 15

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Try with

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /media/windows

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#7 2009-03-09 23:15:32

pointone
Wiki Admin
From: Waterloo, ON
Registered: 2008-02-21
Posts: 379

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

I think the option you want is "user" (not "users").


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#8 2009-03-10 06:27:37

ktzqbp
Member
Registered: 2008-12-08
Posts: 13

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Fragger wrote:

Try with

sudo mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /media/windows

Aye, that works, but I'm trying to be able to give myself mounting permissions now so I can issue the commands via the GNOME GUI.

pointone wrote:

I think the option you want is "user" (not "users").

Well, the only thing this did was prevent me from unmounting it as non-root after sudo mounting it. With "users", I can right-click > "Unmount volume" fine, it's just mounting it as non-root in the first place that's giving me trouble.

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#9 2009-03-10 09:18:30

Fragger
Member
From: The Netherlands
Registered: 2009-03-09
Posts: 15

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Im kindof a linux newb here myself, but Id try giving yourself permissions on /bin/mount?

sudo chmod 777 /bin/mount

But I doubt that is safe as it gives permissions to everyone..
Why not just use sudo?

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#10 2009-03-10 12:28:30

ktzqbp
Member
Registered: 2008-12-08
Posts: 13

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Fragger wrote:

Im kindof a linux newb here myself, but Id try giving yourself permissions on /bin/mount?

sudo chmod 777 /bin/mount

I'm sure there'd be a better way hmm

Fragger wrote:

Why not just use sudo?

As I said above; I want to be able to mount and unmount via the GNOME GUI instead of having to open up the terminal and type it in, along with my root password.

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#11 2009-03-10 13:10:16

Fragger
Member
From: The Netherlands
Registered: 2009-03-09
Posts: 15

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Why not make a shortcute to a bash script or so then?
And start it with 'gksu' I think its called

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#12 2009-03-10 14:31:23

stefanwilkens
Member
From: Enschede, the Netherlands
Registered: 2008-12-10
Posts: 624

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Since you're using gnome: Have you considered using HAL? It's installed and running (considering you've followed the beginner's guide to the letter) but needs a little patching (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/HAL … 11-7_trick) to get ntfs-3g automated mounting working again.

Gnome will list your windows partition under "Places", HAL will mount (automatically creates the required folders, so be sure they do not exist) and make them user accesible.
letnet-gnome-myfilessetup3.jpg

To clarify: you will only need to apply the patch I linked to, then reboot the system. You will be able to simply click your windows partition and low and behold: user accesible windows partitions.

This will also fix the issue where automated mounting of external ntfs systems (flashdrive, external drive) fails.

Last edited by stefanwilkens (2009-03-10 14:38:12)


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#13 2009-03-10 14:58:16

dr/owned
Member
Registered: 2009-01-09
Posts: 136

Re: Can't mount my Windows partition

Just install ntfs-config from the AUR....makes mounting (with write supported built in) a point and click, seamless operation.

Last edited by dr/owned (2009-03-10 14:58:30)

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