Lucid permissions problems for usb SOLVED!

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Thank you, GreyGeek,
That's very helpful. Looks like I have a lot to do so I'll get cracking and come back to let you know what happened. Yes, I often get a message saying my disk can't be unmounted because a file is open in an application and I have assumed that's because the classroom computers here (all windows) are notoriously infected. I've never been able to find out which file is supposedly open, so I have just pulled out the usb - I'm now realising that's obviously a stupid thing to do!
Will get to work on all this now.

BUT!!!!!
Now I'm paralysed by fear, confusion and uncertainty!
1. Everything I mount on this system is FAT not NTFS or whatever. That's because about 3 years ago I had an external drive that had NTFS and it was impossible to mount it, so I just got it converted to FAT. BUT I think the basic problem stems from those efforts to mount that drive 3 years ago, though I don't understand why it has just become an issue since the Lucid upgrade.

2. Tried some of the things you said but really not expert enough to do so with confidence. Then thought I should check what's there already in fstab. Went in through Krusader and this is what I saw (see attached pic). Using the 'view' feature, this is what is in each of those 6 fstab files (I just copied and pasted the contents to a document. (T) means it's a text file. The other two (files 3 and 5) have the little green logo beside them.

top fstab file (T)
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# -- This file has been automaticly generated by ntfs-config --
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>

2nd fstab file

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# -- This file has been automaticly generated by ntfs-config --
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>

proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda1 :
UUID=948fb0d0-7875-4137-8365-aff054b7c890 / ext3 nouser,defaults,errors=remount-ro,atime,auto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 1
# Entry for /dev/sda5 :
UUID=21d2d5ee-52c7-4166-960c-6b4ef6b12aac none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 auto user,atime,noauto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 0

3rd fstab file (backup)(T)
same as first

4th fstab file (T)
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sda5
UUID=21d2d5ee-52c7-4166-960c-6b4ef6b12aac none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 auto user,atime,noauto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 0

5th fstab file
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sda1
UUID=948fb0d0-7875-4137-8365-aff054b7c890 / ext3 nouser,defaults,errors=remount-ro,atime,auto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 1
# /dev/sda5
UUID=21d2d5ee-52c7-4166-960c-6b4ef6b12aac none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 auto user,atime,noauto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 0

6th fstab file (T)
# UNCONFIGURED FSTAB FOR BASE SYSTEM

[GreyGeek]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

I have assumed that's because the classroom computers here (all windows) are notoriously infected.

That's a new piece of information I wasn't aware of. Windows boxes are notorious for being easily infected and having multiple infections. The worst is the keyboard logger Trojan residing in the MBR. Even if you reinstall Windows but don't wipe the HD (including the MBR) the box will get re-infected on the next boot. But, if you DO wipe the HD then the 5GB hidden, unlabeled partition (another favorite place malware hides in) is erased, along with your ability to "recover" the installation, since most recent recovery discs do not include reinstall on the bare metal.

Just how are you running Kubuntu on this Windows box? Dual boot or a Wubi VM inside Windows?

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

No, this is not a windows box, it's a completely Kubuntu system. The only windows stuff on it is in WINE and if you think that's a problem I can purge that without a second thought.

The classroom computers are all windows and I got so sick of having to wait for my home system's anti virus/malware/spyware program to clean the USBs every time I came back from class that I thought a good way round it would be to have a linux desktop at home. So far it has been a dream solution.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

I don't think wine gets viruses. Your second fstab looks correct, delete the first one and rename the 2nd leaving out the tilde ~

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Feeling stupid to ask this, but do you mean the second file from the top in the picture (I presume so because that's the only one with a tilde)?

And should I delete all the others?

[GreyGeek]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Bernie,
It can confuse folks not following the thread if you post a reply (Reply #15 on: Today at 04:10:34 am »), it gets a response ( Reply #16 on: Today at 09:38:20 am ») and then you edit that reply and add additional information (« Last Edit: Today at 09:53:24 am by bernieszu ») after the response (#16).

Please add any additional information in a subsequent reply so that readers can follow the development more accurately. Thanks!

And, I agree with Oshunluvr about the best fstab file, but WINE installations can get infected with Windows viruses. I used to play with windows viruses in WINE to see what their payload was, what kind of damage they did, and how they setup their ability to pass infections to other Windows machines. When I was done playing with that virus I'd delete WINE, which got rid of the virus and any damage it caused (the Linux system was never harmed), reinstalled WINE and played with another one. It got boring after awhile because most of the infections were by one of only 8 methods.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Feeling stupid to ask this, but do you mean the second file from the top in the picture (I presume so because that's the only one with a tilde)?

And should I delete all the others?

2nd fstab file

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# -- This file has been automaticly generated by ntfs-config --
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>

proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda1 :
UUID=948fb0d0-7875-4137-8365-aff054b7c890 / ext3 nouser,defaults,errors=remount-ro,atime,auto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 1
# Entry for /dev/sda5 :
UUID=21d2d5ee-52c7-4166-960c-6b4ef6b12aac none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 auto user,atime,noauto,rw,dev,exec,suid 0 0

BUT, I am more curious about how you can have three files in /etc/ by the name of "fstab" and no apparent prefixes or suffixes. Usually when one attempts to save a file by a name that is already inn use one is asked if they want to overwrite (replace) it or give the new file a different name. Before you erase anything open a konsole and issue:

vdir /etc/*fsta*

and show what it returns.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

GG: If you look closely at the attached graphic he supplied, you can see the list is...

fstab
fstab~
fstab_backup
fstab.pre-install (or something)
blah,blah,blah

Bernie: I was referring to the 2nd in your list which I had assumed was also the 2nd in the graphic.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

GG: If you look closely at the attached graphic he supplied, you can see the list is...

fstab
fstab~
fstab_backup
fstab.pre-install (or something)
blah,blah,blah

Bernie: I was referring to the 2nd in your list which I had assumed was also the 2nd in the graphic.

The graphic I see is attached.
It shows:
fstab
fstab~ (green icon)
fstab_backup
fstab
fstab (the green icon tells me it is a backup)
fstab

The "pre-..." stuff is in an unlabled column.

I suspected what you are saying but because of his fstab problems I wanted to be sure he wasn't having node problems.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Odd, the graphic I see has no labeled columns. I assumed he was using something other than dolphin to view his file list (or a custom setup of dolphin) and also assumed the pre-... was the file extension, thus answering the question as to why there was more than one file name "fstab"

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

oshunlvr,
Thaks a lot. I'll try your suggestion. Greygeek was right, the files all have slightly different names and as you suspected, I was viewing them not in Dolphin but in Krusader.

Greygeek,
Yes, sorry for the confusion earlier on. What happened there was that I started adding to the post before you posted your reply, but it took me so long to get the graphic sorted and to list the contents of all the fstab files that by the time I clicked 'save' you had already posted your reply to the earlier, shorter, version. I normally only modify a message if it has had no replies yet.

And, by the way, this 'he' is a 'she'!

Thank you both for your help and patience with this.

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Greygeek,
Followed your instruction ( vdir /etc/*fsta*) and here's what I got:

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 188 2007-10-04 07:03 /etc/fstab
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 506 2007-09-30 00:44 /etc/fstab~
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 188 2010-09-13 22:06 /etc/fstab_backup
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 286 2007-10-01 10:00 /etc/fstab.pre-ntfs-config
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 413 2007-10-01 09:58 /etc/fstab.pre-ntfs-config~
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 37 2007-04-17 13:19 /etc/fstab.pre-uuid

So am I right in thinking that all of these are read only except for the 'owner'?
And should I erase all but the second one now?

[GreyGeek]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

That listing makes much better sense. The graphic didn't show extensions and left me with the impression that you had more than one file in a directory with the same name, which would be impossible unless your file system was corrupted. That would be an entirely different, and major, problem. But, all is well.

The reason why Oshunluvr and I suggest the "2nd" (or the "5th") is because they have the correct contents and, except for the comment section, are identical.

So, to get your fstab file back in shape erase all BUT the /etc/fstab~ file (2nd) and then rename /etc/fstab~ to /etc/fstab.

In other words, your backup file saved your bacon!

As far as "he" and "she" -- I must confess that I never paid any attention to your avatar, except that when you said you were not a "he" I noticed that my assumption about "bernieszu" = "bernie-szu", hence my reference to you as "bernie", was wrong. THEN, your avatar stuck out at me. Duh! If that pic is an early one of you it looks remarkably similar to one of my younger sister, taken when she was around four. So many pseudonyms and avatars are gender neutral, or are outright reversals, that I generally don't ascribe any significance to them, or notice them, unless they are outstandingly unusual.

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Thanks a lot, Greygeek!
Will do that now and let you know if it has solved the permissions issue. Yes, the avatar is a childhood photo - and yes, taken at the age of 4. But my name is gender neutral, so the confusion is understandable.

[bernieszu]

Re: Lucid permissions problems for usb

Hmmm,
Not entirely successful.
Now it will let me change permissions for files on the USB, but it still won't let me change ownership!
Even going in as root it tells me I have insufficient access to change ownership, though it will let me write to the usb if I go in as root.

So root is definitely still not 'God' on my system. I'm stumped.