[SOLVED] Drive not recognized... sometimes

[kubobbu]

Because I did not allow enough space for my Linux installation when I set up a dual boot drive, I have been using an external USB drive for my files... documents, pictures, etc.

Although Dolphin file manager has no trouble finding folders and files on the drive, I have been having trouble with some software. When I ask OpenOffice or Gwenview to open a file which shows up in either my Recent Documents or when I use the Open dialog, the program then tells me that the file or location does not exist.

The way I work around this is to open Dolphin and when I click on the file there, the appropriate application to handle it opens. But this is a nuisance, and I don't understand why the applications cannot deal with the file. The drive is clearly mounted on start up... it appears with no problem in Dolphin. If the drive is mounted, why don't all the applications see it??

Any thoughts, anyone??
Thanks
Bob

[GreyGeek]

Re: Drive not recognized... sometimes

In your "Open Recent" menu option do the files show up under /media/whatever?

And, in OOo, have you set the document path to look at "/media/whatever"?

Can't help you with Gwenview.

[Snowhog]

Re: Drive not recognized... sometimes

The drive is clearly mounted on start up... it appears with no problem in Dolphin. If the drive is mounted, why don't all the applications see it??

Actually, it is NOT mounted (unless you have an entry for it in your /etc/fstab file). Until you access it - click on it in Dolphin - it is not mounted, and any application therefore, doesn't now about it.

[kubobbu]

Re: Drive not recognized... sometimes

Thanks for the help.

GreyGeek, the path is shown in the Recent Documents listing, and I will make the change you suggest in the OO settings.

Snowhog, I'm sure you are correct, and that would explain the problem, but why is the drive mounted for Dolphin, and yet not available to OpenOffice or Gwenview??

Another silly Linux trick!!!

Bob

[GreyGeek]

Re: Drive not recognized... sometimes

No trick. Just a misunderstanding of how Linux operates. Linux is not Windows.

Before I plugged in a USB stick my table of mounted files systems (/etc/mtab) look like this:

cat /etc/mtab
/dev/sda1 / ext4 rw,errors=remount-ro 0 0
proc /proc proc rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /sys sysfs rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /sys/fs/fuse/connections fusectl rw 0 0
none /sys/kernel/debug debugfs rw 0 0
none /sys/kernel/security securityfs rw 0 0
none /dev devtmpfs rw,mode=0755 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620 0 0
none /dev/shm tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /var/run tmpfs rw,nosuid,mode=0755 0 0
none /var/lock tmpfs rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /lib/init/rw tmpfs rw,nosuid,mode=0755 0 0

and the file system space reported by df is"

df -aT
Filesystem Type 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1 ext4 237481656 55216120 170202152 25% /
proc proc 0 0 0 - /proc
none sysfs 0 0 0 - /sys
none fusectl 0 0 0 - /sys/fs/fuse/connections
none debugfs 0 0 0 - /sys/kernel/debug
none securityfs 0 0 0 - /sys/kernel/security
none devtmpfs 1474128 332 1473796 1% /dev
none devpts 0 0 0 - /dev/pts
none tmpfs 1478640 0 1478640 0% /dev/shm
none tmpfs 1478640 116 1478524 1% /var/run
none tmpfs 1478640 0 1478640 0% /var/lock
none tmpfs 1478640 0 1478640 0% /lib/init/rw

After I plugged in a stick they look like this:

df -aT
Filesystem Type 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda1 ext4 237481656 55216088 170202184 25% /
proc proc 0 0 0 - /proc
none sysfs 0 0 0 - /sys
none fusectl 0 0 0 - /sys/fs/fuse/connections
none debugfs 0 0 0 - /sys/kernel/debug
none securityfs 0 0 0 - /sys/kernel/security
none devtmpfs 1474128 344 1473784 1% /dev
none devpts 0 0 0 - /dev/pts
none tmpfs 1478640 0 1478640 0% /dev/shm
none tmpfs 1478640 116 1478524 1% /var/run
none tmpfs 1478640 0 1478640 0% /var/lock
none tmpfs 1478640 0 1478640 0% /lib/init/rw
/dev/sdb1 vfat 7880672 7637660 243012 97% /media/EMPTY

and

cat /etc/mtab
/dev/sda1 / ext4 rw,errors=remount-ro 0 0
proc /proc proc rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /sys sysfs rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /sys/fs/fuse/connections fusectl rw 0 0
none /sys/kernel/debug debugfs rw 0 0
none /sys/kernel/security securityfs rw 0 0
none /dev devtmpfs rw,mode=0755 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620 0 0
none /dev/shm tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /var/run tmpfs rw,nosuid,mode=0755 0 0
none /var/lock tmpfs rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev 0 0
none /lib/init/rw tmpfs rw,nosuid,mode=0755 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /media/EMPTY vfat rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=hal,uid=1000,utf8,shortnam e=mixed,flush 0 0

/etc/mtab lists what is mounted (mounted table) and the system knows it can access files on it.

An application like Gwenview contains a config file which includes a "recent" section which contains a few of the most recently loaded files, including their paths. That doesn't mean that the file system which contained those files is actually mounted and ready to be accessed. That obviously can't be the case if you don't have the USB stick or the external HD plugged in.

Also, while we are discussing mounted file system. you never want to remove an external drive that has been mounted without first unmounting it. In Dolphin, on the "Places" panel you'll see a list of externally mounted drives. Right mouse on the one you want to unmount and select "Safely remove" from the dialog that pops up. When the filesystem contents disappear and/or the percent usage bar disappears you can unplug the device. Another way is to click on the device notification icon in the system tray. A dialog will pop up. Next to the device you want to umount is a triangle. Left click on it and it will unmount the device. (another thing: the CLI unmount command is umount)

[kubobbu]

Re: Drive not recognized... sometimes

Thank you GrayGeek. A thorough explanation just right for a newbie like me.

I'll mark this one Solved, and pay more attention in the future.

Bob