Can't "Safely Remove" USB External Drive (PARTIALLY SOLVED)

[Porcorosso]

This is my first message...I hope I'm doing this right

I have an external USB drive (Maxtor Personal Storage 3200, 320 GB) which is mounted and works fine...EXCEPT that I can't "safely remove it": I right click on the icon on the desktop, I get the bouncing pointer for a couple of seconds but nothing happens and the usb icon is still there

Some info on my system:

Kubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake)

Here's what I get with the command "mount":

/dev/hda3 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/sys on /sys type sysfs (rw)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw)
procbususb on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
lrm on /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-386/volatile type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/hda1 on /media/hda1 type ntfs (rw,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46)
/dev/hda2 on /media/hda2 type ext3 (rw)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.15-28-386/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
/dev/sda1 on /media/E-HD 320 GB-2 type vfat (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,noatime,uid=1000,utf8,shor tname=lower)

And here is my fstab file:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/hda3 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/hda1 /media/hda1 ntfs defaults,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46 0 1
/dev/hda2 /media/hda2 ext3 defaults 0 2
/dev/hdb /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0

Thanks guys for any help!

Porcorosso
mammaiuto@gmail.com

[monte48lowes]

Re: Can't &quot;Safely Remove&quot; USB External Drive

have you tried:

sudo umount /dev/sda1

Make sure that the drive is not reading/writing prior to trying.

Mike

[javierrivera]

Re: Can't &quot;Safely Remove&quot; USB External Drive

Try also in the konsole :

$ pumount /dev/sda1

And write here any errors that it gives to you.

This is what this menu option should do, so even if the sudo umount works you can check this to see if we are able to solve the problem.

BTW, I had the same problem with a stick in 6.04 and was never able to resolve it. It works nice on Edgy luckily .

Javier.

[Porcorosso]

Re: Can't &quot;Safely Remove&quot; USB External Drive

Thanks guys!

Mike:

"sudo umount /dev/sda1" works! But isn't there a way to permanently fix this without having to type anything? Would it help to add a this drive to fstab? (What would I write?)

Javier:

Before typing "sudo umount /dev/sda1", "pumount /dev/sda1" doesn't produce any error, it simply unmounts the drive (or so it seems anyway, since it disappears from the desktop)

"mount" reports:

/dev/hda3 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/sys on /sys type sysfs (rw)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw)
procbususb on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
lrm on /lib/modules/2.6.15-28-386/volatile type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/hda1 on /media/hda1 type ntfs (rw,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46)
/dev/hda2 on /media/hda2 type ext3 (rw)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
/dev/hdb on /media/cdrom0 type iso9660 (ro,noexec,nosuid,nodev,user=roberto)


After typing "sudo umount /dev/sda1", "pumount /dev/sda1" produces the following message: "Error: device /dev/sda1 is not mounted"

"mount" reports:

/dev/hda3 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/sys on /sys type sysfs (rw)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw)
procbususb on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
lrm on /lib/modules/2.6.15-28-386/volatile type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/hda1 on /media/hda1 type ntfs (rw,nls=utf8,umask=007,gid=46)
/dev/hda2 on /media/hda2 type ext3 (rw)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
/dev/hdb on /media/cdrom0 type iso9660 (ro,noexec,nosuid,nodev,user=roberto)


BTW: Is there a way I can update Dapper to Edgy without having to reinstall everything (it's been a very painful process!)? Is it safe to do it?

Thanks again!

P

[javierrivera]

Re: Can't &quot;Safely Remove&quot; USB External Drive

Before typing "sudo umount /dev/sda1", "pumount /dev/sda1" doesn't produce any error

Then I don't know what's going on. pumount is what right clicking and select "safely remove" should do AFAIK.

BTW: Is there a way I can update Dapper to Edgy without having to reinstall everything (it's been a very painful process!)? Is it safe to do it?

Yes, there is way. Yes is mostly safe. Sometimes some problem may appear so you should be ready to deal with them (for example download a text mode browser to be able to search this forums if X doesn't start .

http://www.kubuntu.org/announcements/6.10-release.php

You should repeat the "apt-get dist-upgrade" step until nothing is upgraded. Don't reboot your computer until all the process is finished.

BTW, having separate /home and /boot partitions makes upgrading, reinstalling and even switching distros quite less painful.

Javier.

[monte48lowes]

Re: Can't &quot;Safely Remove&quot; USB External Drive (PARTIALLY SOLVED)

There may be an error with the "Safely Remove". I do not understand how to program...
If the command line works I recommend using that until you complete the upgrade.

I second what javier said about having the /home directory on a seperate partition.

Mike