How do I edit the 'Places' column of Dolphin kde Meerkat?

[Shabakthanai]

Kubuntu10.10 32 bit
Platform Version 4.6.0(KDE 4.6.0)
Version: 0.97-29ubuntu60
Description: GRand Unified Bootloader (Legacy version)
desktop computer
AMD 9600 Quad Core 2300mhz 64 bit
GPU PNY 9600 nVidia GeForce 500mb ddr2 SDRAM
4gb Axiom EEC DDR2 SDRAM 6700mhz
HDD Maxtor internal SATA 500gb
HDD Maxtor internal SATA 1TB
Optical Drive internal SATA DVDRW 16X
Kmail 1.13.5

I returned a 1TB HDD back in my box. It contained an OS which contained an Operating System (I thought it was a drive which was identified as '/svpersonal'); having the additional OS and boot drive with mount point same as my active HDD Is how I screwed up my system). It created havoc in my computer which could only be resolved by re-installing the OS again. This probably would not have been necessary for someone with more knowledge and experience. Nonetheless, It was all I knew to do without the ability to get help. Blown computer - no access to Internet.

I reinstalled a 32 bit kde Meerkat. When I opened the new operating system for the first time, the OS, swap partition, and /home partitions were no longer mentioned in the 'Places' column of Dolphin (the file manager I use). Instead, the partitions from the 1TB HDD install appeared with their media identity instead of the new mount points I placed on the re-installed 1TB drive. I formatted the boot partition of the 1TB drive (20gb), set the file system as ext4, and mounted the empty partition as '/sv'. I formatted the swap partition (20)gb, set the file system as ext4, and renamed the mount point '/sv2', I retained the data on the remaining 2 partitions, set file systems as ext4, but set mount points as '/svpersonal on one and 'backup' on the other.

My main drive, a 500gb SATA drive is no longer mentioned in the 'Places' column of Dolphin. I do not understand why.

Ultimately, here is what I would like to end up with. I would like the boot partition, swap partition, and storage partition (/home) of my primary HDD to appear in the 'Places' column of my file manager. I would like the partitions of the '1TB' drive to appear identified by their mount point. Here is how I would like it to appear, if I can do this:

"Places"

/
swap
/home
/sv
/sv2
/svpersonal
/backup

I would like to be able to mouse-click on each item and open that item by doing so. Currently the partitions that appear are only from the '1TB' HDD and are identified as follows:

465.7 GiB Hard Drive (mounted as '/svpersonal')
432.3 GiB Hard Drive (mounted as '/backup')
14.9 GiB Hard Drive (mounted as '/sv')
18.6 Gib Hard Drive (mounted as '/sv2')

Bracketed info not appearing in the 'Places' column.

These entries identify the contents of the 1TB drive only. I could deal with this situation, however, it would make my work easier if all partitions were identified as they were labeled. Additionally, this group is not 4 HDD's, it is 4 partitions.

What must I do to get the result I want? Thanks!

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I edit the 'Places' column of Dolphin kde Meerkat?

The simplest way is to right-click on each entry shown in Places (Dolphin) and select Edit Entry and give it the description you want.

[Shabakthanai]

Re: How do I edit the 'Places' column of Dolphin kde Meerkat?

I tried that, however, with the partitions identified by drive size, when I right-click on any of them, the window that opens gives these options only:
_________________________________________
Unmount '(the hard drive selected'

Add Entry...

Hide Entry ' the hard drive selected'

Also, I would like to return the primary HDD partitions to the 'Places' column, identified by their partition mount points. The way it is currently presented, if the list included my primary drive partitions as well, there would be three entries of approximately 500gb and no way to tell one from the other.

The Places column is where I go to open a partition. As it is now, I will open one of the appx. 500gb partition just to find what is in it. Many times I have to return to the Places column to open the next appx. 500gb partition to get to the material I want. With three partitions of similar size, it just gets more confusing.

I am expecting to feel stupid again. There is probably a much easier way to find what I want that I am unaware, and have been unaware for many years. When I had a Windows operating system, I put an Icon on the desktop, linking to the drive I wanted to enter; I much prefer an uncluttered and beautiful Linux desktop without a lot of application and drive icons disturbing the wallpaper. I love my Linux OS.

Thanks again.

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I edit the 'Places' column of Dolphin kde Meerkat?

I am expecting to feel stupid again.

No need for that. Think of it as another opportunity to learn something new.

You can use e2label to give labels to your partitions.

NAME
e2label - Change the label on an ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystem

SYNOPSIS
e2label device [ new-label ]

DESCRIPTION
e2label will display or change the filesystem label on the ext2, ext3,
or ext4 filesystem located on device.

If the optional argument new-label is not present, e2label will simply
display the current filesystem label.

If the optional argument new-label is present, then e2label will set
the filesystem label to be new-label. Ext2 filesystem labels can be at
most 16 characters long; if new-label is longer than 16 characters,
e2label will truncate it and print a warning message.

It is also possible to set the filesystem label using the -L option of
tune2fs.

The command is run as root, os: sudo e2label /dev/sdxy label is the syntax, where xy is the HDD and partition number to give the label to.

Example:

Use fdisk to list your HDDs and partitions:

sudo fdisk -l

Gives here on my laptop:

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc528b3c5

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1        1    1306  10485760  83 Linux
/dev/sda2      1306    14594  106733568  5 Extended
/dev/sda5      1306    4570  26214400  83 Linux
/dev/sda6      4570    4831   2097152  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7      4831    6136  10485760  83 Linux
/dev/sda8      6137    9400  26214400  83 Linux
/dev/sda9      9400    10706  10485760  83 Linux
/dev/sda10     10706    13969  26214400  83 Linux

To label my first root partition (I have three installed Linux OS's), calling it "/" I would type:

sudo e2label /dev/sda1 /

[Shabakthanai]

Re: How do I edit the 'Places' column of Dolphin kde Meerkat?

Thanks for taking so much time to help me. In your reply,ou said, ”You can use e2label to give labels to your partitions.” Does this mean the name I use for each label will appear in the 'Places' column? And if I give the /dev/sda partitions labels, will they also appear on the 'Places' column with their label entry, since nothing of my primary HDD is showing there now? And when I mouse-click on the 'Places' label will it open the partition?


Here is my fdisk:

steven@steven-Yeshua:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for steven:

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000cee28

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1  *      1    2432  19530752  83 Linux
/dev/sda2      2432    60802  468852737  5 Extended
/dev/sda5      2432    4864  19529728  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6      4864    60802  449321984  83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000a81aa
                                                 
  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System                  
/dev/sdb1        1    1945  15623181  83 Linux                   
/dev/sdb2      1946    4377  19535040  83 Linux                   
/dev/sdb3      4378    65165  488279610  83 Linux                   
/dev/sdb4      65166   121601  453322170  83 Linux

steven@steven-Yeshua:~$ sudo e2label /dev/sda1/
e2label: Not a directory while trying to open /dev/sda1/
Couldn't find valid filesystem superblock.
steven@steven-Yeshua:~$

After entering “sudo e2label /dev/sda1/”, I do not understand nor know what to do next. Still, this is very exciting for me, I can feel my rock hard head softening a bit.

/dev/sda1 is indicated as the Boot partition, /dev/sda2 appears to be my /home partition, /dev/dev5 is the Linux Swap / Solaris. I am confused by /dev/sda6, in that, I thought my primary HDD had only 3 partitions, boot, swap, and /home. What then is /dev/sda6; it appears to be similar to /dev/sda2. This confuses me!

Looking at the 1TB HDD, it appears that /dev/sdb1 is a 20gb ext4 partition I mounted as /sv when partitioning for the installation, an /dev/sdb2 is a 20gb ext4 partition I mounted as /sv2, and /dev/sdb3 is an approximately 500gb partition, I mounted as /svpersonal, and /dev/sda6 is an approximately 500gb partition I mounted as /backup. "Valid filesystem superblock" is new information for me.

I am a very happy camper right now and very grateful for the help.

[Snowhog]

Re: How do I edit the 'Places' column of Dolphin kde Meerkat?

steven@steven-Yeshua:~$ sudo e2label /dev/sda1/
e2label: Not a directory while trying to open /dev/sda1/
Couldn't find valid filesystem superblock.
steven@steven-Yeshua:~$

After entering “sudo e2label /dev/sda1/”, I do not understand nor know what to do next. Still, this is very exciting for me, I can feel my rock hard head softening a bit.

You didn't type the command correctly. The syntax is:

sudo e2label device_to_be_labeled label_name (note the "space" between device_to_be_labeled and label_name)

So, using your fdisk -l output, assigning the label " / " to your root partition on the first HDD (sda1), the command would be:

sudo  e2label  /dev/sda1  /

I've exagerated the spacing between the items above so it's clear. You only need to have a single space, but if you do include more, Linux handles it just fine.

Generally, there is no need to label your running root and home partitions, as in Dolphin, the are already displaced in Places as Home and Root. Labeling the other partitions however, will give you the identifiable names when you mount them.