Hi all,

Been playing with these USB-sticks (pen-drives, flash-drives or whatever)
on RH9, with 2.4.20-8 kernel.

Being ambitious, I installed some scripts to /etc/hotplug to enable the
stick mount automatically, when inserted in the USB slot. It so happens
that the stick mounts ok, even ordinary users can write to it.

But the blasted thing won't unmount! I've tried unmounting with the
stick in and out; as (l)user and as root, to no avail.

User unmount-attempts (naturally) end with "...only root can unmount..."
regardless of the flash being still plugged in. (The hotplug mounting
script runs as root)

Root-level unmounting attempts always end up with "Device is busy". Only window open on the desktop is the terminal window, and working directory is /mnt (mountpoint is /mnt/usbflash). "fuser -u usbflash" first produces "no process references" and "fuser -v" reports only USER root with PID kernel and ACCESS mount with COMMAND "/mnt/usbflash". fuser -k refuses to kill the process ("No automatic removal, please use umount")

Unmounting attempts of a user or root don't get recorded into the /var/log/messages while the stick is plugged in. Only when I physically remove the device, does there start appearing complaints. (usb.c says the device is not ready - why would it, is was just reported as disconnected - and after I plug it back in, VFS reports "busy inodes on changed media", but no copying or altering has been done)

So far only rebooting seems to help. Anyone have any suggestions as what_ could possibly be keeping the drive busy? Or any ideas whatsoever?

regards: MK

Maybe some user is still in the usb directory...

Hmm, I can't think of any process that could be using it... (I'm not in the directory as user nor as root) although the mounting creates a desktop-icon for the flash-drive. If that is causing the device to be busy, I have no idea, how to remove it (the icon):
- there's no option to delete it
- right-clicking the icon and trying to unmount has the same effect as trying
to unmount as a normal user (since I'm logged in the desktop as user)

regs: MK

It's when you change directory to /mn/usbflash
If you change to /home or another directory, can you unmount it then ?

hi mkivihar,
sorry i can't help you becaur i'm just a linux newbie,
but may i know how you can make the stick mount automaticly when inserted in the usb slot?