[SOLVED] 3.25 inch "floppy" is read only

Jerrold · 08-19-2015, 04:32 PM

Please could an expert advise me how to change permission to enable me to read and write to floppy.I can confirm that the drive is working and disc tabs are set to write.I have read many posts on this subject,yet,have not found a solution.
Is this possible on Linux Mint Rafaela 17.2?
Other than this slight issue,I am finding my way well with Linux and think that I will remain a convert.Thanks.

yancek · 08-19-2015, 05:47 PM

Is there anything on the floppy, any data? Is it formatted? What filesystem? Have you mounted it?

mmrr · 08-19-2015, 06:25 PM

hi jerrold,

does the floppy in question already have
something written on it or is it blank?

in most cases, any commands regarding the
floppy will have to be given as 'root' rather
than 'user' [root being equivalent to admin]
which is done by putting the word 'sudo' at
the beginning on the command which is entered
in the terminal. have you been doing this?

cheers, mm

rokytnji · 08-19-2015, 07:32 PM

Code:

gksu <name of file mint file manager goes here>

You can read and write to floppy drive then.

Or

Change owner of files on floppy drive itself with

Code:

# ls -l </floppydrive mount point/floppy text>

to just see what owns it. Probably root.

Code:

#chown <username:username> </floppydrive mount point/floppy text>

to change the file ownership to your username.

to get the root prompt (#) in terminal in Mint.

Code:

sudo -s

password. Then after password is accepted. You can run the above commands I listed.

jefro · 08-19-2015, 07:58 PM

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu...uestion/159883 maybe for some help.

frankbell · 08-19-2015, 08:14 PM

A floppy may be physically write-protected by a sliding tab in one corner. If the tab is in the open position, the disk cannot be written to. If it's write protected in this manner, nothing you do with software can make it writable until the tab is moved.

John VV · 08-20-2015, 02:39 AM

on mint 17 i would expect you had to manually run modprobe
then manually make a folder and manually mount it

Code:

su -
mkdir /mnt/floppy

modprobe floppy

mount /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy

this would make a root only read / write /mnt/floppy folder

Jerrold · 08-20-2015, 11:03 AM

Thanks to all for helpful replies. Reading and writing to floppy again.
Good to have all of the bits working. Old times sake perhaps?