How do I automount usb drives Asus 901 w. Linux?

fiddlethis · 12-07-2008, 08:31 PM

I can't get anything in the usb ports to show up on any of the desktops of my new Asus Eee Pc 901 Linux 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 20 GB Solid State Drive. The only OS I have ever used is Mac when whatever you plug in immediately appears on the desktop and you can easily drag and drop after double-clicking its icon. Can my Asus 901 with Linux do anything like that? Or what is the next best way to achieve a quick and practical workflow with usb drives with Linux?

indienick · 12-07-2008, 09:46 PM

I do not know which Linux distribution ships with the Asus Eee 901, nor do I know which desktop environment it is loading (KDE, GNOME, IceWM, ...).

The easiest way would be to open up a terminal, and type in the following (note, the "$" at the beginning of each line dictates the prompt):

Code:

$ grep $USER /etc/group
...will print out
...a list of every group
...you are a part of.

The first column (everything before the first ":") is the group name, followed by an "x", then the group ID and lastly, any users in that group.

What that "grep" command will do, is locate the pattern of your user name in the file /etc/group.

If you do not see the group "plugdev" listed, then do the following:

Code:

$ sudo adduser $USER plugdev

fiddlethis · 12-07-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indienick

I do not know which Linux distribution ships with the Asus Eee 901, nor do I know which desktop environment it is loading (KDE, GNOME, IceWM, ...).

The easiest way would be to open up a terminal, and type in the following (note, the "$" at the beginning of each line dictates the prompt):

Code:

$ grep $USER /etc/group
...will print out
...a list of every group
...you are a part of.

The first column (everything before the first ":") is the group name, followed by an "x", then the group ID and lastly, any users in that group.

What that "grep" command will do, is locate the pattern of your user name in the file /etc/group.

If you do not see the group "plugdev" listed, then do the following:

Code:

$ sudo adduser $USER plugdev

Typing $ grep $USER /etc/group got
bash: $: command not found
Typing $ sudo adduser $USER plugdev got
bash: $: command not found

Sorry to be so inexperienced and thank you for helping.

colucix · 12-08-2008, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fiddlethis

Typing $ grep $USER /etc/group got
bash: $: command not found
Typing $ sudo adduser $USER plugdev got
bash: $: command not found

Sorry to be so inexperienced and thank you for helping.

No need to apologize!

You have to type the suggested commands without the leading $. When someone posts a command for you, usually put the prompt at the beginning, to distinguish the command from its output. Moreover, as a general rule, the $ sign is used as the prompt of a regular user, whereas the # sign is used as the root's prompt (it means you have to gain root's privileges to execute the command).

fiddlethis · 12-08-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colucix

No need to apologize!

You have to type the suggested commands without the leading $. When someone posts a command for you, usually put the prompt at the beginning, to distinguish the command from its output. Moreover, as a general rule, the $ sign is used as the prompt of a regular user, whereas the # sign is used as the root's prompt (it means you have to gain root's privileges to execute the command).

Sorry if I'm a pest, I can't get any of this to work, I don't even understand what the issue is. What is the goal of the commands you gave me? Is it to find out more about my system? (Shall I google my Asus 901 and find out more system info, and report back to you?) Or are the commands you suggest for setting up automounting of usb drives? At any rate, when I type the various commands that you suggest, I receive results that I can make no sense of, i.e.: sudo adduser results in "adduser: only one or two names allowed". I just ordered 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Linux (2nd Edition)', will that help? Do you have time to post a step by step set of instructions on how to automount a usb drive directed to an idiot who never saw a terminal or linux before? I understand if this is too much...
Thanks again.