Odd DVD mounting Problem
 

Here's a wierd thing ....

I have a DVD from a Linux Magazine that has Mandrake 10.1 on it. I booted from the DVD into the Mandrake installer, installed Mandrake, all boots up, cool Distro, jobs a goodun.

Except that when I try to read the DVD I installed from, to install a new package for instance, it seems to be totally blank except for three small files.

I can reboot from the DVD and the install proceeds as before. I can stick it in a Windows machine and see everything on it, but when I mount it on a Linux box its virtually blank.

I have also tried to look at the disk on Suse 9.1 and get the same thing.

I'm thinking its maybe something to do with the auto mounting getting the type wrong cos its a DVD. It mounts as ISO9660 is this right for a DVD?

Can anyone shed any light on my dimness?

adv(thanks)ance

pete

Well..
 

You are mounting the DVD using a GUI, or what?

Also, in Windows, if it shows those 3 files thats most *likely* whats on there.

Windows does a similar thing, where it compacts files into data images, and the install image is able to unpack those images.

In Mandrake 10.1, is there not a utility where if the DVD is inserted, it can *unmask* these packages and install?

I have never used it, but also check file sizes. If the files are in the gigabytes - then chances are its just data images with RPMs (Or whatever Mandrake uses. =P)

If the files are really small though...then try mounting the disk in Knoppix. Its generally good about hardware / device recognition and configuration. It may just be reading the data from the device wrong.

Cliekid

ISO9660 is the right filesystem for a DVD.

Bizarre problem though ... I've no idea!

I use my linux format magazine dvd's alot, because I live in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn't ever be able to download a distro @28.8.

to mount dvd--

from command line all I did was
su
"entered root password."

mount /dev/cdrom

cd /mnt/cdrom

ls

I am using slack 10. I am assuming my commands vary by distro and setup. This is just an example. This way lets me get at all the stuff on the disk. you also should be able to mount dvd from icon in KDE or whatever. I do that when I use my suse box. In suse I get the pretty gui. In slack its just easier for me to use the command line.

I hope this helps.

Try manually mounting as UDF. I'm sure in Windows, you try to look at the propertise of the disc. If you have not, Windows should specify UDF of something for the disc.

Mandrake and other distributions that uses supermount screws up from time to time. I just re-edit the fstab file to not include supermount.

Thanks for the responses so far, sorry if I wasn't clear enough. I try to keep it short as no-one likes a rambler. (That is someone who talks too much, not people who walk places for fun!)

When I said that under windows I see everthing I should have said I see the correct disk contents as listed in the mag. Directories full of stuff like Distros, Apps, Desktop etc. Hundreds of files. When automounted under Suse or Mandrake or indeed if manually mounted using the ISO9660 type from the command line I only see these three small files, and I mean small, I think they list as a few kilobytes.

Obviously the disk is readable during the install as it does just that, but under the booted OS it appears virtually empty. Its very strange.

If no-one else is seeing a similar problem I guess it could be an odd driver issue with the particular DVD drive I have. I'll try and install it on another machine with a different DVD drive and see if the same problem occurs.

Watch this space. ( Only if your interested of course, its not obligatory or anything, and I told you I talk to much, shutting up now :D )

Pete