LinuxQuestions.org - USB Drive, I can not change permissions! WHY?! o.O

I had an issue with my linux HDD and had loaded in Knoppix 4.0.2 to see if I could access my HDD via live CD and if so then back up the the information I have on the HDD.

When I clicked on the HDD I had it could see the drive as it did in the BIOS before I loaded up Knoppix. But Knoppix would not let me mount it with some unknown error. I also tried to do a permissions change via right clicking then going to properties and then to the permissions tab.

I went ahead and plugged in my USB HDD and see if I could access the files and I could. I then changed my permission on the USB HDD and showed that the permissions where greyed out and not changeable... shit sorry to say I honestly can't remember if I could change it at this point just on the USB HDD. I am sorry, long day kids are hyper with last week of school for the year and dinner. I forgot this 'probably' critical part.

Well anyhow I powered off Knoppix and then came and after a few wire checks and a BIOS entery with no changes and about 3 boot tries, my Linux HDD booted up (which is where I am typing from now).

I wanted to back up my information before I 'maybe' loose my HDD for good. but I can't seem to change the permissions at all. Greyed out and it reads I am using Ubuntu Feisty 64bit version in Gnome. The HDD was originally formated as NTFS.

Under the permissions tab from right clicking on the drive icon on the desktop and then properties it reads on the bottom SELinux Context: Unknown; Last Changed: Unknown.

I have no idea if that means anything good for this problem but there it was anyhow.

Anyhelp would be GREATLY loved. I am having a hint that it might be an NTFS problem because just earlier today I had deleted the 2 partitions I had on that USB HDD and made one big partition. The last setup used one NTFS and one FAT32 partition. but the NTFS was never really used on any Linux setup.

Well thank you and hopefully someone has some good inforation for me on this one.

Cheers and thanks for time you all have given me just reading this.

Sincerely,

Kevin in Alaska

PS... I would like to know if maybe I can do a reformat if thats what I need to do but 'not' loose my already 90GB of HDD spaced already used from winXP?

I know there 'used' to be a way in the day with DOS. low level format I think they called it. maybe I am wrong. I tend to be more wrong these days then right. so my kids say! :)

Cheers