I dont know how to use a usb memory stick with linux, ive looked at some other threads, but i'm too new to know what most of them were talking about. so a basic description / solution would be much appreciated.
Using Mandrake 10.0

at a basic level, plug it in and run "mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/a-directory-that-already-exists-here" if that doesn't work stright off, see what dmesg says when you plug it in, maybe it's assigning a different device name.

Im a complete newbie - having only installed linux successfully for the first time today, and i dont know how to run anything, so where do i go to run that please?

any terminal emulator / console as root. type "su" and then your password to become root if this isn't abstracted for you already by some fancy gui.

If you're using Madrake's defaults, you should be working in KDE, so look on your task bar (called kicker) for a black icon named 'konsole'. Click on it and there you can type what acid_kewpie suggested.

Just to add: maybe i'm wrong but i remember that mdk 10 mounts usb storage devices automatically, and must appear an icon on your desktop when you plug in your usb drive

Hope this helps

Attached scsi removable disk sde at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Attached scsi generic sg4 at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0, type 0
WARNING: USB Mass Storage data integrity not assured
USB Mass Storage device found at 4
usb 5-6.4: USB disconnect, address 3
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -71)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -71)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -71)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -71)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -32)
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 4. Maybe the USB cable is bad?
hub 5-6:1.0: hub_port_status failed (err = -71)
hub 5-6:1.0: connect-debounce failed, port 4 disabled
usb 5-6.2: USB disconnect, address 4
drivers/usb/core/hub.c: USB device not accepting new address (error=-71)
usb 5-6: USB disconnect, address 2
ehci_hcd 0000:00:10.4: qh f71c4080 (#0) state 1


now what?

I don't think you have to run anything from a console to use an USB stick in MDK10.0,
just go ahead and plug it in and an icon should appear on the desktop
(I'm thinking KDE here which is often the default desktop on MDK)
if that doesn't happen, then poke about in a terminal..

dmesg > dmesg.txt (because dmesg can get large, and this way you'll be able to read
it all with a text editor, the file will appear in your home directory. and this is also a
nice way to save dmesg in case you want to post it here later)

mount
will give a list of mounted devices. if the stick is inserted but no icon appears, you can
check here to see if it got automounted at all. I believe hotplug should manage usb
devices nowadays but i'm not sure.

Third, if i'm not mistaking there is an 'usbview' utility present in the default install of
MDK that allows you to see and identify whatever you plugged into your USB port.
It should reside under the Configuration menu in KDE.

i managed to mount the drive thanks, i used another thread by another user in conjunction to yours to work out that i had to put vfat after what you put above, the mem stick doesnt seem to work in the usb sockets on the front of the pc though, is that just a hardware problem

normally windows read things from the front socket. Although ocasionally it would not recognize a device plugged in there and would only work use that socket after restarting

Actually you normally do NOT have to do anything with Mandrake 10.x.

Merely inserting the stick should cause a desktop icon for it to appear.

This may not happen if you've disabled the automounter, or if the device into which the stick is plugged into, is not recognized and configured during the installation.

thanks everyone - it works now - and ive already started learning things

I find that I can't write to the usb stick at all. i get a "writing to devices is not supported" error message. I can read files from the stick, but I can't save anything to it.

Well I too had the same problem with my Pen drive mdk 10.1 doesn't recognize it.And what I did was I plugged it in while i Installing a fresh copy And now it works but the Problem is now I can't unmount it.All the time it says device is busy...!!!!