After installing RedHat ES 4 (latest update) from cd-rom onto an HP ML350, I cannot get the cdrom (actually a DVD recorder) to mount any media. I've updated using RHN but that didn't fix the problem.

When I try to mount a plain old cd using:
mount /media/cdrecorder
I get:
mount: block device /dev/hdc is write-protected, mounting read-only
mount: /dev/hdc already mounted or /media/cdrecorder busy

If I try a umount, it says it is not mounted.
If I just issue a mount, it does not show any cd device or dvd device mounted.

I tried using a different drive (cd-rom) to make sure it was not a hardware issue and got the same results. Also, I installed RedHat from CDs on the drive so I know it works!

I do have cdrecord-2.01.1-5 and dvd+rw-tools-5.21.4.10.8-4 installed. Could this be the problem? If not, any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks!

for your distro, CDs with a fs on them should be automounted. Blank CDs should result in a burner window opening.

Check the bahavior under system tools > disk management

Also post /etc/fstab

Simon, thanks for the reply!

The disk management tool has the cdrecorder (/dev/hdc) set to auto for the file system.

fstab has:
/dev/hdc /media/cdrecorder auto pamconsole,exec,noauto,managed 0 0
for the cdrecorder.

I've never had this type of problem before but this is the first time I've used this dvd writer from HP. Any other ideas on what I could check?!

thanks!

Also, looking for "CD" in dmesg, I found the following:
# dmesg|grep -a2 -b1 CD
9484-Probing IDE interface ide1...
9514:hdc: HL-DT-STDVDRRW GWA-4166B, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive
9568-Using cfq io scheduler
--
9747-Probing IDE interface ide5...
9777:hdc: ATAPI 40X DVD-ROM DVD-R CD-R/RW drive, 2048kB Cache, UDMA(33)
9844:Uniform CD-ROM driver Revision: 3.20
9881-ide-floppy driver 0.99.newide


Did RH detect the drive correctly?

thanks again!

OK - did a little more testing. Cannot manually mount the cdrecorder. Cannot use the icon on the desktop (KDE) to mount the cdrecorder. However, if I used KDiskFree to mount, it mounts just fine!! I'm guessing it must be a KDE issue of some sort.

BTW, I installed RHEL on another very different machine (w/ a dvd writer) and had the same issue. Even the latest Up2date updates did not fix it.

So, I guess for now, the work around is to use KDiskFree to mount and access the dvd drive.

Thanks for your help and if you have any ideas what the problem can be - let me know.

thanks.

The disk management tool has the cdrecorder (/dev/hdc) set to auto for the file system.

OK - well on my system, it can set behaviour for different media, like autoplay audio CDs for the CD drive, autoplay DVD movies etc.

fstab has:

Code:

/dev/hdc /media/cdrecorder auto pamconsole,exec,noauto,managed 0 0

for the cdrecorder.

Good, this is mine:... so this should be fine.

I've never had this type of problem before but this is the first time I've used this dvd writer from HP.

This shouldn't be a problem. Unless the DVD drive is broken or something, but see below...

Also, looking for "CD" in dmesg, I found the following:

Code:

# dmesg|grep -a2 -b1 CD
9484-Probing IDE interface ide1...
9514:hdc: HL-DT-STDVDRRW GWA-4166B, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive
9568-Using cfq io scheduler
--
9747-Probing IDE interface ide5...
9777:hdc: ATAPI 40X DVD-ROM DVD-R CD-R/RW drive, 2048kB Cache, UDMA(33)
9844:Uniform CD-ROM driver Revision: 3.20
9881-ide-floppy driver 0.99.newide

Did RH detect the drive correctly?

Well, you'd have to cross check that with lspci ... however, there do not appear to be any errors which could indicate a problem with the hardware or drivers.

OK - did a little more testing. Cannot manually mount the cdrecorder. Cannot use the icon on the desktop (KDE) to mount the cdrecorder. However, if I used KDiskFree to mount, it mounts just fine!! I'm guessing it must be a KDE issue of some sort.

Possible ... I am using gnome here. If you have successfully mounted and unmounted with KDiskFree - does this clear up the trouble with the mount command? Is it the same to, say, play a DVD movie?

BTW, I installed RHEL on another very different machine (w/ a dvd writer) and had the same issue. Even the latest Up2date updates did not fix it.... and it is a different DVD Writer?

So, I guess for now, the work around is to use KDiskFree to mount and access the dvd drive.... puzzling indeed.

You could try an completely explicit mount - insert media - check the user mount tool to see if it shows up and the desktop to see if the disk icon shows up.

(If the disk icon shows up, then the fs on the disk is mounted - click the icon to browse it. Right-click, and select "eject" to get the disk back etc. Also try ls -l /media/cdrecorder...)

If it shows up but you cannot browse, then unmount with the command "umount /media/cdrecorder" and paste the output to me.

When not mounted, mount with full explicitness with:

# mount -t iso9660 /dev/hdc /media/cdrecorder (for a CD)

and paste returns.

Again - thanks for you help!!!

I'm pretty sure it is an issue with KDE. I switched to gnome and no problems at all. It mounts/unmounts as expected and can manully do both. Being that I'm using RedHat for mostly server purposes on, gnome is not a problem with me (not really sure why I was using KDE anyway). Besides, gnome seems a little "snappy-er" .

Thanks again for your suggestions!