Single, unmounted partition permission for a specific user?
 

Overview on what I'm attempting to accomplish :

Host is Linux. I'm using VMware to run the test enviroment / network for a windows client. The test source-data exists on a mapped drive (as far as windows is concerned) although this mapped drive is actually a folder within my home directory. The test result-data from the client, I initially left within the VMware image - until I realized it would be more of a value if I had it where I could actually see it without having to "turn on" the virtual machine.

This is where the bits of trouble began, there is a database tool the client uses, that will _not_ use the "mapped" drive, seems this is a limitation of that program, and there is no real way to mount a mapped network drive in windows as a folder locally to windows (as we can do in UNIX), leaving me with only one real option - give VMware a physical partition for it to use for windows. VMware itself, apparently has a bit of a pre-condition when it comes to that - the partition can NOT be pre-mounted, it must be unmounted by the Linux Host, the mounting process is taken care of by the VMware-windows system.

Here is where I have run into my actual stumbling point. I do not know how (or if it's even possible) to give access to a specific user, for a previously, unmounted partition. If this were a mounted partition the answer would be within fstab - but the pre-requirement says it needs to be unmounted.

After a bit of reading, I believe I found the first answer, one I personally don't particularily like, add my username to the disk group. The reason I dislike this option is simple, my username would effectively have the ability to do rather horrific damage to the system itself - something best left for root. An alternative would be to "run as" the VMware program, as its own user of sorts, but the result would be no better than if I were the user.

I just need access to one partition, just one, not everything. That partition needs to be unmounted before it can be used.

Is there a solution?

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NOTE : While I am using VMware, it's outside of that company's realm of things when it entered the Host's operating system permissions and other finer details, so I am pretty sure this question is in the correct place.

Additional Note : I am limited to what the other developers are using for their windows systems, I do _not_ have the option to change the database tool they are currently using.

If you add the "user" option to the fstab entry, a normal user can mount it - the only limitation is that a mount point must be designated.

How about changing the 'group' of that particular partition only? If you're using udev, you can accomplish that with the appropriate rule.

A far more complex solution: If you can set up a virtual network link between WinDuhs and Linux, Samba can share the directory and WinDuhs can map it via SMB as it would on a real WinDuhs network. I just have no idea what your work setup is - there could be some complications with the default domain controller and such things ...