Edit fstab file to make USB disk writable.

AGazzaz · 07-10-2008, 01:51 PM

Hello,
I messed up with Mandriva Control Center and ended up unable to write to my USB flash memory

The USB line in the fstab file:

Code:

/dev/sdb1 /media/hd vfat defaults 0 0

What shall I edit in order to make the Flash memory writable once again.
And to enable the fast writing, Do I add sync or not.

PS: The only thing that I hate about Linux is the fstab file

*edit*: And how can I refresh the fstab file so I do not have to restart in order for the changes to take effect.

trickykid · 07-10-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGazzaz

Hello,
I messed up with Mandriva Control Center and ended up unable to write to my USB flash memory

The USB line in the fstab file:

Code:

/dev/sdb1 /media/hd vfat defaults 0 0

What shall I edit in order to make the Flash memory writable once again.
And to enable the fast writing, Do I add sync or not.

PS: The only thing that I hate about Linux is the fstab file

*edit*: And how can I refresh the fstab file so I do not have to restart in order for the changes to take effect.

Okay, first of all I'd suggest using autofs instead of hard coding this into your fstab. This eliminates it trying to mount at boot time when the USB flash disk isn't inserted.

Secondly, you don't have to refresh the fstab file. You edit, then you run the mount command, it will read from the fstab immediately.

Using defaults should make it writeable though, but the syntax will change if you go with autofs.

AGazzaz · 07-10-2008, 06:18 PM

autofs seems to be a great idea, but I do not know how to use it.
I installed autofs package and I do not know what else to do.

there is a process called automount running but I do not know what to do with it or how to use it.

BTW I can now mount the drive only as root and still I can not write to it.