my cd-rom "doesn't seem to exist anymore"
 

"file mnt/cdrom/doesn't seem to exist anymore"

If I click the icon on the kde desktop it says " could not enter directory mnt/cdrom."

Well, then, there remains the supernatural mystery of how exactly mandrake was installed.

from the tree the icon features a lock. All I want to do is listen to a bloody cd.

under hardrake teh following info is shown:
-
Model: ‎526

Vendor: ‎Lite-On Technology Corp.

Bus: ‎ide

Channel: ‎secondary

New devfs device: ‎/dev/ide/host0/bus1/target1/lun0/cd

Old device file: ‎/dev/hdd

Media class: ‎cdrom
-

Maybe something about mounting?

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you need to mount your cdrom from the command line with this
mount /mnt/cdrom

But u need to be root to be able to mount the cd. Do
su - (from the command line and u will be prompted for the root password)

now type
mount /mnt/cdrom

nothing happened
 

nothing changed.

could u post the output of
less /etc/fstab

Also tell what happens when u do this
cd /mnt
ls

new message
 

After screwing with it a bit, right clicking on the cdrom desktop icon and clicking 'mount' I'm informed that:

mount: can't find /mount/cdrom in /etc/fab or /etc/mtab"

How do I get it there?

first question:

/dev/hda1 / ext3 defaults 1 1
none /dev/pts devpts mode=0620 0 0
/dev/hda6 /home ext3 defaults 1 2
none /mnt/cdrom supermount dev=/dev/hdd,fs=auto,ro,--,iocharset=iso8859-15,codep
age=850,umask=0 0 0
none /mnt/floppy supermount dev=/dev/fd0,fs=auto,--,iocharset=iso8859-15,sync,co
depage=850,umask=0 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/hda5 swap swap defaults 0 0

2nd question: typing "cd /mnt" did nothing, but typing ls produced

cd/ floppy/ hdd/ in fancy blue lettering.

now,

cd /mnt (To change into the /mnt directory)
mkdir cdrom (To create a new directory named cdrom)

now as root user do
vi /etc/fstab (vi is a text editor)

(press the button a and move to the following line)
none /mnt/cdrom supermount

(change this to) /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0

(now hit the escape key )
and type :wq

What this will do is edit your /etc/fstab file to make it recognize your cdrom.
Now when u do this as root

mount /mnt/cdrom
cd /mnt/cdrom
ls

You will see the file listings of your cd

'fraid I'm a bit too thick
 

I think I got it right up to the pressing of the a button. that added an 'a' in a seemingly arbitrary location. I moved to the line and removed it, replacing with what you said to. then I pressed esc. when I began typing :wq the machine beeped at me. I have seen no such file listings. Sorry, I'm very green.

okay we shall start again

1. you did
vi /etc/fstab
2. you pressed a, which printed an a, remove this a.
3. you have modified /etc/fstab but
esc :wq beeped. That is okay. Escape beeps.
what happened then? did you exit out?

Could u put the /etc/fstab again? again do less /etc/fstab and copy the result

What should have happened when you hit a was that bottom left of the screen should have read

--INSERT--

That is u can now enter text into the file. It should not have typed an a. Then Escape and :wq is to say write the file and quit. Just like save changes and quit.


What i meant was that now when u do

mount /mnt/cdrom
cd /mnt/cdrom
ls (that is a 'l', small L and a 's'. Just like dir command in dos)

you will see the files in ur cd

You don't have to be sorry friend. :)

Did u create that directory in /mnt like I said?

here
 

/dev/hda1 / ext3 defaults 1 1
none /dev/pts devpts mode=0620 0 0
/dev/hda6 /home ext3 defaults 1 2
none /mnt/cdrom supermount dev=/dev/hdd,fs=auto,ro,--,iocharset=iso8859-15,codep
age=850,umask=0 0 0
none /mnt/floppy supermount dev=/dev/fd0,fs=auto,--,iocharset=iso8859-15,sync,co
depage=850,umask=0 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/hda5 swap swap defaults 0 0
/etc/fstab lines 1-7/7 (END)

I do believe I made the directory.

Thanks again!

Fine. As you can see, your /etc/fsatb is the same as before.

Now open up a console. Type
vi /etc/fstab

Now u can move the cursor with the arrow keys but you can not type anything.

Press a. an --INSERT-- appears at the bottom left of the screen.
Change
none /mnt/cdrom supermount
to
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,owner,kudzu,ro 0 0

That is instead of none, type /dev/cdrom and instead of supermount type what i say above.

When u are through
hit escape
type
:wq (that is a colon and wq, the colon part being compulsary and neccessary)

Now the changes to your /etc/fstab are saved. Now u can mount your cd.
:D

read only file
 

doesn't want to be edited. , read only file warnings. a screen,

-- INSERT -- W10: Warning: Changing a readonly file
E325: ATTENTION
Found a swap file by the name "/etc/.fstab.swp"
owned by: root dated: Sat Jan 3 16:53:46 2004
[cannot be opened]
While opening file "/etc/fstab"
dated: Sat Jan 3 19:27:38 2004
NEWER than swap file!

(1) Another program may be editing the same file.
If this is the case, be careful not to end up with two
different instances of the same file when making changes.
Quit, or continue with caution.

(2) An edit session for this file crashed.
If this is the case, use ":recover" or "vim -r /etc/fstab"
to recover the changes (see ":help recovery").
If you did this already, delete the swap file "/etc/.fstab.swp"
to avoid this message.

E325: ATTENTION
Found a swap file by the name "~/tmp/fstab.swp"
owned by: lee dated: Sat Jan 3 20:50:12 2004
file name: /etc/fstab


comes up.

i have no clue as to the existence of the /etc/fstab.swp file.

Sorry but i cannot assist you here.

Re: read only file
 

Hi

AFAIK .swp is what vi leaves behind when its improperly shutdown.

As long as the original file around you can safely delete the .swp file.

regards
akr

So, it is safe to delete the swp file and then try to edit the /etc/fstab