Greetings from Amsterdam

How do I format a 16GB USB stick to ext4 or 3, so that it is read and write and I am recognised as the owner? I 've tried formating it via the terminal. In this case my stick is /dev/sdd1. To unmount I run: umount /dev/sdd1. I then run: mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdd1. The stick is formatted but it is read only and I'm not recognised as the owner. It is the same when I use GParted. I want to use it for Porteus 2. I just can't do anything with it because I don't have permissions and I can't change the permissions. What am I missing? Help please.

Mount the thumb drive as usual and then, as root or using pseudo you can give this command:
Replace "usb0" by the name given to the thumb drive by your system (if it's not called usb0).
jdk

the formatting to ext3 or 4 has nothing to do with how it is mounted

the OS will "automount" it as READ ONLY for normal users and "Read/Write" for root
this is normal system security


likely you will need to mount it in /etc/fstab using "uuid" of the thumbdrive , and mount it a rw for the normal users
-- but this is bypassing the normal system security ,so use caution !
something like this
FRIST make the folder
"/mnt/USB.Thumb1"
replace "/????????-????-????-????-???????????? " with the real number

folders in /media are temporary
you will need to use chown on it EVERY time you boot the computer
that folder is set aside for auto-mounting drives

Thanks for getting back to me. I just tried your suggestion and it didn't work unfortunately:

Disk /dev/sde: 16.0 GB, 16008609792 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 1946 cylinders, total 31266816 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00039f54

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sde1 2048 31266815 15632384 83 Linux
andy1960@debimint-li-3710 ~ $

andy1960@debimint-li-3710 ~ $ sudo chown andy1960:andy1960 /media/sde1
chown: cannot access `/media/sde1': No such file or directory
andy1960@debimint-li-3710 ~ $

It beats me!

/media/sde1 sounds like something belonging in /dev, a device name. What was the mount command you used to mount /dev/sde1?
jdk

ext4?
forget it. ext2!

Is this /dev/sde1 or /dev/sdd1? You've quoted both, and if you get the muddled ther's obviously going to be trouble.

You've got it formated, although ext2 would be less wearing on a USB stick. Plug it in and see if it automounts. Then, for an easy approach, start your file manager (nautilus, caja?) from a terminal with sudo, navigate to the folder in media, and reset the permissions using the file manager.

What exactly are you trying to do? You say you want to use it for Porteus 2, do you want to install it on that drive? Is there any data on it now? As indicated above, formatting isn't going to give ownership for any user/group. If you are not recognized as the owner, who is? What system are you using to get this information?


You got the above error because you did not create the directory mount point 'sde1' in the /media directory before trying to change owner.

what is wrong with using fstab to mount it read write
-- this is one of the reasons for having that file

the folders in /media are a TEMP file system
and are removed on logout and shutdown

the automount will by default mount it READ ONLY for normal users