read-only file system error when editing a config file
 

I recently installed DSL on an old laptop.. i need to change the file congfig.opts in the /etc/pcmcia dir but when i try to save it gives me an error along the lines of "error: read only file system".

Ive checked the access rights if thats the correct term, and im doing it as root.
Im a massive linux noob so it could be something easy i dunno!

Hi and welcome to LQ. Were you root when you tried to edit that file because from the output above, the file is owned by root.

Well.
On read only filesystem even root can't write a file. It's becouse it's named read only.
You should remount it with mount -o remount,rw <device>

Oops I completely missed that part. Thanks for the correction.

Thanks for the warm welcome :)
- what exactly is the <device> im meant to remount? ive tried a few things but just get errors and im not entirely sure what mounting does so im just guessing really. Tried mount -o remount,rw /etc/pcmcia but got "cant find /etc/pcmcia in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab"

Ah i fixed it, i had installed it all wrong. Never-the-less, editing the file didnt do much good so i may post another regarding the network pcmcia card in question. Thanks for the help