I'm running a new installation of Mandrake 10.1 Official (download).

When I insert my Lexar JumpDrive into the USB port, KwikDisk shows that it is mounted. But when I try to open the file manager to see the drive's contents, it just locks up. I even selected "Open File Manager Automatically on Mount" to no avail.

Any suggestions on how to remedy this problem?

Well, you may want to test to see if that is a 'File Manager' problem, or if it's having more of a driver problem with the device. One way to test this is to open a terminal, and try to 'cd' to the place that it has mounted the USB device. Once there, see if you can do a simple 'ls' and maybe 'cp' a file or two to your desktop. If everything works fine in the terminal, it is most likely a problem with the 'File Manager' program that you are using.

Thank you for the suggestion, jsutton.

Now the USB drive doesn't even show up in KwikDisk or KDiskFree, and the OS locks up during shutdown.

I have tried several things in Root Console, but can't seem to access the USB drive. Could you please help me with the commands that I need to use to view the USB drive?

Update:

Now the CD-RW drive disappeared from KwikDisk and KDiskFree on reboot. What's goes next - the hard drive?

I reinstalled SuSE Linux 9.1 Personal. This is what I was running before I installed Mandrakelinux 10.1.

I'm having the same problems with both distros! The one thing they have in common is that I'm testing both distros on the same test machine (an hp pavilion xe738). I'm using two separate hard drives with only one connected at a time. I've tried two different thumb drives.

USB drive/Konqueror conflict (Reboot.) I can't insert the thumb drive before I open the file manager - Konqueror has to be open first.

I found a temporary workaround: I'm using the 'Universal Sidebar', which I guess is keeping Konqueror running. I just have to wait for a while before I can see folders or files on the thumb drive.

* With Mandrakelinux 10.1, I leave the folder '/mnt' open.
* With SuSE Linux 9.1, I use the tab marked 'Services' with the folder 'Devices' left open.

Thank you for any suggestions you have for this problem.

I had these problems until I installed the Mandrake 10.1 updates:

Go to an "easy urpmi" site, and use urpmi to update everything. There are plenty of threads in these forums about this. Took me about a 300Mb download. Then everything worked much better.

Hope this helps.

This is a common problem with mandrake lately, in 10.0 and 10.1unfortunately...

I've been just dumping the mandrake kernel and using a generic kernel and getting rid of the autotmount stuff. Makes it much more stable, tho you may have to use KDE to manually mount the flash drive... I prefer that and have stability...

Thank you tredegar and amosf!

I'm getting really frustrated with this 'automount' problem. Is this something SuSE and Mandrakelinux can't fix? Are they even aware of this problem? Or is this problem isolated, and shows up only under certain conditions? Hmm...

I was under the impression that the only way I could update was by joining Mandrakelinux Online. Then I was clicking around in the main menu and found 'Mandrakelinux Update'. I realized that 'Mandrakelinux Online' is for new software, and 'Mandrakelinux Update' is for the OS.

I updated yesterday afternoon, but the problem is still there. I checked all three boxes and downloaded / installed everything available. I even rebooted and did it again.

I'll see what I can dig up on these "easy urpmi" sites. As far as the kernel stuff, I'm totally unfamiliar with how to do this. Could you give me more information on how to do this? At this point, I'm ready to try anything!

I can easily access the folders and files on the flash drive with 'Root Midnight Commander', so I know it is a software issue, not a hardware problem with my old test PC.

Just thinking...

Is this really an automount problem, or is this a file manager problem? If I can access files on the flash drive through Terminal, isn't the flash drive already mounted?

Thanks for any input.

Oops!...

Forget the 'Universal Sidebar', because I realized that I can't open files with it - at least not anymore. If I try to open a folder (with other than the "plus" symbol), it locks up and I have to log off/on or reboot.

I found a better temporary workaround: I enabled 'Quick Browser' in the main menu. I can easily access my flash drive files this way. I Just don't click on 'Open in File Manager', because it doesn't work for me. The "path" is (Start), Quick Browser, Root Folder, mnt, removable, ...

This works for opening files or moving/copying them to my desktop, but in order to move/copy files to my flash drive, I still have to use 'Root Midnight Commander'.

Thank you jsutton! I know this is a 'File Manager' problem.

UPDATE: I just found the following on this forum while searching for more info on urpmi:

"I have Mandrake 10.1 and problem with usb-memory sticks. Konquerer hangs if the USB-stick is in the usbport. I believe that this problem is fixed in an update from Mandrake."

You're right on, tredegar! You said to use an "easy urpmi" site. This has to be the answer! I need to update my system to fix this problem. I thought I did with 'Rpmdrake', but when I try it again, it shows that I still need to update the same files! What am I doing wrong? Is this 'easy urpmi' site better than using rpmdrake?

Thanks!

GUESS WHAT?!!!!!

I tried rpmdrake (Mandrakelinux Update) again. This time I was able to do a complete update. When it was finished, there were no 'updates' left in the box.

When I restarted my computer, a new icon (shortcut) was on the desktop "LEXAR JUMPDRIVE", as I forgot to remove the thumb drive before I rebooted. I clicked on it, and in a few moments I was staring at my files and folders on my USB drive!!!!!

Thank you all very much for your help!

Bye until next time!...

Hey, thanks!

I had the exact same problem with Mandrake 10.1 Community. After reading this thread, I applied the updates and the problem with Konqueror (and some other applications) not launching is now fixed. Thanks for having the solution already worked out and posted!

- TSloth

Hi,

I'm a new Mandrake user - been using linux for awhile but still a relative newbie. I'm having the usb/konqueror problem with my Mandrake10.1 install, done using a purchased CD set. I want to fix the bug, but I don't want to update EVERYTHING on my system because I live in a rural town in Alaska with only a slow modem connection. It takes me about 1 hour to download 10 MB. I can't do something like 300 MB.

Can anybody tell me specifically which downloads I need to fix this problem?

AlaskaLass,

Sorry, but in my case Mandrake just went off and installed a load of updates, I am not sure which exact one fixed the USB Disk mounting problem. I could probably give you a list of all the updates, but this would not help you.

Suggestions:
-Make friends with someone with a broadband / cable connection, and plug your computer in there to get the updates installed?
-Find someone local who runs linux, has broadband, and can fetch the updates for you and burn them to a CD for you?
-Try another distribution?
-Settle in for a 30hour download (ouch!)
-Move?

Sorry I cannot be of more help.