Trying to change file attributes from read only so the file can be removed.

Tomarock · 08-04-2009, 09:54 PM

I need to change some files attributes on a USB stick so they can be removed.
I have tried chmod to no avail. I tried to fdisk the volume but receive the following error;
“last_lba(): I don't know how to handle files with mode 40555
You will not be able to write the partition table.
Unable to read U3 System/”
I believe the system is reading this like a burned cd/dvd.
Is there a way to change the file mode? Anyone have a link to file modes and meanings?
If it cannot be done, lessoned learned. Any help is appreciated.

"Because this is what will change the world, that's why."

chrism01 · 08-05-2009, 12:24 AM

USB format is probably VFAT or NTFS, so you'll need the right driver eg nfts-3g

DaneM · 08-05-2009, 04:25 PM

The filesystem seems to be mounted oddly. I/we can probably help you fix this, but I'll need some more information. Try typing 'mount' in a terminal. Post the results here.

--Dane

P.S. Please post the contents of /etc/fstab too.

mushroomboy · 08-05-2009, 09:55 PM

shouldn't need to mount the parition to delete, unmount the volume and use fdisk

oh and trust me, if you do fdisk as root screw unmounting... even the / filesystem can be reformatted mounted =( lol

jschiwal · 08-05-2009, 10:05 PM

If these are files that you created, then the mount options determine the ownership and permissions of the files on the disk.
If this is a U3 drive, and you want to get rid of the ISO image on the device, you need to use the manufacturer's tool to do that.
A U3 drive may present itself as two devices. It sounds like the first (writable) one isn't partitioned at all and you are looking at the second one. If you see a partition that contains an ISO file, you can mount it and see the programs it contains. Look for a ZIP file, which may contain a "LaunchPad Removal.exe" program. You could try running this program in Wine, or on a Windows PC.

mushroomboy · 08-06-2009, 04:31 AM

AHHHH I remember this now!!! Your trying to use the new smart drives, they lock with a code that runs during the autoplay feature. You first have to disable the autoplay crap. I remember because I was trying to use one as a boot disk once... You should google how to disable U3 smart disk or whatever, there's a process to turn those usb drives into regular ones. It's not a file permission at all but how the USB drive itself was designed, it was designed to mask the actual partition that you write data to. Really it's all one drive in 2 seperate partitions, with the first partition being what's read first and the other partition encrypted I believe. Anyways...
http://forums.macosxhints.com/archiv...p/t-63205.html

there is a thread that others have created somewhere (found via google!) read through it, it has links to the software removal ect near the bottom. I'm pretty sure you need windows, because of how windows interacts with formatting. I don't know if you can use windows format tools in linux or not, but the software modifies the usb firmware and re-formats the drive.

Tomarock · 08-10-2009, 07:35 AM

Worked like a charm, Thank you very much. I added the URL for the tool incase anyone runs across this again.

http://www.u3.com/uninstall/default.aspx

It has to be run on a Windows or Mac machine.

mushroomboy · 08-11-2009, 05:42 AM

Yup, used one of those to hack a 360 once. The guy who had it said he really didn't want the software on there because it was useless to him. You have no idea how much it angered me when I first encountered those darn things, why can't they just make it more user friendly!? lol