How do I get Slackware 13 to work with my external usb hard
drive ? I have no idea what to do because in other Linux OS
it was all done automatically for me. When everything is done
for you, you don't learn much do you.

From the command prompt you may need to mount the drive yourself. From KDE or XFCE it will be automatically mounted for you and will show up in the file browser. To start the GUI (Graphical User Interface) from the prompt type startx. To change the default desktop or window manager type xwmconfig.

DNA
AKA mrascii

A coupla links for you here:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6826525_acce...slackware.html
http://www.basicconfig.com/linux/mount

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I usually do it this way:

0) If X is launched fire up a terminal or xterm

1) become root with the "su" command

2) plug in your external usb drive.

3) wait ~ 15 seconds for it to synchronize

4) type following command in the terminal or xterm:

The output should show the drive's partition(s) as e.g. sdb1, sdb2, ...

To mount /dev/sdb1 for instance as /media type:
Of course replace /media by another mount point if you prefer.

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@jostber: The ehow link says the drive will be mounted under /mnt which is, of course, wrong. The correct mount point is under /media.

DNA
AKA mrascii

Are you a member of plugdev group?

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This is basically what I do.
I wait a few seconds after I plugged the external drive, then (from a console) I type in this command:
This displays all the partitions (internal and external drives).
In my case sda is the internal disk device, so I just mount whichever
partition I need from the external drive (e.g., /dev/sdb1, or /dev/sdb2)
For instance (as root) if your partition is /dev/sdb1 you can run these commands
Actually I have entries in /etc/fstab and have already created /mnt/sdb1 ... /mnt/sdb4 /mnt/sdc1 ...
So all I need to do (as an ordinary user) is
Here's one of the entries in my /etc/fstab:

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You might want to consider writing udev rules for persistent device naming, so you don't have to worry about checking what it's called each time. See, e.g. this.

Success ! I can now mount my 2T Seagate external USB 2.0 hard drive.
I used root to do the mounting. I have used both the command line
and a terminal in KDE.
But I can not do anything with it. I can not delete files nor create
a new directory or anything else. It does umount.
I used mount -rw -t ntfs /dev/sdb1 /mnt/sdb1
and mount -t auto /dev/sdb1 /mnt/sdb1
and mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/sdb1
And all kinds of variations besides. It mounts. I can navigate it,
but not much else.
I have tried /etc/fstab /dev/sdb1 /mnt/sdb1 auto user,noauto,noatime,exec 1 0
mount /mnt/sdb1 works but, again, I can't do anything with the Seagate.
I suspect it is a file system problem, but what to do ?
What am I doing wrong ?
This external hard drive works on other OS, so I must be doing, or not doing,
something to cause the problem.
Thank you all for your messages. It is appreciated.

The default for -t ntfs is that the files are owned by root, not writable and readable by nobody else, see "man mount".

I have this in /etc/fstab for an internal HD, anybody can read the files and only root can write it:
Adapt according to your taste.

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mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdb1 /media/external works great !
I'm doing this in root, but that's what I usually use in Slackware
This is great ! I can use the external Seagate just like a regular hd.
Thanks Didier Spaier.
Where did you find the file system ntfs-3g ?
I only find plain ntfs in cat /proc/filesystems and in man mount.
There is no ntfs-3g.
I would never have found it on my own. Thanks!

ntfs-3g is the partition type Slackware installer uses to write the relevant line in /etc/fstab if you (politely, of course) ask it to include a windows partition that it detected as being a ntfs one at time of setting your disk's partitions

FYI it is provided in Slackware by the package ntfs-3g in the /a series.

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Now that I know ntsf-3g can mount and allow me to use my
external usb 2.0 Seagate 2T hard drive, you could say this
problem has been solved.
Except I noticed my other two Linux OSs use the fuse file
system to do the job. Slackware 13 also has the fuse file
system ( cat /proc/filesystems )
The other Linux OSs have an fstab that list filesystems that
are always mounted on boot in /lib/init/fstab
<file system> < mount point> < type > < options > < dump > < pass >
none /sys/fs/fuse/connections fusectl optional 0 0
I think Slackware 13 may have such an fstab in
/boot/initrd-tree/etc/fstab, yes ?
Slackware does have the directory /sys/fs/fuse/connections
So, is it possible to use the fuse file system for external usb hard drives
like the other Linux OSs for Slackware 13 ?
Or should I start a different thread for the above question,
and declare this one solved ?
Thank you all for your help. I've learned a lot.

This is really a different topic, so please do start a different thread for that.

Anyhow in Slackware 13.37 ntfs-3g is compiled with the option "--fuse=internal" (which is the default) so the settings found in other distributions *could* be reproduced in Slackware: feel free to play with that if you wish

This is not done by default in Slackware, probably because:
- it is not needed by most users
- change the dmask and fmask if needed in the relevant line of /etc/fstab is a lot more simple: simplicity is at the heart of Slackware's "philosophy"
- the usual setting for mounting ntfs drives is probably more secure as it is in Slackware

PS the explanations above may be not that accurate as I don't know fuse well, please other posters correct it as needed.

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