vfat fails when trying to mount. Help?

Crobat · 02-18-2006, 06:32 PM

I'm trying to mount an FAT32 usb drive. Simple, I've done this before.

Code:

mount /dev/sda /mnt/usbmem -t vfat
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda,
       missing codepage or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

Wow...first time I got that message. Strange. I figured I'd try this to se what I would get...

Code:

dmesg | tail
sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
sda : status = 1, message = 00, host = 0, driver = 08
Info fld=0x0, Current sd00:00: sns = f0  2
ASC=3a ASCQ= 0
Raw sense data:0xf0 0x00 0x02 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x0a 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x3a 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
sda : block size assumed to be 512 bytes, disk size 1GB.
sda: test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
 sda: I/O error: dev 08:00, sector 0
 I/O error: dev 08:00, sector 0
 unable to read partition table

Yes...I'm not really sure what to do now. The memory stick works with WinXP, so I know it works. I just can't get it to work here.

I'm using a 2.4 kernel. I got a memory stick to work before with a 2.6 kernel installed in a different box. Why I picked a 2.4 kernel for this box, I'm not sure, but I plan to upgrade soon.

Any help you can give would be HIGHLY appreciated.

gilead · 02-18-2006, 06:54 PM

I think you need a longer tail, something like tail --lines=50. What you should be seeing is a partition number in the output, for example /dev/sda4. Once you have that, you can use it instead of just /dev/sda.

WindowBreaker · 02-18-2006, 07:36 PM

Crobat:
/dev/sda is the entire device. What you want is to mount the first partition on that device, which would be /dev/sda1.

Instead of typing in:

Code:

mount /dev/sda /mnt/usbmem -t vfat

Try the following:

Code:

mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usbmem -t vfat

Let us know if that did it.

Crobat · 02-19-2006, 02:13 AM

Code:

mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usbmem -t vfat
mount: /dev/sda1 is not a valid block device

That didn't do it, either...

sabitdisk · 02-19-2006, 03:19 AM

I suggest you to try /dev/sdb1

I have two storage devices, one is an USB memory stick and the other is an external hard disk in an USB HDD box.
I've mounted the first as /dev/sda1 and then "unmounted and removed" it.
When I've attempted to mount the other as /dev/sda1 I've got the same message.
Then I've tried to mount it as /dev/sdb1 and it is mounted ok.

After restarting the system, I can mount it as /dev/sda1 again.
If you have logical partitions in your storage device, try starting the partition number from 5 (example: /dev/sda5).

gilead · 02-19-2006, 04:56 AM

Can you run a tail in a console window prior to plugging in the device? That will show which device is being recognised by the kernel (in my case, /dev/sda4):

Code:

# tail -f /var/log/messages
Feb 19 20:54:09 fender kernel: usbcore: registered new driver usb-storage
Feb 19 20:54:09 fender kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel:   Vendor: Generic   Model:                   Rev:
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel:   Type:   Direct-Access                      ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel: SCSI device sda: 1007616 512-byte hdwr sectors (516 MB)
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel: sda: Write Protect is off
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel: SCSI device sda: 1007616 512-byte hdwr sectors (516 MB)
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel: sda: Write Protect is off
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel:  sda: sda4
Feb 19 20:54:14 fender kernel: sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi removable disk sda

dipenchaudhary · 02-19-2006, 05:47 AM

u sure its fat32 .. usb drives are normally fat16 or fat12 ~~~
its workin in winxp doesnt mean its fat32

dipenchaudhary · 02-19-2006, 05:51 AM

wot does fdisk /dev/sda
and then p says ?

Crobat · 02-19-2006, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabitdisk

I suggest you to try /dev/sdb1

I have two storage devices, one is an USB memory stick and the other is an external hard disk in an USB HDD box.
I've mounted the first as /dev/sda1 and then "unmounted and removed" it.
When I've attempted to mount the other as /dev/sda1 I've got the same message.
Then I've tried to mount it as /dev/sdb1 and it is mounted ok.

After restarting the system, I can mount it as /dev/sda1 again.
If you have logical partitions in your storage device, try starting the partition number from 5 (example: /dev/sda5).

This one's the winner. Worked beautifully. Thanks everyone.