problems with mounting external drive

[Rhennlor]

I've used linux for many years but I'm new to debian and now I have a problem that I don't know how to solve.

I run wheezy testing version on a laptop. I have little knowledge in using a terminal.

I have googled, read the man page and also searched here on the forum with no luck before writing this message.

When trying to mount (using nautilus) the connected external drive I get this message:

"Error mounting: mount exited with exit code 1: helper failed with:
Unprivileged user can not mount NTFS block devices using the external FUSE
library. Either mount the volume as root, or rebuild NTFS-3G with integrated
FUSE support and make it setuid root. Please see more information at
http://tuxera.com/community/ntfs-3g-faq/#unprivileged"

It would be perfect if it asked me for root password but it doesn't, it only gives me that message. I don't know what type of solution is the easiest for this, but I would very much like to avoid having to use a terminal every time I connect that external drive.

Hopefully someone knows how to solve this little problem. Thank you very much in advance!

[makh]

if it can be mounted on cli, then there can be a policy issue with your gnome (gnome-volume-manager).

you may edit, but the file may be different for gnome.
/usr/share/polkit-1/actions/org.freedesktop.udisks.policy

[Rhennlor]

I have an update on this problem since I did some "detective work" today. My previous thoughts about user privileges seem to have been wrong.

These mount normal:
WD 250 with ext3/ext4
WD 250 with FAT32

This one is the problem:
WD 500 with NTFS

I wonder if this is a general, broad NTFS problem or something concering my particular debian system and/or external drive.
I know since before that NTFS has alot of problems with free software. So should I then give this up and try to reformat the disk into something else or is there a good workaround?

[makh]

Probably your problem is:

http://thenubbyadmin.com/2011/03/08/get ... necessary/

[Rhennlor]

Probably your problem is:

http://thenubbyadmin.com/2011/03/08/get ... necessary/

Ok, well it's not _that_ important to fix this problem. I will migrate the disk contents to other drives and then simply reformat it into linux file systems.

Thanks, I appreciate the help. I now know how to solve the problem in a good way: first migration and then new file system.

[dilberts_left_nut]

FWIW I got no problem mounting NTFS volumes.
I have ntfs-3g installed (no further shagging about required) and am in the plugdev & fuse groups (not sure if either matters but if you're not, try that first).

[sakamoto]

I've used linux for many years but I'm new to debian and now I have a problem that I don't know how to solve.

I run wheezy testing version on a laptop. I have little knowledge in using a terminal.

I have googled, read the man page and also searched here on the forum with no luck before writing this message.

When trying to mount (using nautilus) the connected external drive I get this message:

"Error mounting: mount exited with exit code 1: helper failed with:
Unprivileged user can not mount NTFS block devices using the external FUSE
library. Either mount the volume as root, or rebuild NTFS-3G with integrated
FUSE support and make it setuid root. Please see more information at
http://tuxera.com/community/ntfs-3g-faq/#unprivileged"

It would be perfect if it asked me for root password but it doesn't, it only gives me that message. I don't know what type of solution is the easiest for this, but I would very much like to avoid having to use a terminal every time I connect that external drive.

Hopefully someone knows how to solve this little problem. Thank you very much in advance!

i am sure that you installed debian from an usb device, correct? if so, please post your /etc/fstab

the last line of fstab (usb related) will probably be the reason of your troubles and should be removed. but please post first your fstab in here. thanks

[makh]

@ dilberts_left_nut

The problem does exists.
....
My ntfs partition on a external-usb-IDE mounts without issue (on my wheezy + openbox + thunar).
....
My passport ntfs partition despite all your options including, doesnt mount. On the other way, mounts on cli via ntfs-3g, only.
....
It can be assumed that the problem is not with ntfs-3g but the file manager or some other configuration or the partition table.

[sakamoto]

it's fstab related!!

post your fstab please

/etc/fstab

[Rhennlor]

it's fstab related!!

post your fstab please

/etc/fstab

Interesting! Yes, I installed it from a USB stick. The wheezy testing version.

Here is my fstab (I hope):

Code: Select all

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
/dev/mapper/lv--246-root /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /boot was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=7e184d1e-8060-49f7-aaf4-cf002744abd4 /boot           ext2    defaults        0       2
/dev/mapper/lv--246-swap_1 none            swap    sw              0       0
/dev/sdb1       /media/usb0     auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0

[sakamoto]

remove last line

/dev/sdb1 /media/usb0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0

and leave a blank line at the end. reboot and issue will be solved please confirm and file a bug report as the usb installer incorrectly leaves this line in fstab

[makh]

remove last line

/dev/sdb1 /media/usb0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0

and leave a blank line at the end. reboot and issue will be solved please confirm and file a bug report as the usb installer incorrectly leaves this line in fstab

Same problem with my ntfs partition, now resolved.

[makh]

NOTE: My installation was from the CD, not usb. Thank you sakamoto!

[makh]

One thing, I needed to put the non-free hardware deb package during install, on the usb, this put it for automounting as an additional hardisk/disk, and struck this single ntfs partition afterwards.

[sakamoto]

NOTE: My installation was from the CD, not usb. Thank you sakamoto!

welcome... please log a bug report if not yet done

[rlcastrobh]

remove last line

/dev/sdb1 /media/usb0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0

and leave a blank line at the end. reboot and issue will be solved please confirm and file a bug report as the usb installer incorrectly leaves this line in fstab

Problem solved for me, thank you very much.

[sunrat]

Solved the same problem for me by simply removing the entry in fstab I had been trying to tweak for ages. Thanks guys!

That link that makh posted is quite amusing - partition bigger than drive! Haha.
http://thenubbyadmin.com/2011/03/08/get ... necessary/

[korntera007]

Hi, I just would like to say that I had the same problem mounting an NTFS external disk and the problem was solved commenting that line from the fstab file in Debian 7.
Thanks a lot!!!!

[neo1691]

I am having the same problem. Here is my fstab

Code: Select all

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
# / was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=3994a52f-9843-4ccb-85d1-1f0037a7bdd7 /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /home was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=873960ac-b205-4675-9418-694d633d7f0a /home           ext4    defaults        0       2
# /tmp was on /dev/sda8 during installation
UUID=e51c2c30-d1d0-43ab-a7f0-77e895fff9f3 /tmp            ext4    defaults        0       2
# /usr was on /dev/sda10 during installation
UUID=5035e6ca-0bc0-4ef4-9ebe-fa62ab6a6959 /usr            ext4    defaults        0       2
# /var was on /dev/sda11 during installation
UUID=d67d34b8-3850-40d0-8fd0-cb8a02a20630 /var            ext4    defaults        0       2
# swap was on /dev/sda9 during installation
UUID=33e5d968-73a2-4b6c-9758-055d66fcf868 none            swap    sw              0       0
/dev/sr0        /media/cdrom0   udf,iso9660 user,noauto     0       0
/dev/sdb1       /media/usb0     auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0
/dev/sdb2       /media/usb1     auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0
/dev/sdc1       /media/usb2     auto    rw,user,noauto  0       0
/home/neo1691/iso-files/debian-7.1.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso /media/dvd1-mountpoint iso9660 loop,ro 0		0
/home/neo1691/iso-files/debian-7.1.0-amd64-DVD-2.iso /media/dvd2-mountpoint iso9660 loop,ro 0		0
/home/neo1691/iso-files/debian-7.1.0-amd64-DVD-3.iso /media/dvd3-mountpoint iso9660 loop,ro 0		0
/dev/sda3	/media/Neo	ntfs	rw	0	0
/dev/sda2	/media/Windows	ntfs	rw	0	0
/dev/sda5	/media/Workstation	ntfs	rw	0	0

The last three entries are for auto-mounting windoze partitions on startup
And the iso-files entries are for automounting debian iso's on startup

Please help

[sunrat]

@ neo1691
Comment out the sdb and sdc lines. You probably don't need to mount the DVD isos either so comment those lines as well.