USB drive how to mount it?

[louis_b]

II've just obtained a USB 30 gb drive. I managed to get it mounted in RH8.0 with no problems. When attempting the same in Mandrake 9.0 on a notebook, I had problems booting with the drive plugged in -- it hung right after log-in. So, I unplugged it, rebooted and then plugged it back in.

All of the required USB components are present as shown from lsmod:

ide-cd 28712 0
cdrom 26848 0 [sr_mod ide-cd]
hid 18340 0 (unused)
ide-scsi 8212 0
usbkbd 3412 0 (unused)
scsi_mod 90372 4 [usb-storage sd_mod sr_mod ide-scsi]
input 3456 0 [keybdev mousedev hid usbkbd]
ehci-hcd 14472 0 (unused)
usb-ohci 18216 0 (unused)
usbcore 58304 1 [usb-storage hid usbkbd ehci-hcd usb-ohci]

Unfortunately, there is no /dev/sda1. I created one using the command: mknod /dev/sda1 b 8 1 (I'm not sure if the two numbers are correct). When I attemtped to mount the device, I received an error: Not a valid block device.

If I cat /var/log/messages, I get the following:

kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
kernel: keyboard.c: can't emulate rawmode for keycode 272
kernel: hub.c: USB new device connect on bus3/1, assigned device number 2
kernel: scsi1 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices

So, it appears that I have what's needed but my /dev/sda1 is not valid. How do I fix this?

Thanks for the help.

(Yes I did search the forums and google but they were only partly helpful)

[mrBen]

Can you confirm the output of dmesg too, plus the command that you were using to mount the drive.

[louis_b]

Thanks for the quick response. Unfortunately, the dmesg is full of error messages (keycode 272) which is related to using a wireless keyboard. All the boot messages are gone. From the searching that I've done, this problem will be fixed in 2.6 kernels.

The command I use to mount is:

mount -t ext3 /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb-drive

which yields an error message that sda1 is not a valid block device.

Last night I checked the RH 8 pc that could mount the drive and there are some differences in modules.conf. I'm going to try adding the following:

alias usb-controller usb-uhci

The RH 8 pc also showed the following when running lsmod:

usb-storage
scsi_mod [sd_mod usb-storage]
hid
usb-ohci [unused]
usbcore [usb-storage hid usb-uhci]

In Mandrake 9.0, I got the usb-storage references only after I ran modprobe usb-storage. This was not permanent as it was gone after re-booting so I'm beginning to think that the secret is in modules.conf.

Am I barking up the wrong tree?

[mrBen]

You will need usb-storage, so, no, you aren't barking up the wrong tree. It may also be worth seeing if you have the hotplug manager installed, as this tends to make things a little easier.

[banzaikai]

Howdy.

I'd also check to see if your drive is (like my jumpdrive) actually /dev/sdb1, since I have a SCSI card in there as sdaX. I'd also see about using the "auto" filesystem mount, in case it's a FAT-16/32 (vfat) format.

So, you might try:

mount -t auto /dev/sdb1 /mnt/usb-drive

and see if that works.

Hope this helps...

banzai "not enough scsi" kai

[Emerald Wolf]

Originally posted by banzaikai
Howdy.

I'd also check to see if your drive is (like my jumpdrive) actually /dev/sdb1, since I have a SCSI card in there as sdaX. I'd also see about using the "auto" filesystem mount, in case it's a FAT-16/32 (vfat) format.

So, you might try:

mount -t auto /dev/sdb1 /mnt/usb-drive

and see if that works.

Hope this helps...

banzai "not enough scsi" kai


I've have a CD Burner that I've been fighting with that mounts as /dev/sr0. I found this out by checking the dmesg file and seeing just where my drives landed....(my usb keys end up being /dev/sda1, while my PCMCIA card reader ends up as /dev/hdc1)

Catchya on the Flip Side.....

Emerald Wolf -- speaking of usb CD-ROMs has anyone had trouble with them?