when i go to try and load the HDD i’m always faced with a root password question…why is this?
For “secondary” HDDs installed inside the box which I want to be mounted on boot, I mount them via YaST → Partitioner and the mount gets automagically added to fstab. So next time you boot, automount… 
thanks for that. i actually did something similar. i actually changed the mountpoint from a root folder (run) to my home folder
Wrong. If you mount a partition on the second HDD on /home, this means the original content of /home ( where the user homedirectories live ) is no longer accessible. If you mount it in a folder within your homedir ( f.e. /home/usernamehere/disk2, other users on the system cannot access it.
Some explanation: mounting of internal harddisks is a system thing, rather than a user’s.
I have done just as you said, and i’m still faced with entering the root password to access it
If mounted via a fstab then you need to add parameters to allow user to use. ie user als since not on system use nofail in case the resource is not available at boot.
Here are some good docs
many thanks. i think i have figure it out with the partitioner. there was an option to allow users to use it
If you do not have the additional internal drive or partitions auto-mounted by the system at boot, then regular users cannot mount and access them without the root password. This is an important security feature. For example, let us say you have a partition or drive that has confidential files that only you should gain access to. You do not want other users in a multi-user environment to be able to mount it, so root is the only other user that can get there and see your confidential files. In order for you to access it, you will either need to know and enter the root password, or you must set it up to be auto-mounted with the correct permissions when the system boots.
You can have the drive or partition auto-mounted at root and can decide the access permissions that would be in effect at that time.
If you want to be the only one who accesses it when mounted that way, you would mount it in a subdirectory of your /home directory, as Knurpht pointed out.
So, first go into your /home directory and create a subdirectory with a suitable name.
Then, launch Yast->Partitioner and say yes to the warning – it is there to remind you to be carefull with any changes you make.
In the pane on the right, select the partition or disk you want mounted. Double-click it.
Now, at the bottom of the window, click on Edit
On the page that comes up, make sure to mark Do not format partition or you will lose any information you have on it. Then, select Mount partition and in there enter the full path to the mount directory you created in /home (ie /home/your_user_name/the_directory).
Click on the Fstab Options… button. Read the various choices carefully. In there, you want to check the box for Mountable by User and probably nothing else. Then click on okay, follow the prompts back out and close the partitioner.
Now, when you reboot, your problem should be solved.
Good luck.
It would appear that on Sep 22, Fraser Bell did say:
> jshand2015;2793587 Wrote:
> > I have done just as you said, and i’m still faced with entering the root
> > password to access it
> If you -do not- have the additional internal drive or partitions
> auto-mounted by the system at boot, then -regular users cannot- mount
> and access them without the root password.
I’m sorry to tell you this but I’ve been mounting internal partitions as a regular
user on my Linux systems WITHOUT having to enter ANY password for years. And my
method still works in Leap 42.1…
For internal partitions that I don’t want auto-mounted but don’t care which user
account has access I use fstab entries like this:
LABEL=MusicStuff_sata6 /home/MusicStuff/theMusicStuff ext3 defaults,user,noauto 0 0
LABEL=VideoStuff_sata3 /home/MusicStuff/theVideoStuff reiserfs defaults,user,noauto 0 0
This is an -important security feature-.
And one that I never agreed with. Especially since by default users home directories
and many of it’s sub-directories are created with 755 {octal} permission settings.
For example, let us say you have a partition or drive that has confidential
files that only you should gain access to. You do not want other users in a
multi-user environment to be able to mount it, so root is the only other user
that can get there and see your confidential files.
To protect my personal USER OWNED data partition I use this in fstab:
LABEL=J-drive-8 /home/jtwdyp/J-drive-8 ext3 defaults,owner,noauto 0 0
Which can only work because of this in /etc/udev/rules.d/99-local-disk.rules:
SUBSYSTEM=="block", ENV{ID_FS_LABEL}=="J-drive-8", OWNER="jtwdyp", GROUP="root"
Of course since there is some private data on the partition I also aggressively did a:
chmod -R 700 ~/J-drive-8
while it was mounted, and then followed up with mc to selectively remove the executable
permissions on the files within that were neither personal scripts nor directories.
But all of that assumes that no one gets physical possession of the drive. {a geek
with a screwdriver can pull a hard drive in seconds you know.} So if it really needed
to be “secure” it would also have to be encrypted… But even the best encryption can
be beaten. {though probably not by me} So I’m not quite paranoid enough to bother
with that.
In order for -you- to access it, you will either need to know and enter the
root password, or you must set it up to be auto-mounted with the correct
permissions when the system boots.
The way I access these is with the command line mount command.
In the case of the music files my ~/.bashrc includes:
export Music=/home/MusicStuff/theMusicStuff
So I usually do this:
mount $Music
mocp
For the rest, since I use mc {with the panel option “Lynx-like motion” set} it’s easy
to navigate to the mount point {or a symlink to it} and while it’s selected I type:
mount {alt}+{Enter} {Enter}
and it’s mounted…
I’m not saying that my methods are the best way to do this but I simply couldn’t
stand the forceful way the statement:
> If you -do not- have the additional internal drive or partitions
> auto-mounted by the system at boot, then -regular users cannot- mount
> and access them without the root password.
implied the method that I am still using on three different Linux distro’s cannot be done.
–
Joe
… well, Joe, not entirely up front. On a default system, using default settings, my statement is accurate. In order to do otherwise, you need to make a conscious effort to circumvent it, therefore an informed decision.
That is what you have done using the fstab entries.
That is not something a newbie or casual user is often familiar with, IMHO, but is a valid way of taking care of business. And, since this forum is most often busy helping newcomers, I explained for them the basis of default methods so they would understand why it works that way.
This forum is not just for the seasoned veterans, IMHO.
This forum is not just for the seasoned veterans, IMHO.
…yeah, but very interesting to read both perspectives. And find DETAILED info on how to tune your system.
I hate nothing more than things along the line “add to your boot code commands to make this and that”, while nobody knows where to add what. Nerd-stuff…
… well, yes, indeed. But, I think, add to it with additional info, enhance the knowledge and the thread, rather than just come out in attack mode.
I, for one, do not view the forums as a ******** contest. The purpose of the forums, I believe, is for those of us who like helping others solve problems come in and share what knowledge we have in order to help out and make someone else’s life a little easier … and, in so doing, learn some new things along the way ourselves just by participating.
It would appear that on Sep 24, Fraser Bell did say:
> suse_rasputin;2793789 Wrote:
> > …yeah, but very interesting to read both perspectives. And find
> > DETAILED info on how to tune your system.
> >
> > I hate nothing more than things along the line “add to your boot code
> > commands to make this and that”, while nobody knows where to add what.
> > Nerd-stuff… 
I’ll take that as a compliment. But I’m not so much a nerd as a stubborn bugger who’s
been fighting to make my computer work my way since my only OS was win95…
I find I have to work at it to do that even with Linux systems. But at least here the
tools to do so haven’t been ripped out by the roots. Even if it usually takes me way too
long to figure out how from docs that mostly just confuse me.
> … well, yes, indeed. But, I think, -add to it with additional info,
> enhance the knowledge and the thread-, rather than just come out in
> attack mode.
Sorry if I came on too strong. My knee was hurting all day, and I guess was getting a
bit cranky when I disagreed with what you said. I wasn’t actually trying to be in
“attack mode”… But rereading what I wrote I can see how it could feel that way to you.
> I, for one, do not view the forums as a ******** contest. The purpose
> of the forums, I believe, is for those of us who like helping others
> solve problems come in and share what knowledge we have in order to help
> out and make someone else’s life a little easier … and, in so doing,
> learn some new things along the way ourselves just by participating.
I’d agree it shouldn’t be a contest. And while I don’t always sound like it, I’m actually
grateful to people like you who are willing to spend so much of your time trying to
help others find a way to solve their computer problems.
I might not always agree with what you say. But I’m very glad there are still people
with the patience {and time} to share their knowledge with frustrated people who mostly
seem to expect magically easy and instant solutions. And who only occasionally sound like
they realize that your not a paid customer service organization. Frankly I don’t know
how people like you put up with it.
So if I managed to make your day less pleasant, I really am sorry.
–
Joe
Yeah, what I like about Linux, as opposed to MS, is that you can almost always “fix” or “tweak” it, because there is no need to keep the solutions secret in order to protect proprietary code or to prevent you from pirating their software. That is the sad reality of commercial software, the amount of resources that go into locking it up so profits can be protected and maximized.
Sorry if I came on too strong. My knee was hurting all day, and I guess was getting a
bit cranky when I disagreed with what you said.
Okay, now that is easy to relate to, both the hurting joints :beat-up: and the cranky. Long days, even without the pain, can cause the crankiness.
I wasn’t actually trying to be in “attack mode”… But rereading what I wrote I can see how it could feel that way to you.
… plus, sometimes we can get a little too sensitive, I suppose.:shame:
So if I managed to make your day less pleasant, I really am sorry.
Thanks, Joe. Today you made my day. https://forums.opensuse.org/images/smiliesnew/smile.png
