Failure to mount removable volume

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hi,

I have just discovered opensuse & installed it on my machine & I am trying to configure it. I have an external hard drive & when I plug it in to the usb I receive a message ‘failure to mount to removable volume’. I found a thread on this forum from Wise Penguin
who said to enter ‘cat /usr/share/PolicyKit/policy/org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy’ into the terminal. I received ’ <action id=“org.freedesktop.hal.storage.crypto-setup-fixed”>
<description>Set up decryption for encrypted fixed storage devices.</description>
<message>System policy prevents accessing encrypted fixed media</message>
<defaults>
<allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
<allow_active>auth_admin_keep_always</allow_active>
</defaults>
</action>

<action id=“org.freedesktop.hal.storage.crypto-setup-removable”>
<description>Set up decryption for encrypted removable storage devices.</description>
<message>System policy prevents accessing encrypted removable media</message>
<defaults>
<allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
<allow_active>yes</allow_active>
</defaults>
</action>

</policyconfig>’
I still cannot access my external hard drive.Where do I go from here?
I am new to linux so my apologies for my ignorance.
Thanks!

#2

Just a guess, but I note you edited the “org.freedesktop.hal.storage.crypto-setup-removable” section. The relevant section for removable devices is “org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable”. It should look like

<action id=“org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable”>
<description>Mount file systems from removable drives.</description>
<message>System policy prevents mounting removable media</message>
<defaults>
<allow_inactive>no</allow_inactive>
<allow_active>yes</allow_active>
</defaults>
</action>

#3

Sorry I haven’t edited anything, mainly because I don’t know how. Therefore how do I get it to look like yours.

#4

You need to be root first.

There are 2 possible approaches. You can either edit /usr/share/PolicyKit/policy/org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy directly, or try a policykit command to do the same.

  1. Edit directly:

You will need to edit this file as root. From a terminal command prompt, type

su

to become root. Enter root password when prompted. I prefer CLI editors. For example

nano /usr/share/PolicyKit/policy/org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy

If you prefer a GUI editor, then from KDE you could do

kdesu kwrite /usr/share/PolicyKit/policy/org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy

Take care with the editing. When done, try plugging in external drive and mounting again.

  1. PolicyKit command:

You will need to execute this as root. For example, for user fred

polkit-auth --user fred --grant org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable

If you require more help, please post your org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy file contents here, so we can take a look.

#5

This is what I get.

glenn@linux-ag1s:~> su
Password:
linux-ag1s:/home/glenn # nano /usr/share/PolicyKit/policy/org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy

The program ‘nano’ can be found in following packages:

  • nano path: /usr/bin/nano, repository: zypp (openSUSE 11.1-0) ]
  • nano path: /usr/bin/nano, repository: zypp (repo-oss) ]
  • nano path: /usr/bin/nano, repository: zypp (repo-update) ]

Try installing with: sudo zypper install nano

bash: nano: command not found
linux-ag1s:/home/glenn # kdesu kwrite /usr/share/PolicyKit/policy/org.freedesktop.hal.storage.policy

The program ‘kdesu’ can be found in following packages:

  • kdebase3-runtime path: /opt/kde3/bin/kdesu, repository: zypp (openSUSE 11.1-0) ]
  • kdebase4-runtime path: /usr/bin/kdesu, repository: zypp (openSUSE 11.1-0) ]
  • kdebase3-runtime path: /opt/kde3/bin/kdesu, repository: zypp (repo-oss) ]
  • kdebase4-runtime path: /usr/bin/kdesu, repository: zypp (repo-oss) ]
  • kdebase4-runtime path: /usr/bin/kdesu, repository: zypp (repo-update) ]

Try installing with: sudo zypper install kdebase3-runtime

bash: kdesu: command not found
linux-ag1s:/home/glenn # polkit --user glenn --grant org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable
bash: polkit: command not found
linux-ag1s:/home/glenn # polkit --user glenn --grant org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable
bash: polkit: command not found
linux-ag1s:/home/glenn #

#6

Try installing nano, as it instructs you.

Or use “gnomesu gedit [filename]”

#7

If using Gnome, then as Confuseling explained.

Take care with your typing. Its not

polkit --user glenn --grant org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable

but rather

polkit-auth --user glenn --grant org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable

#8

Hiy Whits. After checking online, I found that Gnome has a GUI authorisations tool for PolicyKit called ‘polkit-gnome-authorization’. I’m not a Gnome user, but you should be able to launch this from main menu, or type

polkit-gnome-authorization

from terminal as user. Navigate to ‘hal’ > ‘storage’. Here you will find you should be able to adjust authorisations for removable drives etc. Hope this helps.

FWIW, I’ve discovered that KDE 4.3 now has an equivalent authorisation manager as described here. Not before time either.

#9

Hey Deano
I install policy kit-I don’t know if i’m using gnome, i installed opensuse with Xfce. I can now access my hard drives but i cannot eject or unmount them. I get a message 'Failure to eject volume - Device to unmount is not in /media/.hal-mtab so it is not mounted by HAL.
Also i not sure about navigating to a file, i typed in what you said & i got ‘linux-ag1s:/home/glenn # ‘hal’ > ‘storage’
bash: hal: command not found’ back. Am i doing it wrong?
Sorry i know absolutely nothing about command line stuff.
I also have a problem when i shut down it just restarts, any ideas?

#10

Ok, I had no idea you were using Xfce. A false assumption on my part. Most users (and especially new users) choose Gnome or KDE desktops.

I can now access my hard drives but i cannot eject or unmount them. I get a message 'Failure to eject volume - Device to unmount is not in /media/.hal-mtab so it is not mounted by HAL.

What did you do to get access to your hard drives? Edit the file directly? Or via PolicyKit command?

Also i not sure about navigating to a file, i typed in what you said & i got ‘linux-ag1s:/home/glenn # ‘hal’ > ‘storage’
bash: hal: command not found’ back. Am i doing it wrong?

Yes, you misunderstood me. The idea was to start a graphical desktop tool called ‘polkit-gnome-authorization’. The rest was mouse navigation. However, if you don’t have Gnome desktop installed (as I assumed), then you may not have this tool installed either.

I recommend you have a read of this openSUSE guide first. It will help with linux concepts.