Suse 12.1 - how do I mount a partition?

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I have just installed Suse 12.1 on my new machine. I have several partitions and the machine has been set up to multiboot with some other distributions.

I have two internal hard drives and I have left 46Gb on the second hard drive for backing up my /home partition. However I cannot access it. When I was installing Suse it did not give me the option to mount the partition or I should say it gave me the option to mount the partition as /local or /tmp and another one that I can’t remember. I knew I didn’t want any of those.

So my question is how do I mount and access /dev/hdb8?

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Thu Aug 23 23:41:24 BST 2012
# THIS FILE WILL BE PARTIALLY OVERWRITTEN by perl-Bootloader
# For the new kernel it try to figure out old parameters. In case we are not able to recognize it (e.g. change of flavor or strange install order ) it it use as fallback installation parameters from /etc/sysconfig/bootloader

default 0
timeout 9
##YaST - generic_mbr
gfxmenu (hd0,4)/message
##YaST - activate

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 12.1
    root (hd0,4)
    kernel /vmlinuz-3.1.0-1.2-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP0842N_S0WCJDPP800779-part7 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP0842N_S0WCJDPP800779-part6 splash=silent quiet showopts vga=0x317
    initrd /initrd-3.1.0-1.2-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name:  linux (/dev/sda9)###
title Mandriva (/dev/sda9)
    rootnoverify (hd0,8)
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: Linux other 1 (/dev/sdb5)###
title Linux Mint (/dev/sdb5)
    rootnoverify (hd1,4)
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: other###
title Puppy Linux (dev/sdb6)
    rootnoverify (hd1,5)
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: other###
title Slitaz 4.0 (/dev/sdb7)
    rootnoverify (hd1,6)
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows 1###
title Windows XP
    rootnoverify (hd0,0)
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows 2###
title windows 2
    map (hd1) (hd0)
    map (hd0) (hd1)
    rootnoverify (hd1,0)
    makeactive
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
    rootnoverify (fd0)
    chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 12.1
    root (hd0,4)
    kernel /vmlinuz-3.1.0-1.2-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SP0842N_S0WCJDPP800779-part7 showopts apm=off noresume nosmp maxcpus=0 edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe vga=0x317
    initrd /initrd-3.1.0-1.2-default

and

fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2ece0b7c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1              63    20000924    10000431    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2   *    20000986   156296384    68147699+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5        20000988    20209769      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sda6        20209833    22394609     1092388+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7        22394673    65513069    21559198+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8        65513133   131058269    32772568+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9       131058333   156296384    12619026   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 82.0 GB, 81964302336 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9964 cylinders, total 160086528 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf24ef24e

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *          63     8000369     4000153+   7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2         8000370   160071659    76035645    5  Extended
/dev/sdb5         8000433    29896964    10948266   83  Linux
/dev/sdb6        29897028    50990309    10546641   83  Linux
/dev/sdb7        50990373    63424619     6217123+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb8        63424683   160071659    48323488+  83  Linux

/sda1 is windows xp
/sda5 is boot
/sda6 is swap
/sda7 is root
/sda8 is home
/sda9 is Mandriva

/sdb1 not sure why this is there
/sdb5 is Linux Mint
/sdb6 will be Puppylinux
/sdb7 will be Slitaz
/sdb8 partition I would like to be available to all distributions. I just want to keep some data on it.

2

In order to get a partition to mount automatically, it needs to be added to your /etc/fstab file (as root). I don’t see what desktop you have selected so if it is KDE, the default, then you can do this with my KDE instructions using the YaST Partitioner. To get started do the following and start:

**YaST **(Enter root Password) / System / **Partitioner **and Select **Yes **to proceed.

On the left, open up the Hard Disks, then select sdb (you should see the six partitions listed. On the right and in the Partitions Tab right click on /dev/sdb8 and pick Edit in the Edit Partition /dev/sdb8 menu leave the Do Not Format Partition set, which is the default and select the Mount Partition option. You need to a Mount Point, a folder name that will be created for you and from where you will find the mounted partition in a file manager. For instance you could use the name /MyDisk and when NTFS partitions are added they use the name /windows/C for instance which is just an example. Once done press the Finish Button and then in the Expert Partition window press the Finish button one more time.

The folder name you selected will be created for you, the fstab file will be modified to include the new partition name and it will be mounted for now and on each restart of your PC.

Thank You,

3

jdmcdaniel3 wrote:

> In order to get a partition to mount automatically, it needs to be added
> to your /etc/fstab file (as root

True
But does the OP want to mount it automatically?

It should mount on the fly from Dolphin, all mine do.

4

Don’t know what the OP wants… but he should NOT mount file systems which are not needed automatically. Therefore, the option “noauto” should be used in /etc/fstab for such partitions … as well the option “nodev” for Linux but non openSUSE partitions. Some people would also recommend the option “noexec”… well … if you’re not sure about what you’re doing, then I’ll suggest using noexec and nosuid as well. Or you might use ‘user’, which allows mounting as user (although it is debatable) but implies noexec, nodev and nosuid.

That would give an /etc/fstab similar to that one (notice that I use UUID notation. You don’t have to, but it’s better):


# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
# <fs>                                       <mount point>                      <type>        <options>                    <dump> <pass>
# /dev/sda6
UUID=ba9db764-a47e-48d9-b6f9-b627b57c0287    swap                               swap          defaults                         0   0
#
# openSUSE
# /dev/sda7
UUID=f91ddef2-81ea-4fbe-be2b-b56ff4b2ad45    /                                  ext4          acl,user_xattr                   1   1
# /dev/sda5
UUID=329b9132-f644-4c69-b07f-6cea19c4a515    /boot                              ext4          acl,user_xattr                   1   2
# /dev/sda8
UUID=6b116a7c-5ce2-4e9e-91ab-9e38f7ed407e    /home                              ext4          defaults                         0   2
#
proc                                         /proc                              proc          defaults                         0   0
sysfs                                        /sys                               sysfs         noauto                           0   0
debugfs                                      /sys/kernel/debug                  debugfs       noauto                           0   0
usbfs                                        /proc/bus/usb                      usbfs         noauto                           0   0
devpts                                       /dev/pts                           devpts        mode=0620,gid=5                  0   0
#
# Mandriva
# /dev/sda9
UUID=4ecf3517-c7e9-47a1-8930-13a4e188e730    /mandriva                          ext4          defaults,noauto,nodev,noexec     0   2
#
# Mint
# /dev/sdb5
UUID=d15278f9-7b3f-4099-b508-e61ec2638593    /mint                              ext4          defaults,noauto,nodev,noexec     0   2
#

OP,
Now, I know this is not the answer you’re expecting, but if you’re asking such questions, it makes me think that you still have a long way to go into learning Linux basics. You will learn faster if you start with one distro instead of trying to figure out the differences between openSUSE, Mint and the others. Just my opinion.

5

Thank you I had got to this point, however the drop down menu gives you /srv, /tmp and /local. I did not realise I could type what I wanted in that space. So I typed in /mydisk as I couldn’t think of anything better and it worked.

6

SOLVED - Thank you.

I just didn’t realise that I could mount it with a different name.

I do not really understand the rest of your discussion. Who is OP? Or what? Anyway I can see the sense in not auto mounting the sbd8 partition. The problem was, because I had not set a mount point, I could not access it at all.

I would rather it didn’t auto mount, but I would need instructions on how to do that.

Thank you again.

Regards

Nappy501

7

nappy501 wrote:

> Who is OP?
You

>The problem was, because I had not set a mount point

Not necessary for on the fly

8

OP=> Original Poster

9

Duh! I’ll just go hide in a corner.

10

I am happy to hear your got your partition mounted. As for the meaning of OP, I did not know what it meant the first time I saw it and I was too embarrassed to ask. So, don’t give it a second thought.

Thank You,

11

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:26:02 GMT, jdmcdaniel3
<jdmcdaniel3@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:

>
>nappy501;2482043 Wrote:
>> Duh! I’ll just go hide in a corner.
>
>I am happy to hear your got your partition mounted. As for the meaning
>of OP, I did not know what it meant the first time I saw it and I was
>too embarrassed to ask. So, don’t give it a second thought.
>
>Thank You,

I deal with new initialisms / acronyms slightly differently. When i first
saw OP i generated a tentative definition, reading on clarified it for me
and much later on i saw it clearly stated ad being “original poster”.
YMMV

?-)

12

On Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:46:02 GMT, nappy501
<nappy501@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> wrote:

>
>jdmcdaniel3;2481891 Wrote:
>> In order to get a partition to mount automatically, it needs to be added
>> to your /etc/fstab file (as root). I don’t see what desktop you have
>> selected so if it is KDE, the default, then you can do this with my KDE
>> instructions using the YaST Partitioner. To get started do the following
>> and start:
>>
>> *YaST *(Enter root Password) / System / *Partitioner *and Select *Yes
>> *to proceed.
>>
>> On the left, open up the Hard Disks, then select sdb (you should see
>> the six partitions listed. On the right and in the Partitions Tab right
>> click on /dev/sdb8 and pick Edit in the Edit Partition /dev/sdb8
>> menu leave the Do Not Format Partition set, which is the default and
>> select the Mount Partition option. You need to a Mount Point, a
>> folder name that will be created for you and from where you will find
>> the mounted partition in a file manager. For instance you could use the
>> name /MyDisk
>
>Thank you I had got to this point, however the drop down menu gives you
>/srv, /tmp and /local. I did not realise I could type what I wanted in
>that space. So I typed in /mydisk as I couldn’t think of anything
>better and it worked.

I have been linuxing for some time now, and playing with multiple
distributions. I might have named / selected the mount point to be
something like “/mnt/OS_12.1_home_backup”. It is fairly important that
the backup partition / volume be on a different physical drive. It is
better protection against a disk failure.

?-)

13

Sorry to dig this up. I have just been to create a folder so I could copy some files to this partition and it won’t let me.

I get ‘Access denied to /mydisk/home.’

I have checked the ‘properties’ and only the owner can view and modify content. The owner is root and the group is root.

So how do I now access this partition? That is copy folders and files to it? I don’t want to do this as root all the time.

A further question is, if I am using one of the other distributions will I be able to access this partition and see the files? I don’t know if I have explained this properly. For example, if I copy some LibreOffice documents to this partition in OpenSuse would I then be able to go to puppy linux and open and amend that document or open the document as read only, but save it with a different name and use it?

I am not sure if I am asking something that is really difficult.

14

In the Yast partitioner when editing there is an option FSTAB Options select that and check Mountable by user.

15

Thank you, I have done that and I am still getting the same thing?
Regards

16

Sis you reboot so it take effect?
Show use this file

cat /etc/fstab

17

In addition, you can use the following script to check your permissions:

S.A.F.P. - SUSE Automated File Permissions - Version 1.0.4 - Blogs - openSUSE Forums

Thank You,

18

On 2012-09-16 02:56, nappy501 wrote:

> So how do I now access this partition? That is copy folders and files
> to it? I don’t want to do this as root all the time.

Depends on what you want to do, but obviously you can not as user write into a folder that
belongs to root. You can either change the owner of that folder to be you, or as root add a
subflder that belongs to you, and then write inside that subfolder instead.

And besides that, read a book on unix/linux permissions :slight_smile:

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

19

No I didn’t, but I have now and yes it is working. Thank you.

20

Off to find the Dummy’s version:)