USB Problems

**mss** · 02-14-2007

Hi I have a USB memory disk and it is not working in Linux.

Here is a the command I enter:

mount -t vfat /dev/sda2 /usb/mnt

my sda1 is my harddrive so I am guessing sda2 should link to the USB.

Here is the error I get:
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda2, missing codepage or other error.

any ideas what is wrong.

the usb works on windows and fedora.

**Zelmo** · 02-14-2007

Originally Posted by mss

my sda1 is my harddrive so I am guessing sda2 should link to the USB.

That's close. If sda1 is the hard drive, sdb1 is probably the USB. You can find out for sure what it is by plugging it in, waiting about 2 seconds, and running dmesg.

**saikee** · 02-14-2007

Why guessing?

Why not ask Linux to report to us if the device is available for mounting? by command

Code:

fdisk -l

by looking at the disk size, partition size and partition type a Linux user should have some idea if the USB device is recognised and under what name it is called.

/dev/sda2 is the 2nd partition of disk sda which can either be a Sata or a USB device. I doubt it is the intention of the OP to mount the 2nd partition of a USB device.

If you don't understand the partition type, do a "fdisk /dev/sda" and press t to see all the partition type supported by Linux.

USB memory drives are always pre-partitioned as fat16 or fat32 with type 6 and c respectively.

**mss** · 02-16-2007

When I do

Code:

fdisk -l

nothing comes up. I typed

Code:

dmesg

and this was the result.

Code:

hub.c: new USB device 00:1d.7-5, assigned address 2
usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout
usb.c: USB device not accepting new address=2 (error=-110)
hub.c: new USB device 00:1d.7-5, assigned address 3
usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout
usb.c: USB device not accepting new address=3 (error=-110)

**saikee** · 02-16-2007

Debian family isn't very good at this by not telling root provilege is needed for "fdisk -l".

Try

Code:

sudo fdisk -l

There must be a hard disk or your Debian won't boot. "fdisk -l" lists every partition in every hard disk you have, including USB devices. If it is reported then you should be able to mount it.

**mss** · 02-17-2007

ummm, ya, i am root. but still fdisk -l (l as Lego) doesn't show anything. When i execute it, it just comes back to the prompt again. i am stumped.

**devils casper** · 02-17-2007

excute this

Code:

su -
fdisk -l

Casper

**jens** · 02-17-2007

run

Code:

cat /proc/partitions

to see all usable partitions

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