Hard disk don't allow to write as normal user

[Saltamontes]

Hello to all
(sorry again for bad writting, english isn't my main language)

I had a problem with a HDD Samsung IDE 80Gb, after a previous format (1 month ago), i tried to format if for dual OS use, but the OS can't boot, now im trying to use it as data storage only, but WinXP shows the icon and when i try to get access, appears a message saying "The hard disk have not format", and i have downloadad ntfs-3g but "Bad File System or Super Block" message is shown . . .

I using Debian Etch 4.0 r0

I reformated the HD by this way:
-fdisk /dev/hdb
"n" new primary partition, "1" for partition, "t" and 83 for ext3 fs, "w" for writting
- mk2fs -t ext3 /dev/hdb1
-fsck -t ext3 /dev/hdb1

but i can't write on the HD as normal user, also when i explore the HD it appears an icon of a folder with a lock named "lost+found", as root i can do anything

in another forum somebody advise me to use GParted, using ext3 as filesystem . . . with the same results. . .

After that i reformated the HDD making low level format (zero fill "dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hdb1") previously and using fdisk, mk2fs, fsck, and, again i cant' write as normal user

i also have changed the fstab adding the mount point with rw perrmision like this:
/dev/hdb1 /media/HD rw,user,noauto 0 0 (adding also umask=0 at the mount options)
and the folder in /media has all permissions with owner and group of my normal user account

What else should i try???

Thank you for your time
See you

[devils casper]

Execute this

su 
fdisk -l

* Its small L in fdisk -l.
Post output here.

[Saltamontes]

// This is the output of a working HD dual OS
Disco /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cilindros of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x4d4f4d4e

Disposit. Inicio Comienzo Fin Bloques Id Sistema
/dev/hda1 * 1 4865 39078081 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 4866 7297 19535040 83 Linux
/dev/hda3 7298 9729 19535040 5 Extendida
/dev/hda5 8514 9729 9767520 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/hda6 7298 8512 9759424+ 83 Linux

Las entradas de la tabla de particiones no están en el orden del disco

//this is the output of the problematic HD

Disco /dev/hdb: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cilindros of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa91e4fa7

Disposit. Inicio Comienzo Fin Bloques Id Sistema
/dev/hdb1 1 9729 78148161 83 Linux

[devils casper]

Execute this

su -
chown userid:groupid /media/HD

Execute id command to check userid and groupid of normal user.

[Saltamontes]

i did it, replacing userid:groupid with the numbers shown in "id username", in my case 1000 for both

uid=1000(edgar), gid=1000(edgar), grupos=1000(edgar), 4(adm), 6(disk), 20(dialout), 24(cdrom), 25(floppy), 29(audio), 44(video), 46(plugdev), 113(fuse)

but still appears the lost+found icon and can't drag and drop any file to the HD nor write creating a file using an editor or console

Thanks for the tip/hint, it was unknown for me

Which could be the cause of this??? a kind of phisical damage on the HD??? or something in Debian?? or me???

Thanks again
See you

[devils casper]

uid=1000(edgar), gid=1000(edgar),

Use User and Group name only.

su 
chown edgar:edgar /media/HD

[Saltamontes]

with double dot??? " : " i did it with single dot "edgar.edgar",

maybe is the problem, but i did it before separately with "chown edgar" and "chgrp edgar",

i think that is the same as "chown edgar:edgar"

i will try again anyway

Thanks again
See you

[Saltamontes]

A few moments ago, checking files i reach the root partition and see that it has the lost+found icon, and i remembered that the root partition is a primary partition and saw in somewhere that primary partitions are recomended for "hosting" a file system, and extended for "data storage" . . .

And i been tinking, only root user can change files in a partition with a file system (files and directories as /boot /bin /etc)

this could be the mistake???
and should i format the HD with an extended partition???
it's possible to format the HD only with an extended partition without a primary???

( ext3 can be used either primary and extended partitions ??? [ to edit fstab ])

[devils casper]

And i been tinking, only root user can change files in a partition with a file system (files and directories as /boot /bin /etc)

this could be the mistake???

Yes. Only root user can edit/delete/create files/folder in those areas. Regular users have access to their /home/<user_id> folders only.

and should and should i format the HD with an extended partition???
it's possible to format the HD only with an extended partition without a primary???

Your HD has an Extended Partition ( /dev/hda3 ) already. Extended Partition is just a pointer/container only and it contains Logical Partitions. Your HD has two Logical partitions. /dev/sda5 and sda6.
You can format any partition Primary or Logical in any FileSystem but its not possible to format Extended Partition because its just a container.

[Saltamontes]

???
The HD that i want to use is hdb wich dont allow to write as normal user ..

Then, can i format it with a logical partition without create a primary partition before???

Having a logical partition in place of a primary, it's possible that the problem will be fixed???