Accessing windows partitions (again)

I have tried to get an answer to this before and I have read many of the previous posts/answers on this subject.
Okay here goes:
I have just installed Mandrake 10.1 on my winxp home/ win xp pro sp1a( and now mdk) box. The reason I have done this is to run a network fileserver/apache-mysql-php server at home, this is all part of my studies in web administration.
I have many partitions under windows, the filesystem is fat32
(very few people I know who have upgraded their system to run Xp in whatever form, will use ntfs, so the constant references to ntfs are a sidetrack which misses the point, sorry but just about every reply mentions it ) :D
I have modified the entries in fstab and added the "users" key in all my partition entries. the file now reads:

/dev/hda1 /mnt/windows ntfs umask=0,user,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
I have found a line which is similar, but not quite, this is the contents of fstab:
/dev/hdb8 / ext2 defaults 1 1
/dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
/dev/hdd /mnt/cdrom2 auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,sync,codepage=850,noauto,exec,users 0 0
/dev/hda1 /mnt/win_c vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,users 0 0
/dev/hdb5 /mnt/win_c2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,users 0 0
/dev/hda5 /mnt/win_d vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,users 0 0
/dev/hdb6 /mnt/win_d2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,users 0 0
/dev/hda6 /mnt/win_e vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,users 0 0
/dev/hdb7 /mnt/win_e2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,users 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/hdb9 /usr ext2 defaults 1 2
/dev/hdb2 swap swap defaults 0 0

bold entries are my additions.
Okay I though I had a result when the icons for these partitions appeared on my desktop, however when I click on any of these icons it opens a window and tells me I do not have enough access to the folder and will not let me see anything inside.
I have checked the settings in the shares folder in xp computer management, and there are many shares for admin purposes, also all the shares I have set up for the other networked boxes in the house.
All the permissions are set for everyone in XP pro and they have full access.
I would ideally like to have full read write and execute permissions as a user on these folders, but initially this was mainly to be able to play my mp3s while I work.
I also have an apache-mysql-php server which runs on XPpro within the windows partitions, i still want access to all the apache served stuff while I am in both windows and mandrake, so when the apache server is up and running on either OS I will not need to duplicate directories.
Mandrake is installed waaaaay at the back of all the partitions on ext2 filesystem.
I do not want to have to install or run any further software as seems to have been suggested elsewhere. I will edit configurations to enable whatever I need to do, isn't that the point of a Unix based system, configurability?
I have tried many times in the past to use mandrake but the lack of hardware support has always stopped me, now everything onboard seems to be up and running even the tvtuner.

Could someone please confirm or otherwise whether the above entries should give me access as a user.
Is this a problem with XP somehow retaining ownership of these files?
I have tried to change the ownership of these partitions as root but still access is denied.
I would also like to find a basic guide to the syntax used in these config type files so I am not just blindly following (possibly erroneous) suggested editions.
If I sound a little bit frustrated it is probably because I am on the 4th day of trying to do this and quite frankly I am about to give up. I really really want to run linux though as I am totally disillusioned with the Microshaft stuff.
I thank you all in advance I do realise most people posting replies here are working from personal experience and may have little familiarity with the dreaded MS OS. :wink:

Seriously mate,... thats a lot of text... I didnt read it all since my brain was running low in memory after a few lines...

What rights have you put for your /mnt/win_* folder? doest it have RWX on "o" if not, issue this command

Code:

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chmod o+rwx /mnt/win_*

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replace * by the actual name.

also, in your fstab entry, you could add this option flag as well

Code:

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,rw

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as you probably understand, this forces Read, Write access...

If you need any other help, let me know

Try something like:

/dev/hda1 /mnt/win_c vfat defaults 0 0


Works for accessing vfat partitions on my box.

Lol I am a bit garrulous I know. I have specially extended memory myself
I have su'd to root and entered the chmod command a couple of times I also decided to do the same for the ?mnt folder too as the permissions on this were also restricted.
I am still getting an access denied message on the relevant drives.
I have modified the relevant entries in fstab too....... still no result. :cry:

I must be missing something.....

Hi agian, can you post your ouput on these comman please

Code:

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fdisk -l
cat /etc/fstab
cat /etc/mtab

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hmm that was interesting
here we go it is quite a lot.

[root@localhost billybeag]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/hda: 60.0 GB, 60022480896 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7297 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 1 766 6152863+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/hda2 767 7297 52460257+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5 767 1684 7373803+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/hda6 1685 7297 45086391 b W95 FAT32

Disk /dev/hdb: 81.9 GB, 81964302336 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9964 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdb1 * 2 9965 80035231+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hdb2 8916 9053 1108485 82 Linux swap
/dev/hdb5 2 2551 20482843+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/hdb6 2552 7651 40965718+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/hdb7 7652 8772 9004401 b W95 FAT32
/dev/hdb8 8773 8915 1148616 83 Linux
/dev/hdb9 9054 9965 7325010 83 Linux
[root@localhost billybeag]# cat /etc/fstab
/dev/hdb8 / ext2 defaults 1 1
/dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
/dev/hdd /mnt/cdrom2 auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,sync,codepage=850,noauto,exec,users 0 0
/dev/hda1 /mnt/win_c vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb5 /mnt/win_c2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hda5 /mnt/win_d vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb6 /mnt/win_d2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hda6 /mnt/win_e vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb7 /mnt/win_e2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/hdb9 /usr ext2 defaults 1 2
/dev/hdb2 swap swap defaults 0 0
[root@localhost billybeag]# cat /etc/mtab
/dev/hdb8 / ext2 rw 0 0
none /proc proc rw 0 0
none /proc/bus/usb usbfs rw 0 0
none /sys sysfs rw 0 0
/dev/hda1 /mnt/win_c vfat rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850 0 0
/dev/hdb5 /mnt/win_c2 vfat rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850 0 0
/dev/hda5 /mnt/win_d vfat rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850 0 0
/dev/hdb6 /mnt/win_d2 vfat rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850 0 0
/dev/hda6 /mnt/win_e vfat rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850 0 0
/dev/hdb7 /mnt/win_e2 vfat rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850 0 0
/dev/hdb9 /usr ext2 rw 0 0
/dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom iso9660 ro,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,user=billybeag 0 0
/dev/hdd /mnt/cdrom2 iso9660 ro,noexec,nosuid,nodev,users,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,user=billybeag 0 0
[root@localhost billybeag]#[root@localhost billybeag]# cat /etc/fstab
/dev/hdb8 / ext2 defaults 1 1
/dev/hdc /mnt/cdrom auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
/dev/hdd /mnt/cdrom2 auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,noauto,ro,exec,users 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto user,iocharset=iso8859-15,sync,codepage=850,noauto,exec,users 0 0
/dev/hda1 /mnt/win_c vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb5 /mnt/win_c2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hda5 /mnt/win_d vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb6 /mnt/win_d2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hda6 /mnt/win_e vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb7 /mnt/win_e2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/hdb9 /usr ext2 defaults 1 2
/dev/hdb2 swap swap defaults 0 0

Here's a working line from a Mandrake fstab:

/dev/sdb1 /mnt/win_c2 vfat umask=0,iocharset=iso8859-1,codepage=850 0 0


You don't seem to have a umask value set in your fstab file; could be the problem.

Quote:

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/dev/hda1 /mnt/win_c vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb5 /mnt/win_c2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hda5 /mnt/win_d vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb6 /mnt/win_d2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hda6 /mnt/win_e vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw
/dev/hdb7 /mnt/win_e2 vfat iocharset=iso8859-15,codepage=850,rw rw rw

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yikes... ,rw rw rw is no good :P
,rw 0 0 would be appropriate...

Flatline has given a valid FSTAB entry... does if work?

Quote:

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yikes... ,rw rw rw is no good

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He wanted to make sure he got his point across. :wink:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flatline

Quote:

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yikes... ,rw rw rw is no good

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He wanted to make sure he got his point across. :wink:

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:P sure wants to get Read Write access :P

:banana: