Cannot mount NTFS drive for read/write in OpenSUSE 10.3

[dirk_diggler]

Hi All

I am experimenting with OpenSUSE 10.3, but I am having issues with mounting an ntfs drive for read/write capability. I posted a few things about my system on this post. I tried what was suggested with Debian on another system (which was successful in Debian, thanks to Devils Casper), but unfortunately did not work in OpenSUSE.

fstab -l output:

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000b7c30

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 16517 132672771 5 Extended
/dev/sda2 16518 68734 419433052+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 68735 120951 419433052+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda5 1 2550 20482812 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 2551 5737 25599546 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 5738 5868 1052226 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 5869 7929 16554951 83 Linux
/dev/sda9 7930 11193 26218048+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda10 13255 16517 26210016 83 Linux
/dev/sda11 11194 13254 16554951 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000081

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 16371 131500026 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 16372 30330 112125667+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

df -h output:

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda11 16G 3.1G 12G 21% /
udev 2.0G 128K 2.0G 1% /dev
/dev/sda10 25G 262M 24G 2% /home

I tried to modify the fstab. Here is the gedit /etc/fstab output:

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDS7210_GTA000PAGEVHEA-part11 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDS7210_GTA000PAGEVHEA-part10 /home ext3 defaults 1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDS7210_GTA000PAGEVHEA-part7 swap swap defaults 0 0

/dev/sda3 /windows/C ntfs-3g user,users,gid=users,umask=0002 0 0

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
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto noauto,user,sync 0 0
/dev/sda2 /media/win_ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
/dev/sda3 /media/win_ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0

Thank you ahead of time.

[devils casper]

Hi dirk_diggler !

/dev/sda3 /windows/C ntfs-3g user,users,gid=users,umask=0002 0 0

/dev/sda2 /media/win_ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
/dev/sda3 /media/win_ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0

There are duplicate entries for /dev/sda3 and duplicate mount_points for /dev/sda2 and 3 in last two lines.

Delete first line and edit last line.

/dev/sda2 /media/win_ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
/dev/sda3 /windows/C ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0

Save file and execute mount -a command. Post exact error message here, if any. Check /windows/C and /media/win_ntfs folder.
You can create a new folder D in /windows. Replace /media/win_ntfs with /windows/D in /etc/fstab file and both partitions will be available in /windows/ folder. Don't forget to execute mount -a command after editing /etc/fstab file.

[dirk_diggler]

Hi devils_casper,

Thanks again for your help . I would like to mount both sda2 and sda3, both of which are NTFS partitions.

Here's the output:

suse-DP670:~ # mount -a
fuse: failed to access mountpoint /windows/C: No such file or directory
FUSE mount point creation failed
Unmounting /dev/sda3 ()

The new fstab is here:

/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDS7210_GTA000PAGEVHEA-part11 / ext3 acl,user_xattr 1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDS7210_GTA000PAGEVHEA-part10 /home ext3 defaults 1 2
/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_Hitachi_HDS7210_GTA000PAGEVHEA-part7 swap swap defaults 0 0

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
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto noauto,user,sync 0 0
/dev/sda2 /media/win_ntfs ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
/dev/sda3 /windows/C ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0

I forgot to mention that this is a multi-boot system. Here is a clarification of how I have it configured:
/dev/sda1 * Extended
/dev/sda5 Linux (Ubuntu /root)
/dev/sda6 Linux (Ubuntu /home)
/dev/sda7 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 Linux (Fedora /root)
/dev/sda9 Linux (Fedora /home)
/dev/sda10 Linux (Suse /root)
/dev/sda11 Linux (Suse /home)

/dev/sdb1 * HPFS/NTFS (WinXP boot)

[Jonathan183]

I find it easier to set mounts using YAST partitioner, it automatically creates the folder to mount to ... from your last post it looks as though /windows/C does not exist for you to mount sda3 to. Try

su
mkdir /windows /windows/C

and then try mount -a again.

[dirk_diggler]

I find it easier to set mounts using YAST partitioner, it automatically creates the folder to mount to ... from your last post it looks as though /windows/C does not exist for you to mount sda3 to. Try

su
mkdir /windows /windows/C

and then try mount -a again.

That seemed to have done the job! It looks like I can now access these drives. However, is there a way to create desktop icons for these drives? The only way I seem to be able to access these drives are by going through the sequence:
Computer > Hard Drive > sda2 (or sda3)

These drives are not automatically shown on the desktop, or anywhere else that is obvious to me.

[Jonathan183]

For kde right click on the desktop, select create new->link to device->hard disk device, click on device tab and select partition from pull down list.

[dirk_diggler]

For kde right click on the desktop, select create new->link to device->hard disk device, click on device tab and select partition from pull down list.

I do not have kde, only gnome (I think). So I do not have this option... or at least I do not have the option of starting kde session at login screen. is kde4 stable in suse? and (please pardon my naiveté... I am a noob, afterall) exactly which software do I install for kde through YaST? i searched kde and it listed a whole bunch of things. i assume it is kdebase4-session, but will I need to install kde4-dolphin and kde4-filesystem as well?

Thanks again.

[gogalthorp]

Should be basically the same in Gnome. You are just creating a shortcut.

[Jonathan183]

I would not use KDE4 in SUSE10.3 ... and this may help for gnome links

[devils casper]

If you want to create Icons of Mounted partitions on Desktop the press Alt+F2 and type this

gconf-editor

Navigate to apps -- nautilus -- Desktop. Check Volumes_visible check box.