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can i use external hard drive on linux?

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  can i use external hard drive on linux? newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> - 2014-08-12 09:11 -0700
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Joe Makowiec <makowiec@invalid.invalid> - 2014-08-12 16:23 +0000
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2014-08-12 11:45 -0500
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? A <a@a.com> - 2014-08-12 18:55 +0200
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Andreas Kohlbach <aug14.8.ankman@spamgourmet.com> - 2014-08-12 16:20 -0400
      Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2014-08-12 21:40 +0100
        Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Andreas Kohlbach <aug14.8.ankman@spamgourmet.com> - 2014-08-13 19:06 -0400
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2014-08-12 21:39 +0100
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Rikishi42 <skunkworks@rikishi42.net> - 2014-08-12 22:50 +0200
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? notbob <notbob@nothome.com> - 2014-08-12 23:51 +0000
      Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2014-08-13 00:56 +0000
        Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? notbob <notbob@nothome.com> - 2014-08-13 22:19 +0000
      Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Robert Riches <spamtrap42@jacob21819.net> - 2014-08-13 02:50 +0000
    Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? noydb@no.way (Bruce Sinclair) - 2014-08-12 23:13 +0000
      Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2014-08-13 11:44 +0100
        Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2014-08-13 15:28 +0000
          Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2014-08-13 16:31 +0100
            Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2014-08-13 15:42 +0000
              Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2014-08-13 20:06 +0100
                Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2014-08-13 19:20 +0000
            Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-08-13 16:04 +0000
              Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2014-08-13 11:18 -0500
                Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-08-13 16:28 +0000
                Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Robert Riches <spamtrap42@jacob21819.net> - 2014-08-14 02:49 +0000
          Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2014-08-13 10:52 -0500
            Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2014-08-13 20:50 +0000
            Re: can i use external hard drive on linux? noydb@no.way (Bruce Sinclair) - 2014-08-17 23:10 +0000

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#11716 — can i use external hard drive on linux?

Hi:

I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I copy some files to the external hard drive.

Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb flash drive). So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash drive. I am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have to mount it, I guess.

Thank you.

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#11717

On 12 Aug 2014 in comp.os.linux.misc, newbie2 wrote:

> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my
> Microsoft Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive
> H:\. Then I copy some files to the external hard drive. 
> 
> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large
> files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb
> flash drive). So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash
> drive. I am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I
> have to mount it, I guess. 

Sure.  I have a Fedora box I've been doing it on for some time.  It's 
formatted to ext4, but I've had NTFS and FAT USB external drives mounted, 
too.

The one oddity I run into is that if the external drive is mounted when 
the computer boots up, the machine hangs at some point in the boot 
process.  I have to disconnect or power down the drive in order to get 
the machine to boot up.  Other than that, I run into no problems.

Are the two machines on the same network?  If so, why not just initiate 
the transfer and find something else to do while they're going over?

-- 
Joe Makowiec
http://makowiec.org/
Email: http://makowiec.org/contact/?Joe
Usenet Improvement Project: http://twovoyagers.com/improve-usenet.org/

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#11719

At Tue, 12 Aug 2014 09:11:51 -0700 (PDT) newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> wrote:

> 
> Hi:
> 
> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft Win=
> dows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I copy som=
> e files to the external hard drive.
> 
> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large files =
> from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb flash drive).=
>  So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash drive. I am wonderin=
> g if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have to mount it, I guess.

Some desktop systems will automount drives. Some desktop systems provide a
diskmounter applet. And otherwise, yes, you will have to fire up the 'dreaded'
terminal window and have fun with sudo and /bin/mount... (It is also possible
to mess with /etc/fstab and/or /etc/auto.master and deal with things at that
level -- there are man pages and lots of How Tos for 'fstab' and 'automount'.)

I guess 'modern' distros include support for NTFS and depending on M$ latest 
incarnation of NTFS that will work (or not).  (I'm assuming that this external 
hard drive is something over a TByte and thus too big for FAT.)

> 
> Thank you.
>                                                                                                                         

-- 
Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933
Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
                            

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#11720

newbie2 wrote:
> Hi:
>
> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my
> Microsoft Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive
> H:\. Then I copy some files to the external hard drive.
>
> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large
> files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb
> flash drive). So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash
> drive. I am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I
> have to mount it, I guess.
>
> Thank you.
>

Have you tried connecting the external hard drive? Do it and then you'll
know you didn't need to ask here.

-- 
A

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#11721

newbie2 wrote on 12. August 2014:
>
> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft
> Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I
> copy some files to the external hard drive.
>
> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large
>files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb
>flash drive). So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash
>drive. I am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have
>to mount it, I guess.

In Ubuntu you have this file manager (nautilus), its icon looks like
drawers I think. On the left you see all drives (also network drives
btw.). Just click the one representing your USB drive and it mounts it
automatically and shows its content.

I think default is to mount those drives read-only. So you can copy files
from it but not write on it. If you want to write you can re-mount it
read-write by clicking the icon again with the right mouse key this time
and tell it to mount it read-write.
-- 
Andreas

I wish my grass was emo. Then it would cut itself.

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#11723

On 12/08/14 21:20, Andreas Kohlbach wrote:
> newbie2 wrote on 12. August 2014:
>>
>> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft
>> Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I
>> copy some files to the external hard drive.
>>
>> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large
>> files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb
>> flash drive). So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash
>> drive. I am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have
>> to mount it, I guess.
>
> In Ubuntu you have this file manager (nautilus), its icon looks like
> drawers I think. On the left you see all drives (also network drives
> btw.). Just click the one representing your USB drive and it mounts it
> automatically and shows its content.
>
> I think default is to mount those drives read-only. So you can copy files
> from it but not write on it. If you want to write you can re-mount it
> read-write by clicking the icon again with the right mouse key this time
> and tell it to mount it read-write.
>
Default here is automount rw (Mint)



-- 
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the 
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

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#11742

The Natural Philosopher wrote on 12. August 2014:
>
> On 12/08/14 21:20, Andreas Kohlbach wrote:

>> In Ubuntu you have this file manager (nautilus), its icon looks like
>> drawers I think. On the left you see all drives (also network drives
>> btw.). Just click the one representing your USB drive and it mounts it
>> automatically and shows its content.
>>
>> I think default is to mount those drives read-only. So you can copy files
>> from it but not write on it. If you want to write you can re-mount it
>> read-write by clicking the icon again with the right mouse key this time
>> and tell it to mount it read-write.
>>
> Default here is automount rw (Mint)

Doesn't it depend on the desktop manager? Mint can have with more than one.
-- 
Andreas

I wish my grass was emo. Then it would cut itself.

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#11722

On 12/08/14 17:11, newbie2 wrote:
> Hi:
>
> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I copy some files to the external hard drive.
>
> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb flash drive). So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash drive. I am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have to mount it, I guess.
>

Should 'just work'; with most modern desktops. USB storage 'appears' on 
the desktop automounted under usually /media

> Thank you.
>


-- 
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the 
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

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#11724

On 2014-08-12, newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi:
>
> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft
> Windows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\.  Then I
> copy some files to the external hard drive.
>
> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large files
> from one Linux computer to another.  (I don't have a large usb flash
> drive).  So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash drive.  I
> am wondering if I can plug it into the Linux computer.  I have to mount
> it, I guess.

There is no difference between a HD and a flash drive, not from the point
of view of recognition. They're both USB mass storage devices.

Just plug it in and go look under the /media directory.
Most Linuxes will even open the drive's folder when mounting.



-- 
When in doubt, use brute force.
                -- Ken Thompson

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#11726

On 2014-08-12, newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large
> files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb
> flash drive). 

If the external harddrive is a USB connection, it should be no prob.  

Plug in USB harddrive.  As root, do:

# lsscsi

It should list the harddrive as the last device.  As root, mount it.

# mount -t auto /dev/s.... /mnt/hd/

....the /dev/s.... will be whatever lsscsi sez. If the device is /sdb,
you may hafta add a one, as in /dev/sdb1.  You can make up the
mount point.  ex: /hd, /mnt/hd/, /fred/, etc.....  Whatever you decide
as the mount point, create that dir, as root, before trying to mount
the harddrive to it.

To see if the harddrive is mounted, enter:

# df

It doesn't matter if the harddrive is formatted by Windows.  Linux
will recognize it and allow copying to it.  

nb

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#11728

In article <c4vnjlFdcldU1@mid.individual.net>,
notbob  <notbob@nothome.com> wrote:
...
>It doesn't matter if the harddrive is formatted by Windows.  Linux
>will recognize it and allow copying to it.  

That last is a "maybe".

If the drive is formatted NTFS (which most are these days - from the
factory - note that "sticks" will usually be formatted FAT32, but hard
drives will be NTFS), then the following two caveats apply:

    1) Some Linux distros still ship with the "old" NTFS driver as the
	default.  The "old" driver is considered safe because it is
	read-only [*].  In this case, you will have to manually install the
	"new" (NTFS-3g) driver (but see next point).

    2) Although I've used it from time to time, I'm not entirely convinced
	that the NTFS-3g driver is entirely safe either.  Certainly, MS is
	always free to tweak the definition of what NTFS is, and Linux may
	not always be up-to-date on that.

[*] This driver used to be considered safe for writing as well, but that
bubble was burst, so it is now only allowed to use it in read-only mode.

In summary, the safest way to do this is to re-format the drive to ext4 (or
something else Linux-specific), but then you do lose Windows compatibility.

P.S.  Note that some posters indicated that if you use a Windows
filesystem, you will lose the ability to store some legal-in-Linux
filenames.  That's actually the least of your worries.  The real problem
with using a Windows formatted drive under Linux is the inability to store
various bits of metadata, such as links, ownerships, permissions, etc.

-- 
Watching ConservaLoons playing with statistics and facts is like watching a
newborn play with a computer.  Endlessly amusing, but totally unproductive.

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#11741

On 2014-08-13, Kenny McCormack <gazelle@shell.xmission.com> wrote:

> so it is now only allowed to use it in read-only mode.

I such a case, you might try using the umask option with mount.  In
the case of umask, the values are the negative inverse (??) of file
permissions.  IOW, 777 would be 000 in umask bits.  755 would be 022
in umask bits.

nb

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#11729

On 2014-08-12, notbob <notbob@nothome.com> wrote:
> On 2014-08-12, newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large
>> files from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb
>> flash drive). 
>
> If the external harddrive is a USB connection, it should be no prob.  
>
> Plug in USB harddrive.  As root, do:
>
> # lsscsi
>
> It should list the harddrive as the last device.  As root, mount it.
>
> # mount -t auto /dev/s.... /mnt/hd/
>
> ....the /dev/s.... will be whatever lsscsi sez. If the device is /sdb,
> you may hafta add a one, as in /dev/sdb1.  You can make up the
> mount point.  ex: /hd, /mnt/hd/, /fred/, etc.....  Whatever you decide
> as the mount point, create that dir, as root, before trying to mount
> the harddrive to it.
>
> To see if the harddrive is mounted, enter:
>
> # df
>
> It doesn't matter if the harddrive is formatted by Windows.  Linux
> will recognize it and allow copying to it.  
>
> nb

If the external disk drive is connected by eSATA or SATA, it gets
a little more complex.  Post back of that's the case and I'll
explain.

HTH

-- 
Robert Riches
spamtrap42@jacob21819.net
(Yes, that is one of my email addresses.)

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#11727

In article <58472497-85a4-4b8d-b81f-0909f8102ad5@googlegroups.com>, newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Hi:
>
>I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft Win=
>dows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I copy som=
>e files to the external hard drive.
>
>Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large files =
>from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb flash drive).=
> So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash drive. I am wonderin=
>g if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have to mount it, I guess.

Only problem I have had moving files to and from linux machines using external 
HDs, is that external HDs usually come formatted, and often in a 'windows 
standard' (eg FAT32).
While there's no problem accessing the HD and reading/writing to it (linux 
can handle an *amazing* number of file systems ! :) ), windows file systems 
tend to be a lot more restrictive on what characters you can use in file 
names. Depending on the sorts of file names you use, that could mean you may 
need to rename some of your files after the first copy attempt and try again. 
:)

You could reformat the external HD to a linux files system ... but windows may 
not then see it ? :) :)

In short, it will work, but windows won't help. :)

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#11730

On 13/08/14 00:13, Bruce Sinclair wrote:
> In article <58472497-85a4-4b8d-b81f-0909f8102ad5@googlegroups.com>, newbie2 <xsli2@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Hi:
>>
>> I have an external hard drive. Usually I just plug it into my Microsoft Win=
>> dows 7 computer and it automatically becomes the drive H:\. Then I copy som=
>> e files to the external hard drive.
>>
>> Now I have two Linux Ubuntu computers. I wish to transfer some large files =
>>from one Linux computer to another. (I don't have a large usb flash drive).=
>> So I hope to use the external hard drive as usb flash drive. I am wonderin=
>> g if I can plug it into the Linux computer. I have to mount it, I guess.
>
> Only problem I have had moving files to and from linux machines using external
> HDs, is that external HDs usually come formatted, and often in a 'windows
> standard' (eg FAT32).
> While there's no problem accessing the HD and reading/writing to it (linux
> can handle an *amazing* number of file systems ! :) ), windows file systems
> tend to be a lot more restrictive on what characters you can use in file
> names. Depending on the sorts of file names you use, that could mean you may
> need to rename some of your files after the first copy attempt and try again.
> :)
>
> You could reformat the external HD to a linux files system ... but windows may
> not then see it ? :) :)
>

If its to copy to and from windows no point in having it able to accept 
filenames that windows cannot.

Fortunately I dont have windows anywher except in a VM..


> In short, it will work, but windows won't help. :)
>
>


-- 
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the 
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

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#11731

In article <lsffj5$7nl$2@news.albasani.net>,
The Natural Philosopher  <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
...
>If its to copy to and from windows no point in having it able to accept 
>filenames that windows cannot.

Well, OP said his immediate goal was to use the drive to move files from
Linux System A to Linux System B - that is, neither to nor from Windows.

Of course, the real hurdle in all this is that if he reformats it to use it
under Linux, he will:

    a) Lose whatever files are already on the drive.
    b) Lose (temporarily) the ability to use the drive under Windows.

Note that there are, in theory at least, workarounds for b) above (e.g.,
ext* drivers for Windows), none of them work very well.

P.S.  The best advice given so far in this thread is to try to use the
network to move the files instead of using the hard drive.

-- 
Just for a change of pace, this sig is *not* an obscure reference to
comp.lang.c...

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#11732

On 13/08/14 16:28, Kenny McCormack wrote:
> In article <lsffj5$7nl$2@news.albasani.net>,
> The Natural Philosopher  <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> ...
>> If its to copy to and from windows no point in having it able to accept
>> filenames that windows cannot.
>
> Well, OP said his immediate goal was to use the drive to move files from
> Linux System A to Linux System B - that is, neither to nor from Windows.
>
> Of course, the real hurdle in all this is that if he reformats it to use it
> under Linux, he will:
>
>      a) Lose whatever files are already on the drive.
>      b) Lose (temporarily) the ability to use the drive under Windows.
>
> Note that there are, in theory at least, workarounds for b) above (e.g.,
> ext* drivers for Windows), none of them work very well.
>
> P.S.  The best advice given so far in this thread is to try to use the
> network to move the files instead of using the hard drive.
>

Certainly works for me. Even only 100Mbps is adequate for quite a lot of 
data...



-- 
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the 
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

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#11733

In article <lsg0c3$clh$1@news.albasani.net>,
The Natural Philosopher  <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
...
>> P.S.  The best advice given so far in this thread is to try to use the
>> network to move the files instead of using the hard drive.

>Certainly works for me. Even only 100Mbps is adequate for quite a lot of 
>data...

Quite so.  Most of these task become easy if you just let it run overnight.

>Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the 
>rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

Very true.  Good line.  Out of curiosity, who is Erwin Knoll?

-- 
Both the  leader of  the Mormon  Church and the  leader of  the Catholic
church  claim infallibility.  Is it  any  surprise that  these two  orgs
revile each other?  Anybody with any sense knows that  80-yr old codgers
are hardly infallible. Some codgers this age do well to find the crapper
in time and remember to zip-up.

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#11738

On 13/08/14 16:42, Kenny McCormack wrote:
> In article <lsg0c3$clh$1@news.albasani.net>,
> The Natural Philosopher  <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> ...
>>> P.S.  The best advice given so far in this thread is to try to use the
>>> network to move the files instead of using the hard drive.
>
>> Certainly works for me. Even only 100Mbps is adequate for quite a lot of
>> data...
>
> Quite so.  Most of these task become easy if you just let it run overnight.
>
>> Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
>> rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll
>
> Very true.  Good line.  Out of curiosity, who is Erwin Knoll?
>
Fsck knows

I just liked the quote..


-- 
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the 
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll

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#11739

In article <lsgd0h$r6a$1@news.albasani.net>,
The Natural Philosopher  <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:
...
>>> Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
>>> rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. – Erwin Knoll
>>
>> Very true.  Good line.  Out of curiosity, who is Erwin Knoll?
>>
>Fsck knows
>
>I just liked the quote..

Indeed.

FWIW, Wiki says:

Erwin Knoll (1931–1994) was an American journalist who was editor of
The Progressive from 1973 to 1994.

-- 
The scent of awk programmers is a lot more attractive to women than
the scent of perl programmers.

      (Mike Brennan, quoted in the "GAWK" manual)

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