Monday, May 20, 2013

How do you determine what Linux file system your using?

Q. When you log onto a Linux system and get to the command prompt, how can you determine which of the many file systems supported in Linux you are using? Is there a command that will identify it?

A. Use fsck with the N option which just show what would have been done, but also show you what type of filesystem it is.

fsck -N /dev/(device-name)

e.g.

fsck -N /dev/hdc2

The 'mount' command wont help if the filesystem isn't mounted, and looking in /etc/fstab wont help because you cant be sure that information can be trusted.

How can I mount a disk I unmounted on my Mac?
Q. I ejected one of my hard drives by accident and when I tried to mount it again, it says "Mount failed. Try running first aid on the disk and then retry mounting. I ran first aid (both verify and repair disk) and that failed as well. It's an almost new disk with all my most important files (of course). The recommended action by First Aid is to erase and reformat.

A. If you're familiar with the Terminal application you could try getting the drive mounted via the command line. The programs you'll likely need are "fsck" to make sure the partition is clean and "mount" to actually mount the partition. Unfortunately those tools have a bit of a learning curve if you don't have any UNIX/Linux background.

Another option is other GUI-based disk/mount utilities. "Mount Me!" has worked for some people but I haven't had a need for it personally.

Is there a linux program that would allow you to copy video games?
Q. Im new to Linux, and a saw some cd and dvd rippimg programs. I was wondering if there is one for video games. Or would a dvd/r ripper work to?

Yes, I is noob!

A. Linux is a Unix derivative, so among the things -- call them cultural -- you are unlikely to have looked at is the preference for using several small programs rather than one large one for doing tasks. Thus, the program k3b mentioned above, while I use it, is what is called a mashup which provides a GUI for several command line programs (which I also use when relevant) and which -- philosophically -- should be able to copy anything, even if it runs on a radically different architecture.

Insert your disk and open an xterm. Close any program which wants to open -- OR MOUNT -- your disk automatically and unmount it if it was mounted.

type "dd if=/dev/hdc of=<myfile.iso>" /dev/hdc is a standin for your cdrom or dvd in the /dev directory and <myfile.iso> is a standin for whatever you choose to call the file, but if it's from a computer cd or dvd name it iso.

Check to see you got a true copy of the image. Do a "md5sum /dev/hdc && md5sum <myfile.iso>" That generates a hash number twice (the && means run a separate command) and if the two hash numbers agree then you have a true byte copy image.

Then burn the iso image to disk.

It's not that hard.



Nec Projector Review

Plastic Shed Reviews

Ati Graphic Reviews

Nurse Uniforms Reviews

Cabochons Reviews

Inflatable Water Slides Reviews

Barcode Scanner Reviews

No comments:

Post a Comment