HELP! how to get files off my USB thumb drive in DSL?

check and send the dmesg

what is the dmesg? how do i do that?

can u run the command on CLI
this is the command
# dmesg

ok i opened the Aterm application and it pulled up a box and at the top it said Terminal.

the text in front of my cursor read...

dsl@box:/ramdisk/home/dsl$

i then typed dmesg and hit enter, and it gave me this message from the top of the window to the bottom...

<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.

can u post this whole message

thats all it said...

<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.
<3>usb-uhci.c: Host controller halted, trying to restart.

ok change the position of the usb port of your mouse and drive and then check

that is may be the issue of usb speed either 1.1 or 2.0

nope i switched both of them and the mouse works in the other one but i still get the same message when i type dmesg... could it be becuase i am using a new usb thumb drive on and old computer?

but it looks like the laptop is able to read the usb drive b.c when the comp is booting up in dsl the light on the usb drive blinks

Did you try using the Aterm in Superuser mode? As far as I know you also have such an option in DSL.

Also tell us the entries you have in your /etc/fstab file.

ok will u please tell me the version of DSL

On the right hand side it says Linux 2.4.31, i am assuming that is the version number.

I do not know what a Superuser mode is or how to get into it, so if you could explain that great that would be great

and I lookd in my / folder on my desktop then went to etc folder and there was no fstab file...

Superuser: XShells, Root Access.

If you have that started, enter mc. Then on the top two dots press enter a couple of times until the directory doesn't change anymore. With the cursor keys go to /etc and press enter. Now move down the list until you reach fstab and when you have that file highlited, press F3 which will show you the contents of the file. post them here.

I am sorry but i am really dumb with this new OS.  I clicked on XShells > Root Access > Dark.  It then came up with a Root Shell window that said [/home/dsl]#

I then typed mc

it came back with the message bash: mc: command not found

I am still not sure how to get into Superuser mode...

Then you might not have midnight commander installed. This is strange as my version of DSL includes it. My version may be a bit older, as my kernel is older.

OK, I've now downloaded the newest version. When in the root shell, enter emelfm

This utility works similar to mc, so you can also navigate to /etc and then right click the fstab file and select view.

This version of DSL also has "Mount" as an option in when you right click the desktop. What do you see there?

ok thanks, within the fstab file it says:

/proc                    /proc              proc     defaults         0  0
/sys                     /sys                sysfs   noauto           0  0
/dev/pts               /dev/pts         devpts   mode=0622   0  0
/dev/fd0              /mnt/auto/floppy   auto     user,noauto, exex, umask=000       0  0
#Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/sdal  /mnt/sdal   vfat noauto,users,exec,umask=000,uid=1001,gid=50       0  0
#Added by KNOPPIX
/dev/sda2  /mnt/sda2  ext2  noauto,users,exec    0  0



when i right click on the desktop i get the same options as when i click the lower left DSL (or windows start button)... a list containing Apps, My DSL, Games, Setup, System, XShells, Help, Find, Run command, and exit...

I hope you can make heads or tails of any of this :)

Is there another HD connected to the system or is it only the USB drive?

no, all there is is a cd/dvd rom drive, my mouse and a usb thumb drive... right now it is booting off a live cd, there is no hard drive on the laptop.  All i am using the USB thumb drive for is to get pictures off of.  I am making a digital picture frame.

when i typed mount /dev/sda1 it said...

mount: /dev/sda1 already mounted or /mnt/sda1 busy
mount: according to mtab, /dev.sda1 is already mounted on /mnt/sda1

when i typed mount /dev/sda2 it just returned down a line

I am not sure where to go to see if they mounted properly

Now will it work? what do i have to do now?

Now go to /mnt/sda1 and /mnt/sda2 to view the contents of your disk. You can again use emelfm for that.

you know what, if we can not get this to work, could you recommend me another OS that works well and might auto detect my USB? I was able to open find the file, but there were no pictures in either the /mnt/sda1 or 2 files... all i need out of the OS is to slide through pictures in full screen.  Otherwise if you have any other suggestions that would be great too... Thanks for everything so far!  When i tried to install Ubuntu it said there was a graphics problem while the boot cd was loading so i am not sure that one will work. Sorry for all the hassle

Actually, DSL did autodetect your USB and it also mounted the first partition. That was the message you got above:

"mount: according to mtab, /dev.sda1 is already mounted on /mnt/sda1"

DSL is very small and there isn't too much software loaded with it. If you check apps/graphics you'll see xpaint. If you open that and go to your folders above you should be able to open the picture files if they use a standard format.

Personally I use kubuntu. If you tell me the message you got when booting I might be able to help. Another very good distro is knoppix.

http://knoppix.net

thanks a lot for your help but the quality of the pictures are horrible... is there any way to change that?

You'd probably need a better tool installed, like the Gimp. The Gimp wold be included in Knoppix and probably in ubuntu too, but they are both a lot larger (knoppix approx 700MB if you get the CD version, and the DVD version about 2.5GB). You could also install the GIMP to DSL, but for that you probably need a disk to install it to.

i dont care how big or small the OS is that i install as long as the picture quality is good.  i have plenty of DVD's here, is it the same process to install the larger knoppix to a dvd?

Yes. You download the iso and burn it to dvd (like you did with DSL). Actually DSL and many other LiveCD's are based on knoppix...

Thank you for all the information! you deserve the 500 pts... i am downloading the KNOPPIX DVD right now and if i have any more questions i will post another question... again thanks a ton for all the help

your welcome.