external hard disk in linux

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

ASKER

initially i have copied some files to this hard disk and after doing mke2fs -j /dev/sda1 i can see the same files which was copied earlier. i understand by mke2fs it will format the disk also right. but still the files are there

KishorDas

Even you format the external harddisk using mkfs or mke2fs command but the kernel is using the older partition table. So reload the partition table using the following command, assuming your external hard disk is detected as /dev/hdd.

# partprobe /dev/hdd

Hope you will now see the data you copied after formating the drive.

Thank You.

ASKER

i have given the command
partprobe /dev/sda1.

but still the files are there.
how can i utilise the full space (1tb) for my linux server by fomatting the entire data

Run "fdisk -l /dev/sda" and show us the results.

ASKER

it says
/dev/sda1 doesnt contain a valid partition table

SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

ASKER

please find the attachment
Screenshot.png

SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

ASKER

i have just given those commands.

now the mount point is
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usbdrive/
now if give ls it says
[root@dr usbdrive]# ls
lost+found

whereas

[root@dr usbdrive]# cd /media/
[root@dr media]# cd My_Passport/
[root@dr My_Passport]# ls
115102upgrade 1159install

it shows two directories which were copied earlier

ASKER

i tried to copy some files to usbdisk bt it is says

no space left on device where we have the space

SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

KishorDas

1. Your external hard is having an NTFS file system. If you want to use that NTFS patition then format your device using mkfs.ntfs /dev/sda1, but yor linux device will mount that device as a read-only device/medium. To wite to the ntfs patition from linux you have to use the ntfs-3g program to mount your ntfs filesystem device as a read write device.

2. Or you delete your ntfs partition and create new vfat partition tha can be accessibleby both windows and linux OS.
# fdisk /dev/sda

Then use the command d to delete the partition, when asked press 1 to delete the /dev/sda1 .

Then press n to create a new partition, and change the partition id to b from 83.

Then press wq
To save the settings
THEN USE

# partprobe /dev/sda
to reload the new partition table

# mkfs.vfat /dev/sda1

Once formatting is completed your device will be detected and mounted as a read write device and you can store data to tha DEVICE>

ASKER

i have done the following

fdisk /dev/sda
selected d to delete partition and also n for a new one.

now the output is
[root@dr usbdrive]# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.1 GB, 1000170586112 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121597 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 121597 976727871 5 Extended
[root@dr usbdrive]#

SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

ASKER

root@dr ~]# df
Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/cciss/c0d1p1 50394964 28412672 19422336 60% /
/dev/cciss/c0d1p7 191643740 97436348 84472408 54% /DR
/dev/cciss/c0d0p7 184368976 1078916 173924572 1% /DR1
/dev/cciss/c0d1p2 151187172 103065604 40441696 72% /apps
/dev/cciss/c0d0p2 171347196 147793016 14850164 91% /apps1
/dev/cciss/c0d0p5 85672504 66929056 14391444 83% /apps2
/dev/cciss/c0d1p5 85672504 69080016 12240484 85% /apps3
/dev/cciss/c0d0p3 110871104 90648464 14590656 87% /apps4
/dev/cciss/c0d1p3 85672536 67263528 14057000 83% /apps5
/dev/cciss/c0d0p1 2016016 44760 1868844 3% /boot
none 2072752 0 2072752 0% /dev/shm
/dev/cciss/c0d0p6 10080488 56036 9512384 1% /home
/dev/sda1 961401996 110656 912454948 1% /mnt/usbdrive
[root@dr ~]# fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.1 GB, 1000170586112 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121597 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 121597 976727871 83 Linux
[root@dr ~]#

this was the output and i assume that now files can be copied to my usb drive

SOLUTION

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

ASKER

how to set the protection , could you pls let me know the command

SOLUTION