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Asked: 2024-09-25T18:33:20+05:30 In:

How can I mount a directory located on a different partition in Ubuntu?

So, I’ve been messing around with my Ubuntu setup lately, trying to organize my files better, and I hit this snag that I can’t seem to figure out. I have this directory on a different partition—let’s say it’s my external hard drive where I keep all my media files, and it’s just a pain to always have to navigate to it every single time I want to access something. I thought about mounting it so I can easily access it from my main file system, but I have no idea how to do that in Ubuntu.

I’ve looked up some resources online, but they either seem too technical for me or skip over a few steps that I feel are crucial. I mean, I know about disk partitions and all that, but when it comes to the nitty-gritty of mounting directories, it’s like, whoa! One article mentioned using something called the `mount` command, and I got as far as trying to find out where my partition is located. I can see it listed in the Disks utility, which is cool, but now what? Do I have to create a specific folder to mount it to, or can I just make it appear somewhere convenient?

Also, I’ve seen some mentions of `fstab` in the discussions. I get that it’s for auto-mounting things on boot, but honestly, I get a little lost in all the options there. Do I really need to mess with it, or is there an easier way that doesn’t involve diving deep into configuration files?

I just want a straightforward guide or some tips on how to do this without breaking anything. My ultimate goal here is to have that directory show up nicely in my file manager so I can be more efficient with my workflow. Any help would be appreciated! How have you guys done it? What are the steps, and are there any potential pitfalls I should be aware of?

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    2 Answers



    1. Mounting External Hard Drive in Ubuntu

      To mount your external hard drive in Ubuntu, you can follow these straightforward steps. First, you need to find the device name of your partition. You can do this by opening a terminal and running the command lsblk or sudo fdisk -l, which will list all storage devices connected to your system. Look for your external hard drive in the output, typically something like /dev/sdb1. Once you have identified your device, create a mount point (a directory where you’ll access the drive’s contents) by running sudo mkdir /mnt/external_drive. After that, you can mount the partition using the command sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/external_drive (replace /dev/sdb1 with your actual partition identifier and /mnt/external_drive with your preferred mount point).

      If you want your drive to automatically mount at boot without needing to use the terminal every time, you can add it to the /etc/fstab file. Open the file with sudo nano /etc/fstab and add a line at the end in the following format: /dev/sdb1 /mnt/external_drive ext4 defaults 0 0 (make sure to adjust this for your specific filesystem type and mount point). Be careful while editing this file, as incorrect entries may prevent your system from booting properly. It’s a good idea to create a backup of the current fstab file before making changes—just run sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.backup. Thus, you can access your external drive easily from your file manager, making your workflow more efficient while minimizing the chance of errors.




    2. Mounting an External Hard Drive in Ubuntu

      Mounting Your External Hard Drive in Ubuntu

      Getting your external hard drive mounted in Ubuntu is a great way to streamline your file access. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you out:

      Step 1: Identify Your Disk

      First, you need to find out where your external drive is located. Open a terminal and type:

      lsblk

      This will list all your drives and partitions. Look for the one that matches your external hard drive (it usually starts with “sdb”, “sdc”, etc., depending on how many drives you have). The last column shows the partition types, which can help you identify it!

      Step 2: Create a Mount Point

      Before you can mount the drive, you need to create a mount point (a folder where the drive’s content will appear). You can do this by running:

      sudo mkdir /mnt/my_external_drive

      You can replace “my_external_drive” with whatever name you want.

      Step 3: Mount the Drive

      Now for the fun part! Mount your external drive by running:

      sudo mount /dev/sdx1 /mnt/my_external_drive

      Replace “sdx1” with your actual device ID (like “sdb1”). After running this command, you should be able to access your files at /mnt/my_external_drive.

      Step 4: (Optional) Auto-Mount on Boot

      If you want your drive to automatically mount every time you start your computer, you can edit the /etc/fstab file:

      sudo nano /etc/fstab

      Add a new line at the bottom like this:

      /dev/sdx1 /mnt/my_external_drive auto defaults 0 0

      This is a bit technical, but here’s what it does: it tells your system to automatically mount your drive on boot. Be very careful with this—any mistakes in fstab can cause boot issues. If you’re unsure, you might want to skip this and mount it manually for now.

      Step 5: Accessing Files

      Now, when you open your file manager, you can navigate to /mnt/my_external_drive to access your media files easily!

      Potential Pitfalls

      • If the drive doesn’t show up after mounting, make sure it’s connected properly and that you used the correct device name.
      • When editing fstab, always make a backup before making changes!
      • Unmount the drive before physically disconnecting it using sudo umount /mnt/my_external_drive.

      With these steps, you should have a smoother experience accessing your media files in Ubuntu. Happy organizing!


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