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Asked: 2024-09-26T13:34:28+05:30 In:

I’m trying to mount a USB drive on my Ubuntu system, but I keep encountering a “permission denied” error. I’ve ensured that I have the necessary permissions, and I’ve also tried mounting it with different options in the terminal. Can anyone help me troubleshoot this issue or suggest potential solutions?

I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to mount a USB drive on my Ubuntu system, and I’m hitting a wall with this “permission denied” error. It’s super frustrating because I’ve double-checked my user permissions and everything should be good to go. I’m not entirely new to Ubuntu either, but this error is really getting the better of me right now.

Here’s what’s happening: I plug in my USB drive, and I can see it listed in the Disks application. When I try to mount it through the terminal using the `mount` command, I get this annoying “permission denied” message. I thought maybe it was a mount point issue, so I created a new directory under `/media/` and tried to mount it there, but still—no luck. I even played around with different mounting options, like using `sudo` and specifying the filesystem type with `-t`. Nothing seems to work!

Another thing I tried was checking the drive on another computer to make sure it’s not an issue with the drive itself. It mounted perfectly fine on my older laptop, which has a different version of Ubuntu. So, at this point, I’m wondering if there’s a specific setting or permission I’m missing in my current setup. Maybe it’s something with the drive’s file system? It’s formatted to FAT32, so I figured Ubuntu should handle that without any issues.

I’ve also checked the `/etc/fstab` file, thinking there might be something amiss there, but I didn’t find anything related to my USB drive. This makes me wonder if there’s a command I’m missing or some additional steps I should take to grant permissions. Has anyone else dealt with this before? Any ideas or troubleshooting tips would be super helpful! I’m really at a loss here, and I could use some expert advice. Thanks in advance for any help!

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    2 Answers


    1. If you’re encountering a “permission denied” error when trying to mount your USB drive in Ubuntu, it’s possible that the drive is not being recognized correctly due to how the system handles USB devices. Even if you’re using `sudo`, ensure that you are specifying the correct mount point and that it’s accessible. Check the ownership of the newly created mount point directory within `/media/`; it should typically be owned by the root user. You can change the ownership by executing: sudo chown $USER:$USER /media/your_mount_point. Additionally, make sure that you are using the correct device identifier when mounting, which you can find using the `lsblk` command. Experimenting with the `-o uid=$USER,gid=$USER` options during your mount command can also help assign the correct permissions for your user account.

      If the problem persists despite checking your user permissions and mounting options, you should consider whether a file system issue might be at play. Since your USB is formatted with FAT32, Ubuntu generally handles this format well. However, to ensure there’s no problem with the file system, run a file system check using sudo dosfsck -a /dev/sdX1 (replacing /dev/sdX1 with your actual device identifier). This command can often resolve underlying issues that prevent proper mounting. Lastly, if all else fails, ensure that the USB drive is clean and connected securely; sometimes physical connection issues can cause these types of errors. Don’t hesitate to refer to Ubuntu’s online resources or forums, as they can provide additional insights based on similar experiences from other users.




    2. USB Mounting Help

      USB Drive Mounting Troubleshooting

      Sounds like you’re really stuck with this USB mounting issue on your Ubuntu system! Let’s try to figure this out together.

      1. Check the USB Drive’s Status

      First, make sure the USB drive is recognized by the system. Run the following command in the terminal:

      lsblk

      This will show you all block devices. Look for your USB drive (it should look something like /dev/sdb1 or similar).

      2. Create a Mount Point

      If you haven’t already, create a mount point:

      sudo mkdir /media/myusb

      3. Try Mounting with Permissions

      Now, try mounting again, but this time use sudo to make sure you have the right permissions:

      sudo mount -t vfat /dev/sdX1 /media/myusb

      Make sure to replace /dev/sdX1 with your actual USB device name you found with lsblk.

      4. File System Check

      Since the drive is FAT32, it should generally work fine. But just in case, you can check the drive for errors by running:

      sudo fsck.vfat /dev/sdX1

      5. Permissions Issue

      If you still get “permission denied,” there might be a permissions issue with the mount point created. To fix this, you can change the ownership:

      sudo chown $USER:$USER /media/myusb

      6. Accessing via GUI

      As a workaround, you could also try mounting the USB drive using the file manager. Just open the file manager, and you should see the USB drive listed there for you to click and mount.

      7. Checking logs

      If nothing works, you might want to look at the system log files for any clues. Use:

      dmesg | tail -n 20

      This will show you the latest system messages related to devices. There might be hints about what’s going wrong.

      Last Resort

      If none of this works, consider restarting your system. Sometimes a fresh boot can resolve weird permission issues!

      Hopefully, this helps you get your USB drive mounted! If you still have issues, feel free to share any error messages you see. Good luck!


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