Using USB Storage Devices in Linux

Overview

An increasing number of cheap, portable USB devices containing flash memory in various sizes can be used in place of floppy disks in the labs. Linux labs support for USB storage devices is limited; not all devices will work.

Summary

Most USB flash memory disks should work in the Linux labs as follows:

1. Plug the USB device into a front USB port.
2. Wait for the device to become available to use (after device lights blink).
3. Use the Devices folder to mount the device.
4. Read and write to the device.
5. Before removing the device, unmount it using the Devices folder.

The sections below contain more detailed explanations.

User Responsibilities

Users must comply with the provisions of the Copyright Act. Only files related to relevant course work can be copied, including files they have produced in their own home directories and files in other locations where they have been granted permission to copy.

Users must comply with the Acceptable Use Policy for IT Facilities for students and staff. IT Services accepts no responsibility for loss of data arising from use of USB storage devices on University IT facilities.

Suitable Devices

Devices to be used in the Linux labs must work using the drivers and tools installed in the provided Linux operating system. Only use one device at a time.

Suitable devices include: Transcend Jet Flash USB Drive; A-DATA USB Drive (packaged as USB 2.0 Flash Disk "Security", Shintaro, etc.). This is an incomplete list; due to the large number of devices available, IT Services is unable to test all of them; IT Services does not guarantee that all versions of the above listed devices will work in the Linux labs.

Some devices may be unuseable in the Linux labs unless modified. Recognised devices work if partitioned with one primary partition. To modify a recognised device, follow this tutorial (you do not need to modify your device if it works without modification!).

Usage

Follow these steps to use a USB storage device in the Linux labs.

1. Plug the device into a front USB port.
2. Wait for the device to be recognised by Linux (the device status light will blink briefly).
3. Open your Home folder.

4. If the device was successfully recognised, it will be listed in the Devices folder. Choose the usbdisk line, and right click Mount (the menu will list Unmount if the disk is already mounted).

5. Read and write files to /mnt/flash.
6. Use Unmount before removing the device.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I unplugged my flash drive and put in another one. It detected, but isn't listed in Devices?
2. My USB drive doesn't work in the Linux labs. What should I do?
3. My USB drive works in Windows and Mac, why doesn't it work in the Linux labs?
4. My USB drive works in Linux, why doesn't it work in the Linux labs?
5. I can't mount my USB drive from the User Mount Tool. There are a bunch of weird partitions when I run fdisk. What should I do?
6. How do I know if my USB drive is recognised?
7. My 6-in-1 USB card reader doesn't work properly in the Linux labs!

1. I unplugged my flash drive and put in another one. It detected, but isn't listed in Devices?

Close the Devices folder and open it again. If the device was detected properly you will be able to mount it using the Devices folder.

2. My USB drive doesn't work in the Linux labs. What should I do?

Devices that do not work in the Linux labs must not be used. Use one of the types listed above, or use your network of friends to find one which works.

3. My USB drive works in Windows and Mac, why doesn't it work in the Linux labs?

Windows and Mac compatibility does not imply Linux compatibility. Devices not recognised in the Linux environment must not be used.

4. My USB drive works in Linux, why doesn't it work in the Linux labs?

Devices able to be used in the Linux labs must work using the drivers and tools installed in the provided Linux operating system.

Devices requiring additional configuration or drivers must not be used in the Linux labs.

5. I can't mount my USB drive from the User Mount Tool. There are a bunch of weird partitions when I run fdisk. What should I do?

Modify your device so it has a partition table with only one primary partition (remember to copy your existing data from the drive first). You can follow this tutorial.

6. How do I know if my USB drive is recognised?

If you have waited for the system to detect your device, check the following items to see if your device was recognised.

1. Use the command ls /media/usbdisk to check if the mount point (or directory) for the device has been created. If the mount point has not been created, there will be an error message: ls: /media/usbdisk: No such file or directory
2. Use the command cat /etc/fstab to check if the system has entered your device in file containing filesystem information. You will see a line for your device. Here is an example (the following is supposed to be on one line):

/dev/sdb1 /media/usbdisk vfat pamconsole,noatime,sync,exec,noauto, managed 0 0


3. Use the dmesg command to check if your device was recognised by Linux. An example command follows:

$ dmesg | grep scsi0 -A 3
scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Vendor: Model: TS256MJFLASHA Rev: 1.00
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Attached scsi removable disk sdb at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
SCSI device sda: 506400 512-byte hdwr sectors (259 MB)
sda: Write Protect is off
sda: sda1


An example of an device that was not recognised. It requires additional configuration. This device must not be used in the Linux labs.

scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Vendor: Model: Rev:
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02


7. My 6-in-1 USB card reader doesn't work properly in the Linux labs!

USB storage devices are handled in the Linux labs as SCSI devices. Multi-slot card readers require Linux to probe multiple LUNS in order to see more than one device on the card reader, which requires the Linux kernel to be reconfigured and recompiled. Do not use multi-slot card readers in the Linux labs.