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Thread: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    16

    Exclamation External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    Hello, I've been working at this for the past 2 days now. My computer got some kind of virus or something that has caused it to loop at startup and continually reset. I run an XP OS on a Gateway. I desperately need to backup my files, because the person who had my backup absently deleted my stuff. I was able to boot up using an Ubuntu disc and I'm in it right now, I've found my files, I have an external hard drive. The problem:
    First, it wont let me paste into the hard drive. If I drag, it says "Error while copying to "/media/FreeAgent Drive". You do not have permissions to write to this folder." I've mounted the external drive, nothing changes. I've gone in to properties, is says under permissions that the owner is root, folder access is "Access files" and at the bottom is says "You are not the owner, so you can't change these permissions." The drop downs where I need to change permissions is in gray, so I can;t change it.
    So next, I tried "gksu nautilus", went to the drive through there, and it let me use the drop down selection under permissions. I tried to change the folder access and I got this message: "The permissions could not be changed. Couldn't change the permissions of "FreeAgent Drive" because it is on a read-only disk." So I tried changing the file access to Read and Write. It didn't give an error, so I thought perhaps it finally worked. I hit apply, and tried to put my files in. Once again I got the message from before that said I didn't have permission. I tried to change the owner so it was no longer root and I got "The owner could not be changed. Couldn't change the owner of "FreeAgent Drive" because it is on a read-only disk."

    I'm getting so frustrated right now. These files are VERY important to me!
    The hard drive I have is a Seagate FreeAgent desk 500GB

    If there are ANY suggestions I would really appreciate it!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    San Francisco, California
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    5,844
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    I'm just going to guess here and say the drive is NTFS. To make sure though I need to see the results of the following commands, once you have posted the results up here on the forum, I or somebody else can help you further, what are the results of the following?
    Code:
    cat /etc/fstab
    sudo fdisk -l
    Google Ventures / Prowl

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    16

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    Code:
    unionfs / unionfs rw 0 0
    tmpfs /tmp tmpfs nosuid,nodev 0 0
    Code:
    Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/sda1               1        1270    10201243+   7  HPFS/NTFS
    /dev/sda2   *        1271       38913   302367397+   7  HPFS/NTFS
    
    Disk /dev/sdf: 500.1 GB, 500107860992 bytes
    255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
    Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
    
       Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
    /dev/sdf1               1       60801   488384001    7  HPFS/NTFS

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    16

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    I'm going to try using my NexStar SX external with the same methods while I wait for a response, just in case it might work.
    I'd prefer to get the Seagate working though, because the space on my NexStar isn't enough to back everything up. Wish me luck.

    I really hope the SeaGate will be workable, I just bought it for this purpose.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Ayrshire
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    40,224
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    Use synaptic to install ntfsprogs and ntfs-3g.

    The descriptions will tell you what they do.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    16

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    I'm sorry, I'm a little bit new to all this. Is Synaptic already on the computer or do I need to download it?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    Go to System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager.

    In the search field type ntfs and check the boxes beside ntfsprogs and ntfs-3g, "Mark for Installation".

    Accept and dependancies and click apply.

    Another good one I forgot to mention is ntfs-config

    This will give you a menu item from which you can select your ntfs drive and make them read/writable etc.

    So, the 3 useful applications are, ntfsprogs, ntfs-3g and ntfs-config

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    16

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    It seems the only one listed when I search is ntfsprog. None of the others are there. I marked for installation, I think it installed because it now has the reinstall option on it, but I didn't see anywhere that said accept and dependancies. Perhaps I'm missing something here...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    Quote Originally Posted by BaldDumboRat View Post
    but I didn't see anywhere that said accept and dependancies.
    Sorry, my poor typing, I didn't mean "and" dependancies, should have been "any" dependancies.

    They won't all have dependancies but ntfs-config will have one which is "menu"

    I moved all my drives to ext4, so maybe a little rusty dealing with ntfs drives. Try searching for the other two by full names.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    16

    Re: External Hard Drive will not let me backup files

    It still looks like ntfsprog is the only ntfs related file in there. I looked down the list of 'all' by hand, even. Is there anything else I can do?

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