Category: How to’s

1. Login as root by running from a terminal

$ su

followed by typing the root password.
note: when you are logged in as a superuser or root user in the terminal, the prompt icon changes from $ to #

2. Create a directory in your /mnt folder.
This can be done by running

#mkdir /mnt/win1

Here win1 is the name of the directory where the fat32 partition will be mounted.

3. Run

#fdisk -l

In fedora and redhat you may have to use

#/sbin/fdisk -l

Note the name of the device file for the FAT32 partition.
Let’s say the device file name is found to be /dev/hda3. ( generally like hda5 or hdb5 or sda3 etc…..)

4. Open the file /etc/fstab in any text editor (i recommend gEdit of noobs if in gnome. Use kedit if in kde. Just type command gedit fstab for opening file ).

5. On a new line at the bottom of the file, add the line

/dev/hda3 /mnt/win1 vfat users,owner,ro,umask=000 0 0

where hda3 is the partition number of the Fat32 partition and win1 is the name of the directory you created in step 2.

Note that this will allow ALL users READ ONLY access to the disk.

To allow Read and Write access to ALL users, change the ro to rw.

If you want  to restrict the Read and Write access to root (while other users have READ ONLY access), change the ro to rw and umask=000 to umask=022.

Make sure that the fstab end with a new blank line.

6. Save and quit the file /etc/fstab

7. Then run

#mount -a

Your hard disk will be mounted and will stay mounted after reboot.

To know how to mount partitions from terminal visit
refer the mount command manual for more information

When your linux root partition gets suddenly deleted and you are stuck up with black screen with prompt

grub>

There is no need to reinstall windows. You can boot the windows from this prompt
Assuming windows is installed on first hard disk of your system & in the first partition the type the following commands sequentially & you can get back to your windows

grub> root noverify (hd0,0)
grub> chainloader +1
grub> boot

If windows partition is on 2nd partition of the first hard disk you have to use (hd0,1)

if windows is installed on the first partition of the second hard disk then use (hd1,0)

To mount an iso file
make a directory named /mnt/test
open terminal
login as super user using command su

#mkdir /mnt/test

change to the directory where the cd or dvd image or the iso file is residing and type the commands

#mount -o loop -t iso9660 file.iso /mnt/test

you will have the file mounted in directory /mnt/test
to unmount the iso file use command

#umount /mnt/test