Linux disk mounting question (Takumaji?)

Ok, basically I had 4 primary partitions on my disk

[winxp ntfs][linux swap][linux native][fat32 storage]

In partition magic, I took 1GB from 'storage' and moved all the partitions up, and added that 1GB to the NTFS partition, (so I could install XP sigh, bloatware).

Anyway, all went fine, I had to hose the storage partition/back it up, and recreate it as a logical partition instead, as XP couldn't mount it in disk administrator for some reason, no biggie.

to get to the point, anyway, in Linux, (2.4.18), I still have the ability to mount '/dev/hda4' which is my storage fat32 drive, but its empty, I can unmount/mount it too, no problems, but its always empty, I daren't write to /mnt/storage when its mounted for fear of hosing it.


I look in /dev/ and 'cat hda4' shows the device file is empty, "hmm" I say, hda3 (ext2) has some sort of content, I guess hda4 (fat32) _should_ have some too, but no.

Anyway, I feel the device file /dev/hda4 is still pointing to the old partition sizes (or something, just a hunch), and maybe I need to MAKEDEV the device again, so that it is mountable _and_ reads the filesystem content correctly.

Other than that, a re-install I guess, although I know its not needed.

Any ideas? mtab and fstab both still contain the /dev/hda4 entries, and as I said before, the device is still mountable whereas a non existing drive (such as hdb3) fails to mount - obviously.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Screwing around with this kind of stuff with Partition Magic always creates some type of problem.

It probably hosed the mounting point of that partition or the starting point of the partition on the actual drive, hence it's being fucked up.

It's been a while since I've played with Linux, I suggest removing it if you can from FSTAB and the other points and trying to have it re-find the drive itself. That's dependant on the distrobution/installer you have though which I'm assuming for you is Slackware (I've been a RedHat man myself).

Also does WinXP mount/read the partition at all? If all is lost you may be better served to just wiping that partition clean and restoring it from backup and having Linux go from there. It may be easier than having to re-install Linux.

Good luck though, that stuff gets really confusing really quick.

JHendrix:
It probably hosed the mounting point of that partition or the starting point of the partition on the actual drive, hence it's being fucked up.

Click to expand...

I agree with you.

[QB]
I suggest removing it if you can from FSTAB and the other points and trying to have it re-find the drive itself.
</strong>

Click to expand...

Thats not a bad idea, I'll try it at least.

<strong>
Also does WinXP mount/read the partition at all?
</strong>

Click to expand...

Yep, its all fine and dandy in XP, and has been for a month or two now. Although I had to change it to a logical partition for it to stay there, else it would go after every reboot.


.. strange indeed.

You mentioned a logical partition. So, wheres your extended partition then?

If I am right, this is your setup:

hda1 = winxp
hda2 = swap
hda3 = linux (i suppose /)
hda4 = ??

hda4 isnt primary so it has to be the extended partition and hda5 is the next logical volume.

I think you know this, but... spock

Greets

Dennis

kernow:

JHendrix:
It probably hosed the mounting point of that partition or the starting point of the partition on the actual drive, hence it's being fucked up.

Click to expand...

I agree with you.

[QB]
I suggest removing it if you can from FSTAB and the other points and trying to have it re-find the drive itself.
</strong>

Click to expand...

Thats not a bad idea, I'll try it at least.

<strong>
Also does WinXP mount/read the partition at all?
</strong>

Click to expand...

Yep, its all fine and dandy in XP, and has been for a month or two now. Although I had to change it to a logical partition for it to stay there, else it would go after every reboot.


.. strange indeed.

Click to expand...

Kern my man I gotta tell you the best way for ye to do this sorta thing.

Just do it across multiple hard drives, one small old one for windows, one for Linux, and the other big one for storage between the two. It saves SO much damn trouble.

90% of my Linux experience is through using a Laptop so I know the hell that multiple partitions can cause. Using it on a desktop where I can play w/ the hardware, I'm telling you at the LEAST just have windows on its own small separate drive and keep your FAT32 swap data on the back partition of your Linux HD. Prolly the best way to have it running IMO anyway.

apus:
You mentioned a logical partition. So, wheres your extended partition then?

If I am right, this is your setup:

hda1 = winxp
hda2 = swap
hda3 = linux (i suppose /)
hda4 = ??

hda4 isnt primary so it has to be the extended partition and hda5 is the next logical volume.

I think you know this, but... spock

Greets

Dennis

Click to expand...

fuck I'm dumb, so its hda5, doh.. I'll try when I get back,

J and Apus, thanks

kernow:

apus:
You mentioned a logical partition. So, wheres your extended partition then?

If I am right, this is your setup:

hda1 = winxp
hda2 = swap
hda3 = linux (i suppose /)
hda4 = ??

hda4 isnt primary so it has to be the extended partition and hda5 is the next logical volume.

I think you know this, but... spock

Greets

Dennis

Click to expand...

fuck I'm dumb, so its hda5, doh.. I'll try when I get back,

J and Apus, thanks

Click to expand...

I'm feeling especially dumb right now myself... frown

wait until I've actually tried it and report back, but I think he's saved my bacon.

yep, it works fine, mounted straight away.

who would have thought it was simply a case opening the mtab and changing a 4 to a 5 and saving.


*holds head in shame for he feels like a newb*