# Accessing USB Hard Drive in Ubuntu



## TrumpetMan258 (May 13, 2005)

I need some help figuring out how to gain access to my Western Digital Passport USB hard drive in Ubuntu. It is listed along with the cd drive and internal hard drive, but when I click on the icon, I get this error message:

```
Warning: device /dev/sdb1 is already handled by /etc/fstab, supplied label is ignored
W32 filesystem .sys module not found: /var/lib/captive/ntfs.sys at /sbin/mount.captive-ntfs line 65.
You should run captive-install-acquire(1) of 'captive-install' package,
otherwise you can also acquire this file from URL:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/pro/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/checkedbuild.asp
Error: could not execute pmount
```
Also, I tried going into the disk manager, but when it opens, I get this error:

```
Couldn't find "/tmp/disks-conf-sdb1".
```
That also referes to my external hard drive, because the disk manager gives the device path as /dev/sdb1. And in the manager, the hard drive is disabled, but if I click the enable button, nothing happens. I'm running Ubuntu Breezy 5.10. Any ideas, anyone?


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## Aeuzent (Sep 4, 2004)

Well I'd try doing as it says and install captive-install. I couldn't find a deb package but there are RPMs avalible. You should be able to convert that using Alien and possibly solve the problem.


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## TrumpetMan258 (May 13, 2005)

Thanks! I found a tar archive and tried to install. But I got a message that said it was already installed, and that I should uninstall first. So I did that, and all of a sudden I had access to my passport drive. So I went into the disk manager and my passport drives filesystem was listed as virtual fat. I had forgotten that I had reformated it a while ago from ntfs to vfat so I would have write access to it, and I guess the captive files were getting in the way. Now it makes sense! What's weird is that for a while after I reformatted it, I had been able to use it. Then, suddenly, these problems started. Oh, well. As long as I can use it.


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## batty_professor (Jul 29, 2004)

You formatted it and used it immediately thereafter. The changes took effect after the next logout/login.


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## Aeuzent (Sep 4, 2004)

I'm guessing the tar ball was either the source or binaries. It is way to much work to install it that way. Your better with some kind of package tool.


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## LoneWolf071 (Nov 10, 2004)

Make sure It Isn't Already Mounted... type mount into the console and you should get a list of already mounted devices. if the sda1 is already mounted, it will list under what dir it is located...


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