<!DOCTYPE guide SYSTEM "/dtd/guide.dtd">

<guide link="external-devices.xml" lang="en">

<guide link="/doc/en/external-devices.xml">

This howto will show you how to use external (usb/firewire) storage devices.

	This howto will show you how to use external (usb/firewire) storage 

	devices.

HAL is a hardware abstraction layer, which is a piece of software that provides

HAL is a hardware abstraction layer, which is a piece of software that provides 

a view of the various hardware attached to a system. In addition to this, HAL

a view of the various hardware attached to a system. In addition to this, HAL 

keeps detailed metadata for each piece of hardware and provides hooks such that

keeps detailed metadata for each piece of hardware and provides hooks such that 

UNIX-like desktops with focus on providing a rich and extensible description of

UNIX-like desktops with focus on providing a rich and extensible description 

device characteristics and features. One example of the functionality provided

of device characteristics and features. One example of the functionality 

by HAL is when you plug in a USB storage device. HAL can automatically create

provided by HAL is when you plug in a USB storage device. HAL can automatically

an appropriate entry in the /etc/fstab file and create the corresponding mount

create an appropriate entry in the /etc/fstab file and create the corresponding

point in <path>/mnt</path>. Extra info:

mount point in /mnt. Extra info : <uri>http://www.ometer.com/hardware.html</uri>

<uri>http://www.ometer.com/hardware.html</uri>

Before emerging the needed programs you should enable <c>KOBJECT_UEVENT</c> and

Before emerging the needed programs you should enable KOBJECT_UEVENT and 

<c>CONFIG_HOTPLUG</c> in your kernel. Search after these options with <c>/</c>,

CONFIG_HOTPLUG in your kernel. Search after these options with "/", or adapt 

or adapt the <path>.config</path> located in

the .config located in /usr/src/linux/.config.

<path>/usr/src/linux/.config</path>.

Before emerging you need to enable the <c>hal</c> USE flag.

Before emerging you need to enable the hal use flag.

You could also emerge <c>kde-base/kioslaves</c> with the <c>hal</c> USE flag.

You could also emerge <c>kde-base/kioslaves</c> with the <c>hal</c> use flag.

KDE Has make some nice hal support. Read more at

KDE Has make some nice hal support. Read more at 

<pre caption="Enable 'hal' use flag">

<pre caption="enable 'hal' use flag">

Instead of configuring our software; we could just use some applications to do

Instead of configuring our software; we could just use some

this for us.

applications to do this for us.

<pre caption="Autoconf software">

<pre caption="autoconf software">

We put <c>sys-apps/ivman</c> in this howto because it gives the user a nice

We putted <c>sys-apps/ivman</c> in this howto because it gives the user a nice

Now your window manager automatically asks you where he has to mount your

Now your window manager automaticly asks you where he has to mount your 

external devices. The only thing we could renice is let hal make symlinks of

external devices. The only thing we could renice is let hal make symlinks

our devices. We do this by making sure it is owned by group hal.

of our devices. We do this by making sure it is owned by group hal.

<pre caption="/etc/udev/rules.d/hal.rules">

<pre caption="/etc/udev/rules.d/hal.rules">BUS=="usb", 

BUS=="usb", 

and also edit <path>/etc/fstab</path>:

and also edit /etc/fstab

<chapter>

<chapter><title>external storage posibilities</title>

<title>External storage posibilities</title>

<section><title>configuring the kernel</title>

<section>

<title>Configuring the kernel</title>

Make sure the options below are marked like said below in your kernel config

Make sure the options below are marked like said below in your kernel config 

<c>lspci</c> output and see for yourself if you need OHCI or UHCI. The options

<c>lspci</c> output and see for yourself if you need OHCI or UHCI. 

below are set for UHCI.

The options below are set for UHCI.

<title>Build the kernel</title>

<title>build the kernel</title>

<pre caption="Installing your new kernel">

<pre caption="installing your new kernel">

Now you should reboot and move further from this point after you reboot.

now you should reboot and move further from this point after you reboot

<section>

<section><title>checking if hotplug detected your devices well</title>

<title>Checking if hotplug detected your devices well</title>

<pre caption="Check dmesg">

<pre caption="check dmesg">

If this happens, it means you did not configure your kernel well. You should

If this happens, It means you did not configure your kernel well. You should

You can do this automatically by putting your driver name in

you can do this automaticly by putting your driver name in 

<pre caption="For scsi interface">

<pre caption="for scsi interface">

# Description: apps for querying the sg SCSI interface

# Description: apps for querying the sg SCSI interface 

And right after that:

and right after that :

<pre caption="Mounting the drive">

<pre caption="mounting the drive">

If you can't mount then try the alternative kernel config above that enables

If you can't mount then try the alternative kernel config above that enables 

SCSI generic support. Then run the following that should give you the correct

SCSI generic support. Then run the following that should give you the correct 

device name. You can now mount with the correct name (Eg.

device name. You can now mount with the correct name (Eg. /dev/sdb1). You can

<path>/dev/sdb1</path>). You can also try with auto or msdos (for small cards)

also try with auto or msdos (for small cards) as the filesystem type 

as the filesystem type (<c>mount -t msdos /dev/x /mnt/x</c>).

(mount -t msdos /dev/x /mnt/x).

<pre caption="Looking for firewire devices">

<pre caption="looking for firewire devices">

<chapter>

<chapter><title>editing your fstab</title>

<title>Editing your fstab</title>

<section><title>mounting your external usb-devices</title>

<section>

<title>Mounting your external usb-devices</title>

Please note that you have to use vfat in the fstab file, because if you choose

please note that you have to use vfat in the fstab file, because if you choose 

auto you won't get the full name but only the first 8 chars. Add the option

auto you won't get the full name but only the first 8 chars. Add the option 

"sync" to have synchronous changes between the actual usb mass storage device

"sync" to have synchronous changes between the actual usb mass storage device 

and the place that it's been mounted. Otherwise it would be done while you

and the place that it's been mounted. Otherwise it would be done while you 

unmount it. This has the advantage of not losing data if you forgot to unmount

unmount it. This has the advantage of not losing data if you forgot to unmount 

a device and also you would see how long it will take when you are transferring

a device and also you would see how long it will take when you are transfering 

data to it. You don't need to use vfat in the fstab file as long as

data to it. You don't need to use vfat in the fstab file as long as 

<path>/etc/filesystems</path> is set up properly.

/etc/filesystems is set up properly.

</section>

</section><section><title>configuring your filesystems</title>

<section>

<title>Configuring your filesystems</title>

Specifically, if vfat exists in <path>/etc/filesystems</path> before other fat

Specifically, if vfat exists in /etc/filesystems before other fat file systems 

file systems or by itself with an asterisk on the last line, it will be tried

or by itself with an asterisk on the last line, it will be tried first during a

first during a mount. Read the mount (8) man page for more details. 

mount. Read the mount (8) man page for more details. 

<chapter>

<chapter><title>Mounting your windows partitions</title>

<title>Mounting your Windows partitions</title>

<section><title>the different filesystem types</title>

<section>

<title>The different filesystem types</title>

On all three filesystems (MS-DOS, VFAT, NTFS), mount lets you pass the uid and

On all three filesystems (MS-DOS, VFAT, NTFS), mount lets you pass the uid and 

gid options, which let you set the user and group IDs of who the files are

gid options, which let you set the user and group IDs of who the files are 

umask: octal file permissions<br />

umask: octal file permissions

  <li>

<li>character '0': Indicates that this is an octal number, not decimal.</li>

    Character '0': Indicates that this is an octal number, not decimal

<li>first digit: owner user permissions</li>

  </li>

<li>second digit: owner group permissions</li>

  <li>First digit: owner user permissions</li>

<li>third digit: world permissions (every other user on the system)</li>

  <li>Second digit: owner group permissions</li>

  <li>

    Third digit: world permissions (every other user on the system).

  </li>

# my windows partition

#my windows partition

<b>utf8</b><br />

<b>utf8</b> You may also add utf8 option, if you can't see some files with 

You may also add utf8 option, if you can't see some files with international

international characters in filenames 

characters in filenames.

/etc/fstab /dev/hda1  /mnt/vfat  vfat  ro,utf8  0 0

e.g. /etc/fstab : /dev/hda1  /mnt/vfat  vfat  ro,utf8  0 0

For more options:

for more options :

<pre caption="See more?">

<pre caption="see more?">

# <i>man mount 8</i>

# <i>man mount(8)</i>

<section>

<section><title>

<title>Captive NTFS</title>

captive ntfs</title>

We need <c>sys-fs/captive</c> (Description: Captive uses binary Windows drivers

We need 'sys-fs/captive' (Description: Captive uses binary Windows drivers 

for full NTFS r/w access.) to get this to work. For now Captive is masked so

for full NTFS r/w access.) to get this to work. For now Captive is masked so 

you need to unmask it first:

you need to unmask it first

<pre caption="Unmasking captive">

<pre caption="/etc/portage/package.keywords">

Let's emerge captive now:

let's emerge captive now

Now load the appropriate kernel module and make it load at boot

Now load the apropriate kernel module and make it load at boot

<pre caption="Loading the ap[ropriate kernel module">

<pre caption="loading the apropriate kernel module">

Congrats; Captive is now installed. To acquire the necessary filesystems

Congrats; Captive is now installed. To acquire the necessary filesystems 

drivers you should run the following command to locate your ntfs drives in a

drivers you should run the following command to locate your ntfs drives in a 

nice wizard. You should choose to download the appropriate drivers from

nice wizard. You should choose to download the propriate drivers from 

<uri>http://microsoft.com</uri> (You need a Windows SP2 license to do this

microsoft.com (You need a Windows SP2 license to do this legal.) (It doens't 

legal.) (It doens't matter if your partitions are mounted or not; The program

matter if your partitions are mounted or not; The programm looks for itself

looks for itself after the right partitions.) Caution: you need X-windows for

after the right partitions.) Caution : you need X-windows for this app.

this app.

<pre caption="Acquiring the necessary filesystems">

<pre caption="acquire the necessary filesystems">

Caution: You'll need to recompile fuse if you update your kernel!

Caution : You'll need to recompile fuse if you update your kernel !

<pre caption="After kernel update">

<pre caption="after kernel update">