USB Flash stick

[Robin Laing]

Chadley Wilson wrote:
> Hi folks
> 
> Just a question, Why is it that my flash stick formatted fat32 works on
> all linux and Winoze systems, but no-one else's flash sticks will work.
> they are all the same make. Tday I left mine at home and I have tried 7
> others, 3 of which are also 256mb the same size as mine. I have even
> reformatted a few with windows and linux.
> And yet I get an invalid block device error. I don't get it. I have
> tried running mkfs.vfat and it works the drive is formatted but I can't
> mount it in linux but it works in windows!
> Hows that, format with linux and it don't work in linux but it works in
> winodws. Every time it says the same thing.
> 
> mount: /dev/sda1 is not a valid block device
> 
> I loaded a fresh copy of FC on friday and it detected my flash drive
> today I have reloaded the same system twice and it still will not mount
> the flash. 
> I bet if I bring my flash in tommorow it will work.
> Any-one know why my flash drive is so special? 
> Anything I can do to make it read all flash drives?
> 
> 

I havn't played much with usb sticks but I have had problems almost 
every time that I have tried.

I have had a total hard lock once.  I could not repeat.  I have had a 
stick work and then not work a couple of minutes later.

I have had the same error messages that you are getting.



I have found that the usb stick isn't always recognized as /dev/sda1 
but sometimes /dev/sdb1.  I found this by tailing the messages log 
file.  I have played with the usb hotplug stuff but it still isn't 
working as I would hope.  I have given up on automatic mounting and 
setup a fstab entry for both /dev/sda1 and /dev/sdb1.  This has made 
my dealing with the memory stick bearable.

I don't know if this will help you get by but it has for me.

I find that plugging the camera into the computer changes things as 
well.  USB needs more work from my point of view.

-- 
Robin Laing