Using Removable Media Manager

This functionality was updated in the Solaris 8 6/00 and updated again in the 10/00 software release.

Use Removable Media Manager to format, protect, and view data on removable media devices such as diskettes, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Iomega Zip drives, and Iomega Jaz drives.

Starting Removable Media Manager

To open the Removable Media Manager:

• In File Manager, choose Removable Media Manager from the File menu.

• From the Front Panel, click the Removable Media Manager icon in the Files subpanel.

• From the Workspace menu, choose Removable Media Manager in the Folders menu.

When Removable Media Manager starts, it displays all media currently loaded into the drives. The different forms of devices are represented by icons and are unlimited. For example, if a machine has three drives loaded with diskettes, three diskette icons are displayed. The icon view updates each time a device is inserted or ejected. Each class of media is represented by a different icon.

You can select one or more devices and perform operations on them. A device is displayed with a nickname (cdrom0), an optional volume name (ssa_2_1_sparc), and an optional partition or slice number (s1).

In order to have the Removable Media Manager recognize a diskette, you must choose Open Floppy from one of the following:

• File subpanel of the Front Panel

• File menu of the File Manager

• Folders menu of the Workspace Menu

Supported Media Classes

The Removable Media Manager supports the following devices:

• Diskette

• CD-ROM

• DVD-ROM

• Iomega Zip drive

• Iomega Jaz drive

• Rmdisk (generic call includes Syquest drives)

Viewing Additional Information About a Device

To display additional information about a device, you must change the viewing option.

To Change the Viewing Option

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click a device icon.

2. From the View menu, choose Set View Options.

3. In the Representation section, select By Name, date, size.

4. Click Apply to view the effect of the selection.

5. Click OK.

If the device has no name, it is shown as ..unnamed.

In verbose mode, the Removable Media Manager shows the following for each media object:

• Volume name

• Media nickname or alias

• Media partition or slice number

• Total storage capacity

• Mount-point UNIX® permissions

• Mount-point owner name

• Mount-point group name

• Mount-point path

• Mount-point date

Properties

The Properties dialog box displays the properties and capacity capabilities of a device. You can display two property categories by using the Properties dialog box:

• Information - Shows the alias, product ID, write protect, and password protection status. Also displayed are the file system, mount point, and total capacity.

• Floating Capacities - Shows the used and available capacities for a device.

To View the Properties of a Device

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click a device icon.

2. From the Selected menu, choose Properties.

3. Click Close.

To view properties by using the command line, type:

% sdtmedia_prop -u k /vol/dev/rdsk/... 

where k is b, k, m, or g to show capacities in bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, or gigabytes.

Formatting and Slicing Devices

You can format, name, and create file systems in a single operation on all types of removable devices by using the format option in the Removable Media Manager window.

When the formatting process begins, two separate actions are launched. The first is a low-level format of the device, which utilizes a status bar to update you on the percentage completed. When the format is complete, the second action is launched, which applies the file system and optional name and slices to the device.

To Format a Device

Formatting is done on all rewritable devices, including diskettes, Iomega Zip drives, and Iomega Jaz drives.

1. Click a device icon.

2. In the Removable Media Manager window, choose Format from the Selected menu.

   The Media Format window appears with appropriate selections.

3. Select either Quick Format or Long Format.

4. Choose a type from the File System Type menu.

5. (Optional) Under Volume Label, type a name for the formatted device.

   If no name is specified, the device is not named. If the device has already been formatted and has a volume name, the volume name is not shown.

   If UFS was selected as the file system, the Solaris Slice Editor button appears in the dialog box.

6. Click Format.

   "Long Format" ignores password protection on the device. If the media is read-write protected, you are prompted for the password. "Long Format" is the default value for previously sliced media, write-protected media, or write-protected with password media.

To format, name, and create file systems on all types of removable devices by using the command line, type:

% sdtmedia_format -d volume_device_name

Creating Solaris Slices

Use the Media Slice Editor to create Solaris slices on a device. You can only create slices in a UFS file system. If you select a PCFS or UDFS file system, you will not have the option of creating Solaris slices.

After slices are created, you can use the Media Slice Editor to write UFS or UDFS file systems onto the slices. Where possible, the Media Slice Editor checks the slice values you supplied as well as the overall integrity of the slice information. For example, the editor reports errors for overlapping slices.

You can create slices by using AutoSlice or entering slice values into the Slice Details section manually.

To Use AutoSlice

1. In the Media Format window, click Solaris Slice Editor.

2. In the Slice Editor window, click AutoSlice.

3. Use the spin box to increase or decrease the number of slices to be created in the Number of slices numerical text field.

4. Click OK in the AutoSlice window.

5. Click OK in the Slice Editor window.

6. Click Format in the Media Format window.

To Use Slice Details

1. Select B, K, M, or C for the slice unit in byte, kilobtye, megabyte, or cylinder.

2. Type the slice size in the Size field.

3. Click New.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each new slice. The slice number and size appears in the left side of the window.

5. Click OK in the Slice Editor window.

6. Click Format in the Media Format window.

Protecting a Device

Device protection enables you to view the software protection for a selected device and to either write-protect, read-write-protect, or disable protection. The device protection options are:

• Disable protection

• Write-protect without password

• Write-protect with password

• Read-write-protect with password

To View a Device's Protection

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click a device icon.

2. From the Selected menu, choose Properties.

To Disable Protection

This option allows the user to disable software protection if the device has been previously write-protected or read-write-protected.

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click the device icon.

2. From the Selected menu, choose Disable Protection.

3. If the media has been write-protected or read-write-protected with a password, type the password into the Password dialog box.

4. Click Apply.

To disable protection by using the command line, type:

% sdtmedia_prot -d /vol/dev/rdsk/...

If the device is password protected, you are prompted for the password.

To Enable Write Protection Without a Password

This option allows the user to enable software protection without password protection.

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click the device icon.

2. From the Selected menu, choose Write Protect.

To Enable Write Protection With a Password

This option allows the user to enable software protection with password protection.

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click the device icon.

2. From the Selected menu, choose Read-Write Protect.

3. Click Write Protect with Password.

4. Click OK.

5. Type the password in the Enter Password field.

6. Type the password in the Verify Password field.

7. Click Apply.

To Enable Read-Write Protection With a Password

1. In the Removable Media Manager window, click the device icon.

2. From the Selected menu, choose Read-Write Protect.

3. Click Read-Write Protect With Password.

4. Click OK.

5. Type the password in the Enter Password field.

6. Type the password in the Verify Password field.

7. Click Apply.

To write protect by using the command line, type:

%  sdtmedia_prot -w /vol/dev/rdsk/...

If the device is not protected, the -w option write protects the device without a password, and does not display any dialogs. If the device is already protected, the Password dialog box appears.

Changing Your Password

To change your password, you must first disable the existing password protection and then apply the new password protection to the device.

To Change Your Password

To change a password requires the following two procedures:

1. See "To Disable Protection".

2. See "To Enable Write Protection With a Password" or "To Enable Read-Write Protection With a Password".