Using Removable Media

The file manager supports all removable media that have the following characteristics:

• The removable media has an entry in the /etc/fstab file. The /etc/fstab file describes the file systems that the computer uses.

• The user option is specified in the entry for the removable media in the /etc/fstab file.

To Mount Media

To mount media is to make the file system of the media available for access. When you mount media, the file system of the media is attached as a subdirectory to your file system.

To mount media, insert the media in the appropriate device. An object that represents the media is added to the desktop. The object is added only if your system is configured to mount the device automatically when media is detected.

If your system is not configured to mount the device automatically, you must mount the device manually. Right-click on the desktop, then choose Disks -> device-name. For example, to mount a floppy diskette, choose Disks -> Floppy. An object that represents the media is added to the desktop.

You cannot change the name of a removable media object.

To Display Media Contents

You can display media contents in any of the following ways:

• Double-click on the object that represents the media on the desktop.

• Right-click on the object that represents the media on the desktop, then choose Open.

A file manager window displays the contents of the media. To reload the display, click on the Reload button.

To Display Media Properties

To display the properties of removable media, right-click on the object that represents the media on the desktop, then choose Properties. A dialog displays the properties of the media.

To close the properties dialog, click Close.

To Format a Floppy Diskette

To format media is to prepare the media for use with a particular file system. You can use the file manager to format floppy diskettes.

When you format media, you overwrite any existing information on the media.

To format a floppy diskette, perform the following steps:

1. Insert the diskette in the diskette drive. Mount the diskette. For information on how to mount media, see To Mount Media.

2. Right-click on the object that represents the diskette on the desktop, then choose Format. A Floppy formatter dialog is displayed.

3. Select your format options in the Floppy formatter dialog. The following table describes the elements on the dialog:

   Dialog Element	Description
   Floppy device	Displays the name of the floppy device.
   Floppy density	Select the density of the diskette. The density is the amount of data that the diskette can store.
   File system type	Select the type of file system in which you want to format the diskette. Select one of the following options:  Linux Native (ext 2): Select this option to format a diskette for use on Linux systems. Most non-Linux systems cannot read diskettes with this file system type. DOS (FAT): Select this option to format a diskette for use on Windows systems. Most UNIX-based systems can read diskettes with this file system type.
   Volume name	Type a name for the diskette in this text box.
   Quick	Select this option to create only the file system on the diskette. A quick format does not check for bad blocks.   Select this option if the diskette has been formatted before.
   Standard	Select this option to create the file system on the diskette and format the diskette. A standard format does not check for bad blocks.   Select this option if the diskette has not been formatted before.
   Thorough	Select this option to create the file system on the diskette, check for bad blocks, and format the diskette.  Select this option if you want to verify that the diskette has not been damaged.

4. Click Format to format the diskette.

To Eject Media

To eject media, right-click on the media object on the desktop, then choose Eject. If the drive for the media is a motorized drive, the media is ejected from the drive. If the drive for the media is not motorized, wait until the desktop object for the media disappears, then eject the media manually.

You cannot eject media from a motorized drive when the media is mounted. To eject media, first unmount the media. To remove a floppy diskette from the drive, perform the following steps:

1. Close all file manager windows, Terminal windows, and any other windows that access the diskette.

2. Right-click on the object that represents the diskette on the desktop, then choose Eject. The desktop object for the diskette disappears.

3. Eject the diskette from the drive.

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   Caution –

   If you eject the diskette from the drive before you unmount the diskette, you might lose the data on the diskette.

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