Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (6210 mails)

[Greg Freemyer <greg.freemyer@xxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
>
> From:  Jonathan Brooks <jonathan.brooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subj:  [SLE] unplugging USB hard disks
> Date:  Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:45 pm
> Size:  1016 bytes
> To:  SLE <suse-linux-e@xxxxxxxx>
>
> Hi,
>
> We've got an external USB HDD attached to our SuSE 9.3 box, and is being
> mounted by HAL (subfs). I have a couple of quick questions:
>
> Is it correct that the filesystem listed by "mount" for the drive in
> question is floppyfss? I.e. output from mount:
> /dev/sda1 on /media/disk type subfs
> (rw,nosuid,nodev,sync,fs=floppyfss,procuid)
>
> Last thing, given that normal users cannot umount the disk, is it okay
> to just unplug it - obviously they should wait until their files are
> transferred :) Are there any other safeguards one should recommend?
>
> Cheers, Jon.

<moved to fix top posting>

On 10/20/05, adamvaz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <adamvaz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hello from Adam in NYC w SUSE 10.
>
> As long as you dont have active file access, like a browser looking a subdirectory of the usb drive or a xterm sitting doing the same, you just do sync:  sync: sync: and unmount. If there is complaining, then you just boobooed.
>
> Adam

Actually Jon is right.  ie. Just pull the plug when you see no activity.

That is true only because of the "sync" option shown on the mount line.

With this option all write calls block until the data is on the disk,
not on the media.

Therefore any time there is no disk activity, the filesytem is stable
and it is safe to pull the plug.

FYI: The "sync" option has been standard for automount since 9.1 I think.

Greg
--
Greg Freemyer
The Norcross Group
Forensics for the 21st Century