This lesson intends to familarize the student with removable media in Linux, the Linux filesystem and the Nautilus file manager in GNOME.  The student will conduct several activities that will utilize information found in Chapter 10 of the textbook.

Since hands-on learning is more fun, let's get started.

Mounting and unmounting a floppy

Start by mounting a floppy.  There are three ways this can be accomplished.  Let's review and try them.

• Command prompt method:  To mount, type 'mount -t vfat /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy'.  To view the contents of the floppy after it's mounted, one can type the command, ls /mnt/floppy.  If you want to see a long listing and all of the files use the '-la' option (i.e.  ls  /mnt/floppy -la).  Now to unmount the floppy from the command prompt, the user must type, 'umount /dev/fd0' or umount /mnt/floppy'.  Did you get a message like, device busy?  If so, Linux is trying to inform you that your present working directory is /mnt/floppy.  Ask your instructor for a more complete explanation of this situation.
• GNOME desktop:  Right click the mouse somewhere on the desktop.  A menu appears.  Move the mouse to Disks --> floppy and click the left mouse button once.  This mounts the floppy if you have one in the floppy drive.  The floppy icon should appear on the left side of the desktop.  If problems arise, ask for assistance from your instructor.  When you are completed with the floppy don't remove it from the drive till it has been unmounted.  Yes, this is different than Windows and will take test our patience from time to time.  To unmount the floppy right click the mouse on the floppy icon and left click on unmount volume.  Now the floppy can be removed.
• GNOME User Mount Tool:  Click the GNOME Main Menu --> System Tools --> Disk Management.  Hightlight the line describing the floppy and press the mount button.  To unmount, click unmount in the GNOME User Mount Tool.  Note that one could use the GNOME User Mount Tool to format a floppy.

Copy a file from your home directory to the floppy.  I'd suggest that you copy the hidden configuration files that are in your home directory.  These files can be seen by setting up Nautilus to show hidden files.  In the Nautilus Window, click the Preferences button.  In the window that opens, highlight 'Icon & List Views'.  This opens a list of options.  Select the option 'Show Hidden Files'.  Click on 'OK'.  Since all of us have some Windows experience, I'm going to assume you know how to drag files from one location to another or to conduct copy and paste files, I'm not going to provide details.  Nautilus behaves like the Window Explorer as a file manager.

• Command prompt method:  From the good ole command prompt change your present working directory to your home directory where the file is located.  This can be conducted in one easy step by typing 'cd'.  Viola you're in your home directory.  What is the path for you home directory?
 
Path of your home directory is   ___________________.

Determine the permissions on the .emacs and record them below.

Permissions of the .emacs file    ___________________.

Who is the owner and what group is the owner in?

Owner and group of the .emacs file  ________________.

Copy the .emacs file to the floppy and unhide it.  Hint:  This will be accomplished by using two commands, cp and mv.
 

• Nautilus GNOME File Manager:  Using the Nautilus File Manager is much like the file manager in Windows.  By default Nautilus will not seem very useful so the user will have to customize some settings to really see its power.  If you haven't already configured it to show hidden files do it now.  You also can configure the View by clicking the View button.  The user can select many options to customize their Nautilus file manager.


Using the navigation buttons in the upper left corner, display the contents of the floppy.  You should see the 'emacs' file just created in the previous procedure.  Now the user will copy this file to their home directory.  Highlight the file name and click the right button of the mouse.  A menu will appear.  Select copy file.  Now use the navigation buttons again, move the Nautilus file manager to your home directory.  Right click the mouse on a clear area of the directory, and select paste file.  The emacs file will be copied in your home directory.

Using the File Manager display the contents of the user's home directory.  The new 'emacs' file should appear.  Right click the mouse on the file.  Select Properties from the menu.  In the dialog box that appears, select Permissions.   Set the permissions to be read and write for the owner and read for the group and world.  Complete this selection, then refresh the directory to observe these changes in the file manager.

There are several ways to mount a zip.  These methods include the ole command prompt, GNOME desktop and GNOME User Mount Tool.  Since these methods are very similar to a floppy, they will not be repeated.  When mounting the zip from the command prompt, the device is not /dev/fd0 but /dev/hdx4, where the x is replaced by b, c, or d.  The instructor will show you how to determine which letter is valid.  The zip drive is an IDE device that can be in one of the following configurations;

• Primary Slave - The device would be /dev/hdb4.
• Secondary Master - The device would be /dev/hdc4.
• Secondary Slave - The device would be /dev/hdd4.

Circle the two that identify your zip drive configuration.

        Primary        Secondary

        Master         Slave

Mounting the CDROM

Now we need to learn how to mount the CDROM.  This too is very easy to mount using one of three methods.

• Using the command prompt method, the filesystem is iso9660, the device is /dev/cdrom and the mount point is /mnt/cdrom.  Go forth and mount the CDROM.

Copying files from the CDROM to the Zip Drives

There are three methods, command prompt method and two graphical methods.  Let's see how well you are doing and copy a couple of files from the RPMS directory on the CDROM to the zip drive.  I'm intentionally not defining every step.  This will require some thought on the user's part, but if you need to discuss this problem with the instructor please do.

In order for us to be consistent, please find the following files in the RPMS directory of the CDROM.  Please ask the instructor for assistance when problems are encountered.

• anonftp
• wu-ftpd

Record any problems encountered that might be helpful when conducting this task in the future. (Examples: change to superuser, change permissions, commands used.........)