On Dec 15, 2007 10:43 PM, Craig White <craigwhite@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > > >>>>> I have bought an external hard disk basically for backups. Which > > > > >>>>> format should I use to format it? > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>>> > > > > >>>> Mine came already formatted as NTFS, but I decided that since I was > > > > >>>> backing up a linux system, I'd just feel better if I used ext3, > > > > >>>> so I reformatted it to that for no particular technical reason :-). > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>> Note that you can get to NTFS from linux by installing ntfs-3g > > > > >>>> and ext2/3 from windows by installing Ext2IFS (http://www.fs-driver.org/), > > > > >>>> so either filesystem can work for windows or for linux. > > > > >>>> > > > > >>>> > > > > >>> Thanks to both. I have formatted the external disk with ext3, and it > > > > >>> mounts well. However, when I try to copy something in it, I do not > > > > >>> have permission for that. How can I overcome this? Where should I > > > > >>> change the permissions? > > > > >>> > > > > >>> > > > > >> If your backing up the whole of your Linux you need root because > > > > >> many files are owned by root. So use a root terminal and you will not > > > > >> have any mor problems. > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > But I am trying to copy a file not owned by root. Therefore, it should > > > > > be possible to copy as normal user. > > > > > > > > > > Paul > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Tell me more what your seeing. If you use in a terminal the call: > > > > > > > > $ cp file /media/xyz > > > > > > > > what does the error message say? > > > > > > $ cp -v tent.pdf /media/disk/ > > > `tent.pdf' -> `/media/disk/tent.pdf' > > > cp: cannot create regular file `/media/disk/tent.pdf': Permission denied > > > $ > > > > Furthermore: > > > > $ dir -l tent.pdf > > -rw-r----- 1 psmith psmith 95075 2006-12-31 21:25 tent.pdf > > $ > ---- > mkdir /media/disk/psmith_data > chown psmith:psmith /media/disk/psmith_data -R # changes ownership > chmod g+w,g+s /media/disk/psmith_data -R # makes writable and sticky > group Thanks to all! It works now with Craig method. Paul