# Linpus Lite "Failed to Mount System"



## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

You guys must be bored with half-wits like me, so please be patient.

I do not really get linux but have tried to get along with it. 

I have a problem which, despite many hours on forums etc, I have not been able to sort.

Whenever I plug my external hard drive into any of the three USB ports I get an error message, as follows:

on localhost.localdomain

Failed to mount "System"
org.freedesktop.hal.storage.mount-removable no
<--(action,result)

Ideally you will be able to take me through a slow step by step procedure to determine how to eradicate this 
infuriating problem.

Thank you


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## TRS-80 vet (Jun 18, 2005)

Possibly it was not cleanly un-mounted.

Restart the system with the drive plugged in, powered on, then post back...

edit - 
When you re-boot, go into BIOS (do you know how to check this?), and make sure the system is not optioned to boot from a USB device.


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

TRS-80 vet said:


> Possibly it was not cleanly un-mounted.
> 
> Restart the system with the drive plugged in, powered on, then post back...
> 
> ...


Thank you for your prompt help. 
I did try your suggestion but no change. 
I forgot to mention that the system doesn't shut down properly, or even at all. I have to depress the 'power' button for some seconds to complete the action.
I will try to access the BIOS to check the boot procedure you mentioned.


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## TRS-80 vet (Jun 18, 2005)

When you boot up, the computer logo screen flashes, and says to QUICKLY press F8, or Del, or Esc, to get into BIOS. One of the BIOS screens will give Boot Device Priority - this is where you need to check the order and see if USB Device is AFTER CD/DVD, and Internal Hard Drive options...

Your computer functions normally when the external drive is NOT plugged in?


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## lewmur (Sep 11, 2006)

r16sby said:


> You guys must be bored with half-wits like me, so please be patient.
> 
> I do not really get linux but have tried to get along with it.
> 
> ...


I don't get it. You say you "don't get Linux", and yet you choose an offbeat product like Limpus as your first experience? Why?

Typically the "failed to mount" problem has to do with root permissions but you're going to find it hard to find someone who is using Limpus to track down the exact cause.

Also, you give us no idea about the hardware you are using and what limitations it is putting on the situation. I'm guessing you have a laptop or netbook but that leaves a wide range of hardware resources. Instead of searching for an answer to your specific mounting problem, why don't you give us an overview of your hardware and what you are trying to accomplish with Linux? Then we can give you and idea of what a new user to Linux should do to obtain those objectives.


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

Hi, sorry for the delay in reply.
I acquired this Acer Aspire One from my stepson after I upgraded him to a bigger machine, so this netbook was just for email and occasional use in the lorry during the week.
It works fine for everything except for this USB issue which I am sure happened after I tried to upgrade some of the software. 
If I could overwrite the whole thing with an up to date Linux or even Windows I wouldn't mind.
I have tried finding the right site for this but to no avail.
But then I thought the easiest option, bearing in mind no usb connection therefore limited harddisk space, would be to find the solution for the current system.............

...and that's what I hoped you guys might be able to provide.

Thanks for the interest so far.

Andrew Harben


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## lewmur (Sep 11, 2006)

Try goolging "Slitaz". It is a very light distro that will even install on a 1gb USB stick. Your Aspire One will have plenty of room for it.


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## gfne (Oct 28, 2010)

You can even run the ubuntu LiveCD, click system -> administration -> disk utilitiy -> find your disk and click on it. You should get an option for check file system.


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## lewmur (Sep 11, 2006)

gfne said:


> You can even run the ubuntu LiveCD, click system -> administration -> disk utilitiy -> find your disk and click on it. You should get an option for check file system.


It's difficult to run a LiveCD on a netbook that doesn't have a CD drive.
BTW, my apologies to r16sby. I had forgotten that that netbook come with Limpus. Obviously that is why you are using it. But I'd still advise switching to Slitaz because you'll get better long term support. I like Acer products but they are infamous for offering little support beyond the warranty period.

Slitaz has it's own utility for putting it onto a USB stick that can then be booted on the Aspire. You can do this with Ubuntu but the full version take about 3gb to install vs less than 500mb for a good install of Slitaz. The netboob remix of Ubuntu would fit, but it won't multi-task. A real bummer IMO.


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## gfne (Oct 28, 2010)

If you could access another computer with a cdrom drive, you could use unetbootin to mirror the CD to a USB stick.


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

but one theme that runs through most of them are the use of USB, and thats the main problem with the 
netbook....the USB ports aren't working.

I am keen to try Slitaz but would I leave Linpus on the machine, don't forget I am really naive so please
provide a step-by-step where you can.

Off back to the lorry again now so will check in when I can and hope to 'put this to bed' next weekend.

Thanks to all

Andrew


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## lewmur (Sep 11, 2006)

r16sby said:


> but one theme that runs through most of them are the use of USB, and thats the main problem with the
> netbook....the USB ports aren't working.
> 
> I am keen to try Slitaz but would I leave Linpus on the machine, don't forget I am really naive so please
> ...


Your original post makes it appear your USB problems are OS related and not hardware. If that is the case, then the USB stick installs for another OS will work. If they don't work, at least you will know your problem is hardware and the only thing you can do is get it repaired.

And no, you wouldn't leave Limpus taking up space when it doesn't work. Check here for Slitaz handbook.


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

So far fromm what you have written I understand that the thought is that my software is at fault thus stopping the USB system from working properly. So we need to overwrite the software and instead of overwriting with the same Ubunto stuff you are suggesting Slitaz.

I am past caring about choices so I just want someone to say, DO THIS, THEN DO THAT, TYPE THIS, COPY THAT ETC. If it doesn't work then off to Curry's or whatever and buy a Windows 7 small machine, no problem and no blame etc.

So, ok.

I will find someone with a net connection and USB stick then download Slitaz, which version/option, which 'mirror'. Once again there are too many choices Bootable Live CD, Floppy, Cooking, which one probably

'Live CD Stable Version' which is this

SliTaz GNU/Linux 3.0 (30 MB) - slitaz-3.0.iso [ md5 ]

correct?

When I have this .iso on the USB stick what do I do then?
(In windows you find the 'setup' or 'exe' file and it is fairly straightforward,) whereas on this system I have no idea what to type, open, copy, transfer, un-zip or whatever, so please a step by step 'simpleton' list of instructions is required.

With respect and than you so far I have understood your *recommendations* but please one of you take hold of this and just TELL me what to type and click on, and then see it through to the end.

Best wishes

Andrew


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## gfne (Oct 28, 2010)

I just remembered something. In single user mode, you should be able to run a repair on the filesystem.

During bootup, do you get a menu with options where one of them is single user mode?

If so, go in there, and lets take this one step at a time.


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## lewmur (Sep 11, 2006)

r16sby said:


> 'Live CD Stable Version' which is this
> 
> SliTaz GNU/Linux 3.0 (30 MB) - slitaz-3.0.iso [ md5 ]
> 
> ...


That is the correct version. Download that iso to a Windows machine and then download the uninversal USB installer from here. Plug in the USB stick and run the universal USB installer program. Chose Slitaz 3.0 from the list of Linux distros and install it to the USB stick. Put the USB stick in the Aspire and boot it. (you may have to enter the BIOS setup to have the Aspire boot from the USB stick.) Once you get the USB stick to boot, there will be an "Install" icon on the desktop to install it to the Aspire's HDD.


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

I have re-booted several times and looked into the boot options (F2 at start up screen) but there are no options like 'Single User'. Then re-booted and just watched the screen but still no.

Sorry and thanks for the suggestion, what's next please?


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## TRS-80 vet (Jun 18, 2005)

r16sby said:


> I have re-booted several times and looked into the boot options (F2 at start up screen) but there are no options like 'Single User'. Then re-booted and just watched the screen but still no.
> 
> Sorry and thanks for the suggestion, what's next please?


Was the USB stick with the .ISO image plugged in when you did F2 for boot device options? If so, select it, and attempt to boot from the image.

If it IS plugged in (with a CONFIRMED bootable image), and it is* NOT* on the list of F2 boot options, then you need to get to BIOS, and try to set the USB device as the first boot device.

BIOS page usually comes up by selecting 'Esc', or 'Del', or F8, or F10 immediately (instead of F2). You'll get the BIOS menu with several options in a list, or several tabs; usually the first is basic system information, the second should be boot device priority - i. e., for USB, FDD (floppy), Optical Drives (CD/DVD Drives), HDD's, PXE (network locations), etc.

After settings, usually F10 to save settings and exit/reboot (with USB stick in port). Again, make sure the image on the USB stick is a bootable image.


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

Sorry for delay had a touch of 'man-flu'.
With the appropriate images on the flash drive I boot and we have progress but not much methinks. The following message appears 

SYSLinux 3.86 2010-04-01 EBIOS Copyright (c) 1994-2010 H Peter Anvin et al
No default or UI Configuration Directive Found
Boot:

Lines 2 and 3 repeat if I hit enter

One step may not sound like much but it's better then standing still!

Hey here's a suggestion. If someone clever copied the appropriate files to a flash drive and posted it to me I would pay for the lot. It would have to be all of the files though to be able to hit it in one go. Perhaps I can pay in advance via Paypal or Direct Bank Transfer.


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## TRS-80 vet (Jun 18, 2005)

See if you can mount the USB device in a different environment, and then rename the *isolinux.bin* and *isolinux.cfg* files in the syslinux folder to *syslinux.bin* and *syslinux.cfg* and then try again to boot from the USB stick...

Couple of different solutions here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1487937

Remember to reverse each process that doesn't work, before trying the next. Write down each attempt too, to keep track of attempts...


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## r16sby (Oct 24, 2010)

TRS-80 vet said:


> See if you can mount the USB device in a different environment, and then rename the *isolinux.bin* and *isolinux.cfg* files in the syslinux folder to *syslinux.bin* and *syslinux.cfg* and then try again to boot from the USB stick...
> 
> Couple of different solutions here:
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1487937
> ...


Quick reply thanks.

Problem is I cannot get to the files to rename them as the machine doesn't mount the drive.

I will have a look at the other suggestions, thank you, but I don't really want to go down one path and then try another or another which is why I wanted to stick with one person with one process from start to finish.

Best wishes

Andrew


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