USB memory stick - how to mount each boot

r-sparks · 03-09-2007, 10:32 AM

I've got myself a 2GB USB memory stick. Details from System Profiler below.

I'm using it as a documents store between two computers, but it spends most of the time plugged into my iMac.

The problem is that, on each boot, it doesn't automatically mount. I have to unplug it and reinsert it.

Apologies if this is an obvious question, but how do I make it stay mounted across boots?

Disk:

Capacity: 1.92 GB
Removable Media: Yes
Detachable Drive: Yes
BSD Name: disk1
Version: 1.10
Bus Power (mA): 500
Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Easy
OS9 Drivers: No
Product ID: 0x1d00
Serial Number: 9073010001B0
S.M.A.R.T. status: Not Supported
Vendor ID: 0x13fe
Volumes:
DOCUMENTS:
Capacity: 1.92 GB
Available: 1.46 GB
Writable: Yes
File System: MS-DOS FAT32
BSD Name: disk1s1
Mount Point: /Volumes/DOCUMENTS

JazzyJ · 03-09-2007, 12:42 PM

I've been using a 512meg Usb key in between a G4 OSX and a Dell Laptop Win XP and while it is usually recognised by both, ocaisionally the G4 has a problem and I have to reformat the USB key using the PC and then it's all ok again.

Apart from that maybe experiment with NFTS or FAT format and who knows, maybe there's a better driver about. Hope that helps but it's difficult to know.

I'll be surprised if I even get one reply to my post as if I have to ask, it's usually something that no-one else knows either.

capitalj · 03-09-2007, 05:43 PM

TinkerTool System has the option under System Setup>Volumes to automatically mount external disks during startup.

r-sparks · 03-10-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalj


	TinkerTool System has the option under System Setup>Volumes to automatically mount external disks during startup.

That does the trick, thanks!

Is there any logic behind the fact that external volumes don't mount automatically? Is it a security measure?

r-sparks · 03-22-2007, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalj


	TinkerTool System has the option under System Setup>Volumes to automatically mount external disks during startup.

Maybe I spoke too soon. Sometimes the USB stick mounts on boot, sometimes it doesn't.

Is there a command I can issue to instantly mount all removable storage devices?

capitalj · 03-22-2007, 09:25 AM

Hmm. Since I enabled that feature, no volume has failed to mount (unless the stick or cable was not inserted securely) whether at on login or after - except for one faulty stick that I returned to the store. Are you sure the problem is not with the hardware?

I know virtually nothing about UNIX, but I think diskutil might do what you want. You'll need somebody else to verify and help you with that.

r-sparks · 03-22-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalj


	I know virtually nothing about UNIX, but I think diskutil might do what you want. You'll need somebody else to verify and help you with that.

I do know about Unix, having a good grounding in Linux. After investigating the diskutil command, it looks like

Code:

sudo diskutil mountDisk

might do the trick. But I don't know what to specify. Presumably I'll need a hardware path and then a mount path, so something like this might do it:

Code:

sudo diskutil mountDisk XXXX /Volumes/USB

... replacing XXX with the hardware path?

capitalj · 03-22-2007, 11:11 AM

I've been looking for an answer out of curiosity, and I found this here

Code:

diskutil mount `diskutil list | grep NameOfUSBHere | grep -o '[^ ]*$'`

Maybe that helps?

r-sparks · 03-22-2007, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capitalj


	I've been looking for an answer out of curiosity, and I found this here Code: diskutil mount `diskutil list \| grep NameOfUSBHere \| grep -o '[^ ]*$'` Maybe that helps?

That should work. What it does is list the mountable devices, and then mount the one you specify.

The problem is that diskutil can't see the USB drive, so it doesn't work for me. When I run a component of the command

Code:

diskutil list

... which should list the attached drives, all I see listed is my boot disk (which is various permutations of disk0) :

Code:

/dev/disk0
   #:                   type name               size      identifier
   0: Apple_partition_scheme                    *74.5 GB  disk0
   1:    Apple_partition_map                    31.5 KB   disk0s1
   2:              Apple_HFS My iMac            74.4 GB   disk0s3

My USB drive, which has the title DOCUMENTS, isn't in there. However, the drive is formatted with FAT32, for Windows compatibility. I wonder if this is causing the problems? I might try formatting it HFS+.

I've done some more investigating re: the disappearance of the device. The USB drive stays mounted across reboots, but not if the computer shuts down.

r-sparks · 03-22-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r-sparks


	However, the drive is formatted with FAT32, for Windows compatibility. I wonder if this is causing the problems? I might try formatting it HFS+.

Yup, that fixes it. Repartitioning/reformatting the drive as "Mac OS Extended" (using the standard OS X Disk Utility) means it now appears upon startup, even a cold boot. An added advantage is that I can give it a title beyond eight UPPERCASE characters.

Incidentally, the USB stick still has a Windows MBR, rather than GUID Partition Table or Apple Partition Map. So clearly that isn't a factor. It's solely down to partition type.

JDV · 03-22-2007, 12:02 PM

You can get a Windows utility to read HFS+ files if you still need to use the stick on a Windows computer. MacDrive should work.

Joe VanZandt

03-09-2007, 10:32 AM	#1
r-sparks Triple-A Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 82	USB memory stick - how to mount each boot I've got myself a 2GB USB memory stick. Details from System Profiler below. I'm using it as a documents store between two computers, but it spends most of the time plugged into my iMac. The problem is that, on each boot, it doesn't automatically mount. I have to unplug it and reinsert it. Apologies if this is an obvious question, but how do I make it stay mounted across boots? Disk: Capacity: 1.92 GB Removable Media: Yes Detachable Drive: Yes BSD Name: disk1 Version: 1.10 Bus Power (mA): 500 Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec Manufacturer: Easy OS9 Drivers: No Product ID: 0x1d00 Serial Number: 9073010001B0 S.M.A.R.T. status: Not Supported Vendor ID: 0x13fe Volumes: DOCUMENTS: Capacity: 1.92 GB Available: 1.46 GB Writable: Yes File System: MS-DOS FAT32 BSD Name: disk1s1 Mount Point: /Volumes/DOCUMENTS

03-22-2007, 11:11 AM	#8
capitalj Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Plymouth, Massachusetts Posts: 385	I've been looking for an answer out of curiosity, and I found this here Code: diskutil mount `diskutil list \| grep NameOfUSBHere \| grep -o '[^ ]*$'` Maybe that helps?

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03-09-2007, 12:42 PM	#2
JazzyJ Prospect Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 10	I've been using a 512meg Usb key in between a G4 OSX and a Dell Laptop Win XP and while it is usually recognised by both, ocaisionally the G4 has a problem and I have to reformat the USB key using the PC and then it's all ok again. Apart from that maybe experiment with NFTS or FAT format and who knows, maybe there's a better driver about. Hope that helps but it's difficult to know. I'll be surprised if I even get one reply to my post as if I have to ask, it's usually something that no-one else knows either.

03-09-2007, 05:43 PM	#3
capitalj Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Plymouth, Massachusetts Posts: 385	TinkerTool System has the option under System Setup>Volumes to automatically mount external disks during startup.

03-22-2007, 09:25 AM	#6
capitalj Major Leaguer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Plymouth, Massachusetts Posts: 385	Hmm. Since I enabled that feature, no volume has failed to mount (unless the stick or cable was not inserted securely) whether at on login or after - except for one faulty stick that I returned to the store. Are you sure the problem is not with the hardware? I know virtually nothing about UNIX, but I think diskutil might do what you want. You'll need somebody else to verify and help you with that.

03-22-2007, 12:02 PM	#11
JDV Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 3,194	You can get a Windows utility to read HFS+ files if you still need to use the stick on a Windows computer. MacDrive should work. Joe VanZandt