[jackrussell007]

Hi folks

apologies for the newbie question.

I just installed Ubuntu on an old dimension. I have a 40GB HDD partitioned with UBuntu on 20GB and XP on the other 20. this is all good.

I also have a 120GB HDD on the same pc which I have formatted into 4 using FAT32 so I can access the files from both OS's.This works fine too.

I keep music on one of the partitions on the 120GB HDD but when I try to access the files it asks me for my admin password everytime. Is there any way to knock this security off? will I have any problems accessing my library on the other HDD using rhythmbox or amorak?


last question then - what is the best music player? I realise its a matter of opinion but whats the popular opinion

[lotuseclat79]

HI Jack,

You might want to upgrade Ubuntu soon, because Hardy Heron will be released on Apr 24, 2008 and it is supposed to have a better music player.

As for asking for your admin password, it is probably related to your formatting the partition with your WinXP software into FAT32. You may be stuck with that until you decide to change ownership from admin to a normal user account for the music that is common to each OS - I am guessing, but could be wrong.

-- Tom

[saikee]

I suspect it is more to do with the way the partition was mounted automatically by Ubuntu. The display of /etc/fstab should show it. Changing the ownership of the content can also cure it.

[jackrussell007]

thanks for the reply folks.

sorry for the spoonfeeding but- what exactly do you mean by changing ownership? do you mean, format that hard drive from ubuntu rather than XP?

thanks

[saikee]

Every file in Linux has an ownership. The root user, equivalent to Admin in MS Windows, can access all of them and alter the ownership to any ordinary user.

Thus one can log in root and change the file ownership. Vista and XP operate the same tactic, in the name of security.

While in root this command shows the filing ownership of user Anybody (UID and group details)

cat /etc/passwd|grep Anybody

To change a directory /mnt/sdb1 for user Anybody this command can be used

chown -R Anybody /mnt/sdb1

The ownership feature of Linux is one of the weapon in security so that intruder cannot damage files outside the user whose security has been breached. It is a bit of pain in the arXe at first but it does make Linux less prone to attack.

[jackrussell007]

thanks for the help folks

looks like i gotta lot of reading to do