VFAT read-only except for root

[George Toft]

Mount the Win98 file system as a user.  The filesystem assumes
the ownership of the user that mounted it.

You will either have to remove that entry from /etc/fstab, or
umount it as root, then remount it as your user.  There are
other options in between, like adding a user clause to the 
fstab options to make it easier to mount as your user.

George



Victor Odhner wrote:
> 
> I would appreciate any advice on how I could write to Win98
> files from a Linux application as an ordinary user, other
> than making my application suid root.  I guess I'm hoping
> for some obscure option or tool that will bridge the gap
> for me.
> 
> All VFAT files appear as mode 644, owned by root.  Even root
> isn't allowed to change the mode -- I guess the filesystem has
> no way to record stuff like that.  I also can't create symlinks.
> 
> It would be nice if Linux would create Windows shortcuts in
> lieu of symlinks, and would recognize shortcuts as if they were
> symlinks.  Maybe they'll get to this in the future.  Of course
> not even all Windows apps recognize shortcuts!  Go figure ...
> 
> I run on a dual-boot Win98/RH7.1 system.  I bring up Linux
> using loadlin from the command prompt.
> 
> I was pleased to learn that my Linux kernel can inded support
> VFAT, to look at my Win98 FAT16 volumes and to display long
> file names.  One obscure piece of trivia is that you don't see
> this displayed as one of the supported types (I forget what
> query I used that didn't show this), and I was thinking I
> would have to recompile the kernel.
> 
> VFAT access works fine, and I can use shell and Perl scripts
> conveniently to tear through the Windows file system (as root)
> on search 'n destroy missions -- with due caution.  I have my
> Windows system volume marked as read only to avoid any serious
> SNAFUs.  I also recently installed Cygwin, but since it's stuck
> in the Windows file system I can't reach over the line to work
> on my Linux files.
> 
> I know -- I really need to upgrade to a hotter box and install
> VMWare, but I don't have a toys budget right now.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Vic
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