Cause of unchangeable/greyed-out partition labels? [SOLVED]

[JASpup]

Both GParted and Pmount won't let me change partition labels.

specs: Tahr, frugal, USB flash

[01101001b]

Both GParted and Pmount won't let me change partition labels.

Just to clarify: We are clear that partition labels can't be changed if partition is mounted, right?

[JASpup]

Just to clarify: We are clear that partition labels can't be changed if partition is mounted, right?

Clear, and that's a useful reminder.

I'm tempted to explore the terminal, but I'd like to understand the gui limitation.

[mikewalsh]

Just to clarify: We are clear that partition labels can't be changed if partition is mounted, right?

Clear, and that's a useful reminder.

I'm tempted to explore the terminal, but I'd like to understand the gui limitation.

Nothing to do with GUI 'limitations'. You cannot make changes of any sort to a mounted drive/partition. Trying to do so will irrevocably break the file-system, and you'll have to start all over from scratch.

The authors of items like gParted know this, so to 'hold your hand' they specifically prevent it from being able to carry out operations on a mounted item.....and 'grey out' the appropriate areas so you can't.

This has nowt to do with Puppy 'functionality' versus that of the mainstream distros; even the "big boys" won't let you do anything like this! Why permit an operation that will break the very thing you're running from...? No makee sense, mate.

There's nothing preventing you from making changes to a separate 'data drive'. Just unmount it, and make the required alterations. Then re-mount again.

(There's certain terminal commands you want to avoid like the plague, anyway. Things like:-

Code: Select all

rm -rf /

The following article explains WHY:-

https://www.howtogeek.com/125157/8-dead ... -on-linux/

Basic stuff all Linux users really need to be aware of.)

Mike.

[JASpup]

Nice non-gui feedback:

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root# e2label /dev/sdc1
e2label: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /dev/sdc1
Couldn't find valid filesystem superblock.
root# 

@mikewalsh I'm pretty sure I'm honestly stumbling into these snafus.

The drives are unmounted. I expected the terminal to be limited like the gui. One refreshing difference at terminal is pretty good error feedback reporting.

Now how to translate to lay terms and fix it.

[Flash]

Is this an exFAT partition?

[JASpup]

Is this an exFAT partition?

@Flash FAT32, more limited file sizes and a bit more compatibility they say.

[williams2]

I think you need to use dosfslabel to change the name of a fat32 partition.

Maybe gparted would work, I don't know.
Another alternative is mtools,

[mikewalsh]

Scouting around t'net gives a fairly clear picture.

Seems e2label / e2fsck / tune2fs, etc, will only work with a Linux filesystem. Moreover, if you attempt to use them while your drive/partition is mounted, file-system corruption is almost guaranteed. The 'bad magic number' and 'invalid superblock' errors will nearly always occur if you try using them with Windows file-systems, i.e., NTFS/FAT32.

Go figure....

Mike.

[Jafadmin]

Ever notice the elevator won't move if the door is open? It's like that.

[JASpup]

GParted and Pmount aren't working but e2label is for Linux partitions.

There might be a DOS solution.

dosfslabel doesn't look like a conventional command (example):
http://www.linux-commands-examples.com/dosfslabel

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CFLAGS += $(OPTFLAGS) $(WARNFLAGS) $(DEBUGFLAGS)


VPATH = src


all: build


build: dosfsck dosfslabel mkdosfs


dosfsck: boot.o check.o common.o fat.o file.o io.o lfn.o dosfsck.o

dosfsck: boot.o check.o common.o fat.o file.o io.o lfn.o dosfsck.o


dosfslabel: boot.o check.o common.o fat.o file.o io.o lfn.o dosfslabel.o

There's an issue in Windows with not seeing all partitions (pre-Win 10) on USBs. I'll have to give it another look.

[01101001b]

@JASpup please, try this. Open Gparted. Right click on the problematic partition and choose "Information". Capture the resulting message box and post it here

[JASpup]

@JASpup please, try this. Open Gparted. Right click on the problematic partition and choose "Information". Capture the resulting message box and post it here

@01101001b are you the Argentinian who made Slacko6 MATE?
If so nice work!

[JASpup]

Here's the latest:

Labels were changed with a 3rd-party Windows tool. I might have been able to do it from DOS (diskpart), but went gui instead.

X-TAHR was entered "X-Tahr" like sdb2, but capitals were forced.

I'm typing to you from J-Tahr, because X-TAHR isn't loading the save file. I might be able to get it to work again with the same trick I used in J-Tahr (making a 2nd save), but more importantly I want to know what causes the error.

Puppy is still not letting me use "3" in partitions.

The only real problem is the Windows part (having to use it).

[Flash]

You could try formatting the partition(s) to NTFS so that both Puppy and Windows can use them. I've changed several exFAT flash drives to NTFS with Gparted and they worked fine in both Windows and Puppy.

[bigpup]

Puppy is still not letting me use "3" in partitions.

Most likely because the drive has a partition table that at some point used 3 as a partition identifier and the partition was deleted.

Looking at that image of the drive.
That partition layout is not the best setup.

If you partition a drive.
Do the complete drive the first time, using all the space.
You start with a drive making a new partition table (msdos)
Then start at the beginning of the drive and make partitions ending up at the end of the drive.
Unallocated space is always at the end of the already made partitions.

Example:
To make 6 partitions.
Use some unallocated space for partition 1.
Some more for partition 2.
Then partition 3.
Remainder of unallocated space for the extended partition.
Then start making partitions in the extended partition.
Etc......
Example:

Screenshot(2).jpg (72.88 KiB) Viewed 624 times

.
Note in example:
partition 4 is an extended partition that partitions 5, 6, and 7 are made from.
It will not show as a numbered partition to the Linux file system.
The partitions seen by the file system 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.
Why?
msdos partition table is limited to 4 primary partitions and any number of secondary partitions, inside an extended partition.
So, you make 3 primary and one extended partition to make more than 4 partitions.
The space in the extended partition is used to make the secondary partitions.
The secondary partitions are actually in the extended partition.

Also, if you start randomly deleting and making partitions.
You will get a messed up partition numbering.

If you want nothing in a partition, reformat it.
The partition is still there, but everything is deleted from it.
So, it is back like it was when first made.

[bigpup]

Partition must be unmounted.
Gparted will let you change the label of the partition.
Right click on a listed partition.
Choose label file system.
Enter what you want.
Select apply button (top of Gparted window) to make the change.

[JASpup]

You could try formatting the partition(s) to NTFS so that both Puppy and Windows can use them. I've changed several exFAT flash drives to NTFS with Gparted and they worked fine in both Windows and Puppy.

That might work. I've heard arguments for using both formats. I jumped to NTFS for a while then back to FAT32, not remembering why.

My only NTFS must is for > 4gb files (e.g., an .iso disk archive).

Most likely because the drive has a partition table that at some point used 3 as a partition identifier and the partition was deleted.

That would be interesting to understand, currently does not make great sense. It's on two different media (an internal HD and USB flash).

If you partition a drive.
Do the complete drive the first time, using all the space.
You start with a drive making a new partition table (msdos)
Then start at the beginning of the drive and make partitions ending up at the end of the drive.
Unallocated space is always at the end of the already made partitions.

That's normally how it's done, but I had a reason for inventing my style in Windows. My only doubt is about the partition sizes. I wasn't sure what I needed for pups.

I make three partition at the end, then the beginning is the extended partition with all the logicals.

Windows kind of forces the disk beginning to be the boot partition, and mine was experiencing I/O errors, so once I recovered, I moved the boot partition to the end of the disk.

Two other (hidden) partitions are system recovery, then the extended is everything else -- a logical for Windows files (including apps), a logical for Linux files (not the system), and a logical for system archives (e.g., disk images).

There's still unallocated space if I need more logicals.

Learning was a headache but it's eloquently ordered now.

Partition must be unmounted.
Gparted will let you change the label of the partition.
Right click on a listed partition.
Choose label file system.
Enter what you want.
Select apply button (top of Gparted window) to make the change.

Ideally this would be the case but doesn't work hence this thread.

[01101001b]

@01101001b are you the Argentinian who made Slacko6 MATE?
If so nice work!

Yes, Slacko6 IS a nice work indeed! BUT I'm not the author. That's someone else's merit

Regarding your problem:

Since you have free space at the beginning of your disk, I would (using Gparted) copy/clone (not move) your problematic partition (sdb1) to that free space.

- If Gparted can do the copy successfully, then try to change the label of the "new" partition. If you can, problem solved. If you can't, something else is going on there.

- If Gparted can't do the copy, I would suspect from your sdb2 partition. It is FULL. That can't be good. Programs always need some disk space also to work properly

[JASpup]

Yes, Slacko6 IS a nice work indeed! BUT I'm not the author. That's someone else's merit

I guess that would be a country-MATE.

har har har
(stupid English language humor)

Regarding your problem:

Since you have free space at the beginning of your disk, I would (using Gparted) copy/clone (not move) your problematic partition (sdb1) to that free space.

- If Gparted can do the copy successfully, then try to change the label of the "new" partition. If you can, problem solved. If you can't, something else is going on there.

- If Gparted can't do the copy, I would suspect from your sdb2 partition. It is FULL. That can't be good. Programs always need some disk space also to work properly

Creative trouble-shooting good, but my ultimate goal isn't a partition label at any cost. I want to know why it's stuck, and it may be the file format, the only sure way to tell trying other formats (e.g., NTFS). It isn't just the one partition, but all three on the media.

https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... filesystem

[JASpup]

fatlabel

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root# fatlabel
usage: fatlabel device [label]
root# 

It executed with case and "dirty bit" warnings, but X-TAHR is now X-Tahr.

[ozsouth]

@JASpup - your version of gparted (& it's subprograms) determine what options you have. Open gparted & open the view tab, then click file support to see options.

[JASpup]

@JASpup - your version of gparted (& it's subprograms) determine what options you have. Open gparted & open the view tab, then click file support to see options.

In Xenial Label and UUID are "Not Available" for FAT32, probably no more compatible in older pups.

[Flash]

----------
I make three partition at the end, then the beginning is the extended partition with all the logicals.

Windows kind of forces the disk beginning to be the boot partition, and mine was experiencing I/O errors, so once I recovered, I moved the boot partition to the end of the disk.
----------

I've read that the first track of a hard disk, and the first partition, is at the outer perimeter. Data will read faster from the outer tracks than from the inner ones. Supposedly that's why the boot sector is normally located in track 1.

[bigpup]

I make three partition at the end, then the beginning is the extended partition with all the logicals.

doing it backwards from normal and what a typical partition table is designed to work with.
Why do it wrong?

[JASpup]

doing it backwards from normal and what a typical partition table is designed to work with.
Why do it wrong?

I had a problem.

I made a mess with limited knowledge trying to fix it.

I fixed it for ordered cognitive calm, it works, and I have no reason to return to conventions.

We should all keep going back to things that work and search for more.