cannot delete files on usb disk: ''Unable to create trashing info file: Read-only file system''

Asked by jelena

When I try to delete files on usb disk I get: ''Cannot move file to trash, do you want to delete immediately?''
Details: Unable to create trashing info file: Read-only file system

Trying to delete it immediately brings up ''Error removing file: Read-only file system''
Details: Error while deleting.

The disk worked normally before a while...
I'm also unable to format it (using GParted), an error occurs.

Thanks!
Jelena

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Ubuntu nautilus Edit question
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Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#1

With your USB stick inserted, open a terminal (Applications, Accessories, Terminal) and type:

sudo nautilus

Give your password when prompted.

Locate your USB stick and open it.

Press Ctrl+h to show all hidden files. You will see a folder called .Trash. Delete it. You will be asked the same question as the one you quoted - press OK.

Unmount the USB stick before removing it.

Revision history for this message
jelena (jelenzagor) said :
#2

Thanks for your help, but nautilus doesn't work... The same ''Error while deleting'' occurs. I'm not even offered to press OK, only Cancel/ Skip all/ Skip.

Btw, the ''Move to Trash'' option on the right-click menu is inactive all the time. I'm trying to delete folders on my usb disk with the ''Delete'' key.
And a folder named ''RECYCLER'' has generated somehow on the disk, I'm sure it wasn't there before, when the disk worked. ??? how can usb disk just switch to the read-only file system?

Anyway, thanks again for your effort...

Revision history for this message
Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#3

Go back to the terminal:

sudo -i

nautilus

Locate your USB stick in the left part of the screen and open it.

Press Ctrl+h to show all hidden files. You will see a folder called .Trash. Delete it.

To exit, type exit.

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jelena (jelenzagor) said :
#4

Still not able to delete the .Trash file, the same error while deleting - read-only file system...

Thanks again...

Revision history for this message
Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#5

Read-only folders or files have a padlock symbol attached.

If you right click on the file, go down to properties and then open the permissions tab you may be able to alter the Owner permissions from "read-only" to "read and write".

If there is an error message please take a note of it.

"Recycler" is a Windows thing. Linux files, when deleted, go into the Trash folder.

Revision history for this message
Jason (jmphry) said :
#6

I am having the same problem with my eReader (though not the recycler thing). I've tried to sudo nautilus and delete .Trash-1000 but it is giving me the same error. I've tried changing the permission under properties but it either tells me it can't (Sorry, could not change the permissions of ".Trash-1000": Error setting permissions: Read-only file system), or it doesn't save the change. Here's what terminal told me after opening nautilus in root:

Nautilus-Share-Message: Called "net usershare info" but it failed: 'net usershare' returned error 255: net usershare: cannot open usershare directory /var/lib/samba/usershares. Error No such file or directory
Please ask your system administrator to enable user sharing.

--- Hash table keys for warning below:
--> file:///media/NUUT2/.Trash-1000/files
--> file:///media/NUUT2/.Trash-1000
--> file:///media/NUUT2/.adobe-digital-editions
--> file:///
--> file:///media
--> file:///media/NUUT2/.Trash-1000/info
--> file:///media/NUUT2
--> file:///root
--> file:///home/jason/.mozilla/firefox/kxkwosy8.default

(nautilus:6438): Eel-WARNING **: "nautilus-metafile.c: metafiles" hash table still has 9 elements at quit time (keys above)

(nautilus:6438): Eel-WARNING **: "nautilus-directory.c: directories" hash table still has 9 elements at quit time

I then quit nautilus and that final output is a result of that.

The funny thing is, I'm my own system administrator, and I asked myself real nice to enable user sharing, and I said yes, but it didn't change a thing inside my computer. Ubuntu is such a liar. My eReader is still able to display the documents inside it.

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Victor (victorhfsebben) said :
#7

I totally agree with you jason. I'm having a similar problem, and I'm really disappointed with this situation. I'd like to support this kind of software, but it seems I'll have no choice but switching back to Windows.

Revision history for this message
Max (suharich) said :
#8

I have the same problem.
I have resolved this problem by unmount usb and mount with rw access:

1) sudo mount -t vfat -rw /dev/sdb1 /media/usbflash

then run nautilus:
2) sudo nautilus

open usb falsh in nautilus and show hidden files:
3) Press Ctrl+h

After that I can see ".disk" and ".Trash-0" folders.
4) remove ".disk" and ".Trash-0" folders.
but removes only ".disk" folder, while removing ".Trash-0" folder the process is freeze.

5) Ctrl+c in a terminal when nautilus was run

6) eject usb from another nautilus and removed this usb from usb-port
7) insert usb to usb-port. After that I can delete anything from my usb-flash.

It was fantastic adventure :)

Revision history for this message
lisa weeks (lisam-weeks) said :
#9

this is what i got

scott@scott-laptop:~$ sudo nautilus
[sudo] password for scott:
scott@scott-laptop:~$ sudo -i
root@scott-laptop:~# nautilus
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo -i nautilus
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo mount -t vfat -rw /dev/sdb1 /media/usbflash
mount: mount point /media/usbflash does not exist
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo mount -t vfat -rw /dev/sdb1 /media/ZEn STONe
Usage: mount -V : print version
       mount -h : print this help
       mount : list mounted filesystems
       mount -l : idem, including volume labels
So far the informational part. Next the mounting.
The command is `mount [-t fstype] something somewhere'.
Details found in /etc/fstab may be omitted.
       mount -a [-t|-O] ... : mount all stuff from /etc/fstab
       mount device : mount device at the known place
       mount directory : mount known device here
       mount -t type dev dir : ordinary mount command
Note that one does not really mount a device, one mounts
a filesystem (of the given type) found on the device.
One can also mount an already visible directory tree elsewhere:
       mount --bind olddir newdir
or move a subtree:
       mount --move olddir newdir
One can change the type of mount containing the directory dir:
       mount --make-shared dir
       mount --make-slave dir
       mount --make-private dir
       mount --make-unbindable dir
One can change the type of all the mounts in a mount subtree
containing the directory dir:
       mount --make-rshared dir
       mount --make-rslave dir
       mount --make-rprivate dir
       mount --make-runbindable dir
A device can be given by name, say /dev/hda1 or /dev/cdrom,
or by label, using -L label or by uuid, using -U uuid .
Other options: [-nfFrsvw] [-o options] [-p passwdfd].
For many more details, say man 8 mount .
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo nautilus
root@scott-laptop:~#

the trash button is dimmed and not available to use

also i still the same error message

"Sorry, could not change the permissions of ".Trash-1000": Error setting permissions: Read-only file system"

when i try to change owner group or folder access then when i try to change file access and press apply permissions to enclose files nothing happens then i close and reopen properties/permissions and its back to the same thing heres a screen shot cuz im bad at explaining... oh ya will this happen on windows did i screw up my friends mp3 player?? HELP!!

Revision history for this message
lisa weeks (lisam-weeks) said :
#10

this is what i got

scott@scott-laptop:~$ sudo nautilus
[sudo] password for scott:
scott@scott-laptop:~$ sudo -i
root@scott-laptop:~# nautilus
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo -i nautilus
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo mount -t vfat -rw /dev/sdb1 /media/usbflash
mount: mount point /media/usbflash does not exist
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo mount -t vfat -rw /dev/sdb1 /media/ZEn STONe
Usage: mount -V : print version
       mount -h : print this help
       mount : list mounted filesystems
       mount -l : idem, including volume labels
So far the informational part. Next the mounting.
The command is `mount [-t fstype] something somewhere'.
Details found in /etc/fstab may be omitted.
       mount -a [-t|-O] ... : mount all stuff from /etc/fstab
       mount device : mount device at the known place
       mount directory : mount known device here
       mount -t type dev dir : ordinary mount command
Note that one does not really mount a device, one mounts
a filesystem (of the given type) found on the device.
One can also mount an already visible directory tree elsewhere:
       mount --bind olddir newdir
or move a subtree:
       mount --move olddir newdir
One can change the type of mount containing the directory dir:
       mount --make-shared dir
       mount --make-slave dir
       mount --make-private dir
       mount --make-unbindable dir
One can change the type of all the mounts in a mount subtree
containing the directory dir:
       mount --make-rshared dir
       mount --make-rslave dir
       mount --make-rprivate dir
       mount --make-runbindable dir
A device can be given by name, say /dev/hda1 or /dev/cdrom,
or by label, using -L label or by uuid, using -U uuid .
Other options: [-nfFrsvw] [-o options] [-p passwdfd].
For many more details, say man 8 mount .
root@scott-laptop:~# sudo nautilus
root@scott-laptop:~#

the trash button is dimmed and not available to use

also i still the same error message

"Sorry, could not change the permissions of ".Trash-1000": Error setting permissions: Read-only file system"

when i try to change owner group or folder access then when i try to change file access and press apply permissions to enclose files nothing happens then i close and reopen properties/permissions and its back to the same thing heres a screen shot cuz im bad at explaining... oh ya will this happen on windows did i screw up my friends mp3 player?? HELP!!

Revision history for this message
lisa weeks (lisam-weeks) said :
#11

oh ya when i did the for many more details thing this is what it said..
For many more details, say man 8 mount .
root@scott-laptop:~# man 8 mount.
No manual entry for mount. in section 8
root@scott-laptop:~#

Revision history for this message
lisa weeks (lisam-weeks) said :
#12

oh ya when i did the for many more details thing this is what it said..
For many more details, say man 8 mount .
root@scott-laptop:~# man 8 mount.
No manual entry for mount. in section 8
root@scott-laptop:~#

Revision history for this message
Max (suharich) said :
#13

"root@scott-laptop:~# sudo mount -t vfat -rw /dev/sdb1 /media/usbflash
mount: mount point /media/usbflash does not exist"

First of all you should create directory, for example:
sudo mkdir /media/usbflash

then you may mount your device into this folder.

after mount operation you cam change permissions by
sudo chown 777 -R /media/usbflash

Revision history for this message
delance (olivier-delance) said :
#14

Please, provide result of command:
   ls -l /media

"Read-only file system" means the whole USB disk is read-only.
Do you have a USB disk with an embedded protection? E.g. some Western Didital disk come with two partitions; one of them emulates a CD-ROM and is not writable. Some USB key have a physical switch to prevent writing.

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