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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Mounting FAT32 partition in OS X 10.5

UpsideDownFace - Feb 3, 2008 - 7:50 pm

How do I mount FAT32 partition in Leopard?

I bought a macbook 2 weeks ago, and immediately reduced the 120 GB partition to 50 GB. I created a 60 GB Ext3 partition for linux Ubuntu 7.04 plus a 10 GB FAT32 partition so that both linux and leopard can read and write to the FAT32 partition.

The FAT32 partition is recognised by linux, but not by leopard

In linux I would have to "mount -t FAT32 /dev/disk0s3 /common" and I suppose I have to do something similar, but I am completely new to mac prrogramming

DeltaMac - Feb 3, 2008 - 8:08 pm

What is the result when you boot to Leopard, and run Disk Utility from your Applications/Utilities folder?
You should be able to select the fat32 partition, and then click the Repair Disk button. That may tell you of any problems with the partition.

UpsideDownFace - Feb 4, 2008 - 2:28 pm

The Disk Utility shows 4 partitions
Macintosh HD - which I had reduced from 120 GB to 50 GB using linux partition editor
disk0s4 \
disk0s5 | all 3 greyed out
disk0s6 /

I could only select the Macintosh HD to not have the verify & repair buttons greyed out.

I clicked "verify disk", and it ran for a while, then said
"Volume Bit Map needs minor repair"
1 HFS volume checked
"Volume needs repair"

the is greyed out

I clicked the and then In both cases it said repair complete, with several things corrected.
is still greyed out

UpsideDownFace - Feb 4, 2008 - 2:41 pm

I had enclosed button names in "less than,greater than", which seems to have got lost

"the is greyed out" should read
"the repair disk button is greyed out"

"I clicked the verify disk permissions and then repair disk permissions, in both cases it said repair complete, with several things corrected.

Repair Disk is still greyed out.

I had created the disk0s4,5,6 with the partitioning tool in the Ubuntu 7.04 installation, and linux finds them OK

DeltaMac - Feb 4, 2008 - 5:53 pm

I think fat32 is fat32. But, you should be able to at least verify or repair the fat32 partition. If you don't see the partition properly with Disk Utility, then I suspect there is something wrong with the created partition.
Is there some way to scan/repair the fat32 partition from ubuntu?
Or, you can create a fat32 partition from Disk Utility on that 10GB space (which seems to be incomplete, and just unpartitioned)

UpsideDownFace - Feb 4, 2008 - 6:39 pm

It is only Leopard that can't see the fat32 partition, Ubuntu sees it OK, and I have written to it and read back.

I have managed to stop Leopard working, by trying to repair it.

I will reinstall everything and try DiskUtility when something works again.

How do you get a CD out of a non-working machine?

DeltaMac - Feb 4, 2008 - 7:38 pm

Which non-working machine are you talking about now?
When did that start happening?
If your MacBook, are you saying it has no power, and nothing happens when you press the power button?
If you are getting power, and the video turns on, then turn off the power, then press the power button, and hold the trackpad button. The CD will eject shortly after the video turns on.
If you are getting no response at all (totally dead), then your only choice is to open up the MacBook, remove the CD drive, and open that up.
It's not a casual operation on your MacBook...
If you are getting power, then you should be able to use the 'hold the trackpad/mouse button' trick. You can use this same trick on any Mac.
- Dale