CrunchBang Linux

drl

Member

Registered: 2013-10-31

Posts: 20

File System is read-only

I just installed #! yesterday on a dual-boot system with Mac OSX, and logged in for the first time today, and this is my first time using a Linux-based OS. After some stress setting up my bluetooth mouse, I decided to try installing a new Conky theme, and realized that I am unable to paste or move any files to the file system, and I cannot create new folders in the file system, though I can do this with the rest of the hard drive. I am also unable to install applications using the "apt-get" command, as whenever I try to do so, I get the following message:

E: Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (13: Permission denied)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?

I think the two problems are likely related, which is why I posted both here.

chillicampari

Pinball Wizard

Registered: 2009-10-09

Posts: 2,639

Re: File System is read-only

Hi drl and welcome to the forum! Are you trying to do this using sudo and gksu?

---

#! forum moderator - Please help us keep your forums manageable.

maddie

Member

From: Shenzhen, China

Registered: 2013-10-20

Posts: 20

Website

Re: File System is read-only

Hi drl,

If you're going to install packages with apt-get, you should use elevated privilege (root) to execute the command:

$ sudo apt-get install [packages]

And welcome!

---

My #! Repository Mirror

drl

Member

Registered: 2013-10-31

Posts: 20

Re: File System is read-only

Using sudo to run apt-get commands is working, but I still can't move add anything to the file system. The file manager grays out all the actions I mentioned and attempting to execute them through the terminal just generates the following response:

mv: cannot stat `[filename]': No such file or directory

I am entering the full directory of the file, but it still says that the file does not exist.

Last edited by drl (2013-10-31 04:22:13)

maddie

Member

From: Shenzhen, China

Registered: 2013-10-20

Posts: 20

Website

Re: File System is read-only

Using sudo to run apt-get commands is working, but I still can't move add anything to the file system. The file manager grays out all the actions I mentioned and attempting to execute them through the terminal just generates the following response:

mv: cannot stat `[filename]': No such file or directory

I am entering the full directory of the file, but it still says that the file does not exist.

If you're trying to modify the system parts (e.g. /, /bin, /etc and so on), you will still need root to do it. And this also explains why the file manager's actions are grayed out, since it's executed under current logged in user instead of root, and it doesn't have access to do the actions.

You can (almost) safely assume everything outside of your /home folder will most likely need to sudo.

---

My #! Repository Mirror

drl

Member

Registered: 2013-10-31

Posts: 20

Re: File System is read-only

Using sudo to run apt-get commands is working, but I still can't move add anything to the file system. The file manager grays out all the actions I mentioned and attempting to execute them through the terminal just generates the following response:

mv: cannot stat `[filename]': No such file or directory

I am entering the full directory of the file, but it still says that the file does not exist.

If you're trying to modify the system parts (e.g. /, /bin, /etc and so on), you will still need root to do it. And this also explains why the file manager's actions are grayed out, since it's executed under current logged in user instead of root, and it doesn't have access to do the actions.

You can (almost) safely assume everything outside of your /home folder will most likely need to sudo.

I am trying to move the files using sudo, and I get the same response after entering my password.

maddie

Member

From: Shenzhen, China

Registered: 2013-10-20

Posts: 20

Website

Re: File System is read-only

Can you tell me the where's the file, its name and where are you going to move it?
And what command did you use to do so?

---

My #! Repository Mirror

drl

Member

Registered: 2013-10-31

Posts: 20

Re: File System is read-only

Oh, never mind. I was typing the entire directory for the file I was trying to move while the terminal was in the folder containing that file. I retried it with only the file name, using sudo, and it worked. I thought I had already tried that before.

Last edited by drl (2013-10-31 04:43:26)