How to delete contents of a Linux formatted external disk?

tfwul · 19 Mar 2018

slicendice said:

I wanted to emphasize this!
Since constantly unplugging and re-plugging the drive is generally a bad idea in the long run, we should take a look at other viable options.
//snip//
Please let us know if it is possible to network connect the device and if you want to try this route also.

Sorry, it is a standalone (old) recorder (tv setup box) , there is no option to make it a network device: it has no network connector. The only way to get recordings from the disc is by copying it.

Still, even though this is an old device, I should be 'lucky': I have a newer setup box, connected to fiber, but the provider has disabled the USB connector, i.e. there is no way to save recordings to an external harddisk, so I can edit it (removing commercials, etc). The old setup box is my own, the new setup box is provided by my ISP (providing TV, Internet and phone).
The old setup box is connected to conventional coaxial cable.

slicendice · 19 Mar 2018

Alright! So playing with Linux and the USB drive it is then. :)

Can you manage to open a Terminal Window (similar to Command Prompt in Windows) in your Linux distribution?

Next you should navigate to /mnt or /media:

Code:

cd /mnt

List the directories there with this command:

Code:

ls

If I am correct should see two entries sda1 and sdb1. sdb1 should be your HDD. Navigate into it with this command:

Code:

cd sdb1

List all files again to verify you are in correct location:

Code:

ls

Now comes the interesting part. We will modify the file permissions with this command:

Code:

sudo chmod 666 /mnt/sdb1/*

When asked for a password, just press enter. If empty password fails, then we need one more command:

Code:

sudo passwd

Give any password you want.

Now re-run this command:

Code:

sudo chmod 666 /mnt/sdb1/*

Now you should have full permissions to do whatever you like for the video files using Dolphin.

Please let me know if you ran into some issues.

tfwul · 19 Mar 2018

Dear friends, Out of curiosity..., could it be that this booting from Linux USB affects the system time?
Reason for asking is that yesterday and today the system time is 1 hour behind...
Time zone is correctly set, computer is set to automatically synchronise with time.windows.com.
After 'update now' - in Internet Time Settings, they time is re-set and is reading correctly again.

I wonder though whether this booting from USB is doing something with the time - I hardly ever face this issue.

thanks

CountMike · 19 Mar 2018

Yes. Linux can set BIOS time differently.

lx07 · 19 Mar 2018

tfwul said:

Dear friends, Out of curiosity..., could it be that this booting from Linux USB affects the system time?

Yes. If you dual boot with Windows/Linux you should set Windows to use UTC.

From a (Windows) elevated command prompt:

Code:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation" /v RealTimeIsUniversal /d 1 /t REG_DWORD /f

See Time - ArchWiki

tfwul · 19 Mar 2018

Thanks.
Right now, when checking Date & Time settings, they are set to UTC+01:00, rightfully so.
Assume I don't need to do anything else now.
Really no offense meant, but .. is it safe to apply the above registry key? I mean, I won't mess up the current settings then?

Assume the registry key only serves to reset the time to the correct one, after use of Linux and then rebooting back to Windows?
-

How to delete contents of a Linux formatted external disk?-snagit-19032018-124122.png

slicendice · 19 Mar 2018

tfwul said:

Thanks.
Right now, when checking Date & Time settings, they are set to UTC+01:00, rightfully so.
Assume I don't need to do anything else now.
Really no offense meant, but .. is it safe to apply the above registry key? I mean, I won't mess up the current settings then?

Assume the registry key only serves to reset the time to the correct one, after use of Linux and then rebooting back to Windows?
-

Yes it is a safe command. It just adds an entry to your Windows registry, telling it that the Real Time Clock (BIOS clock) is set to UTC. Helps calculate the correct time in Windows. You only need to apply the registry key once.

This must be done since Linux likes to manipulate the RTC if it's "wrong".

tfwul · 19 Mar 2018

Done!
Many Thanks.

slicendice · 19 Mar 2018

tfwul said:

Done!
Many Thanks.

Which one is done? The REG patch, the Linux file permissions or both?

tfwul · 19 Mar 2018

The reg patch was the easiest one. Am going to do the Linux file permissions thing now.