Ubuntu – How to delete/edit files from readonly filesystem

deletefat32filesystemfsckread-only

I am having problem with my memory device (actually a memory card that act external memory device like pendrive).

experimentx@workmateX:/var/www/zendtest$ sudo rm /media/A88F-8788/python-2.7.1-docs-html.zip
rm: cannot remove `/media/A88F-8788/python-2.7.1-docs-html.zip': Read-only file system

I tried to change the file permission of the system but that doesn't work

experimentx@workmateX:/var/www/zendtest$ sudo chmod 0777 /media/A88F-8788/python-2.7.1-docs-html.zip
chmod: changing permissions of `/media/A88F-8788/python-2.7.1-docs-html.zip': Read-only file system

But it perfectly works on windows.

UPDATE

On opening the drive and running command sudo mount -o remount,rw /media/A88F-8788

/var/log/syslog:

Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.257407] fat_get_cluster: 11 callbacks suppressed
Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.257414] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.257418]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.257425] FAT: Filesystem has been set read-only
Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.258187] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.258194]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.333787] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.333795]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.335949] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.335957]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.354903] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.354911]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.357213] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.357221]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.359547] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.359555]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.361929] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.361936]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.377416] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.377424]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.379384] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.379392]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.381898] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.381906]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.383764] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:35 workmateX kernel: [18149.383772]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.569747] fat_get_cluster: 11 callbacks suppressed
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.569754] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.569758]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.569765] FAT: Filesystem has been set read-only
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.572022] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.572029]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.582933] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.582941]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.585921] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.585929]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.587819] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.587827]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.597547] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.597555]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.599503] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.599511]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.602896] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.602905]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.615338] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.615346]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.618574] FAT: Filesystem error (dev sdb1)
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.618581]     fat_get_cluster: invalid cluster chain (i_pos 0)

var/log/message:

Mar 23 15:29:48 workmateX kernel: [18042.257407] fat_get_cluster: 11 callbacks suppressed
Mar 23 15:31:40 workmateX kernel: [18154.569747] fat_get_cluster: 11 callbacks suppressed

Best Answer

It got mounted read-only; you can't change permissions, you can only try sudo mount -o remount,rw /media/A88F-8788. But if your luck is anything like mine, you managed to catch the "Lock" slider on the card as you inserted it, and will have to pop it back out and put it in more carefully.

Check /var/log/messages and /var/log/syslog for mount events or possible filesystem corruption (which could cause the kernel to remount it read-only to avoid causing more damage).

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