Using Removable Media

The file manager can initiate various actions when removable media appears, such as mounting it, opening a file manager window to view its contents, or running a suitable application that can handle it (for example, a music player for an audio CD). See Media on how to configure these actions for different media formats.

Mounting Media

To mount media is to make the file system of the media available for access. When you mount media, the file system of the media is attached as a subdirectory to your file system.

To mount media, insert the media in the appropriate device. An icon that represents the media is added to the desktop. The icon is added only if your system is configured to mount the device automatically when the media is detected.

If your system is not configured to mount the device automatically, you must mount the device manually.

How to Mount a Device Manually

1. Choose Places → Computer from the top panel menubar.

   The Computer dialog is displayed.

2. Double-click the icon that represents the media. For example, to mount a CD-ROM, double-click the CD-ROM icon.

   An icon that represents the media is added to the desktop.

   ---

   Note - You cannot change the name of a removable media icon.

   ---

Displaying Media Contents

You can display media contents in any of the following ways:

• Double-click the icon that represents the media on the desktop.

• Right-click the icon that represents the media on the desktop, and then choose Open.

A file manager window displays the contents of the media. To reload the display, click Reload.

Displaying Media Properties

To display the properties of removable media, right-click the icon that represents the media on the desktop, and then choose Properties. A dialog displays the properties of the media.

To close the properties dialog, click Close.

Ejecting Media

To eject media, right-click the media icon on the desktop, and then choose Eject. If the drive for the media is a motorized drive, the media is ejected from the drive. If the drive for the media is not motorized, wait until the desktop icon for the media disappears, and then eject the media manually.

How to Eject a USB Flash Drive

You must unmount removable media before ejecting. Do not remove a USB flash drive before you unmount the flash drive. If you do not unmount the media first, you might lose data.

1. Close all file manager windows, terminal windows, and any other windows that access the USB drive.
2. Right-click the icon that represents the drive on the desktop, and then choose Eject.

   The desktop icon for the drive disappears from the display.

3. Remove the USB flash drive.