File privileges problem on USB thumbdrive

[Bret Busby]

On 17/08/2020, Colin Law <clanlaw at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Aug 2020 at 20:10, Bret Busby <bret.busby at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hello.
>>
>> This applies equally to UbuntuMATE 20.04.x and 16.04.x .
>>
>> I have a USB thumbdrive, which is formatted as FAT32.
>>
>> I want to move the files written to it, to another medium, so as to
>> reuse the thumbdrive for writing.
>>
>> I have previously done this, with this thumbdrive, and, with other
>> thumbdrives of the same model, capacity (128GB), and manufacturer.
>>
>> However, now, whilst file managers (caja and PCmanFM) show me, as the
>> owner of the files, with Read and write folder access, no file access
>> privilege is shown in the caja file manager, and, I can not use cut
>> (and thence paste to another destination) or rename functionality on
>> the files, and, trying to use chmod 777 and sudo chmod 777 , both
>> return the error "file system is read only".
>>
>> ls  -l shows
>> -rw -r--r--
>> for the files.
>>
>> As I am supposed to be able, as the shown owner of the files, both
>> read and write to, the files, why does the operating system designate
>> them as read-only, and, how do I overcome this?
>
> Apologies in advance, but I have to ask whether you have checked that
> the write protect switch on the drive (if there is one) is in the
> correct state?
>
> Otherwise are you able to write to it on a Windows system?  It is
> possible that it is broken.
>
> It might be worth watching the log while you plug it in, it might
> indicate why it is read only.
> sudo journalctl -f
> or
> sudo tail -f /var/log/syslog
>
> Colin
>
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I have tried repeatedly to send responses from the 20.04 computer in
which the thumbdrive is located, and every message (four so far)
disappeared when I clicked the send button. gmail tells me that each
message is sent, but, each disappears without a trace, even with using
a BCC back to me. gmail is eating my email.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............