Small frustrating problem

Linux Mint
1

I brought a new USB reader for my very old Sony stick flash drive.
So I took a couple pic with my camera, remove the flash drive, place it in the USB reader and plugged into the USB slot on the PC. Open the flash drive and so far so good.

When I double click on the pic the cursor just spins for a few seconds and nothing happens.
I try to attached the pic to a google email and it failed saying Error zero length.
I try coping the pics to the PC in a new folder. Again when I clicked on the pic the cursor spins a few seconds and nothing happens. WTF!

The work around.
Booted my other PC with Windows 11 on it.
EVERYTHING works fine!

Not too sure how to document a problem like this or even if it is worth it.
My assumption – Mint does not have the proper driver for this USB reader.

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2

It will probably work in a few more years!!!

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Hi Howard,
I dont know whether this makes any difference, but I always plug my usb reader in before I boot the computer, then insert the card (mine is a card reader) after booting.
The idea is that hardware detection at boot can only see the reader if it is present, but that is probably irrelevant today because pluggable devices are dealt with by udev, not at boot time.

So, assuming the above is irrelevant, your computer seems to be detecting the device, and seeing the thumbnails, but is unable to read the image files.
Some things to try

  • I assume you are using the file manager to open the flash drive. Try doing it at the command line. Do a df to see where it is mounted, cd to the mount, then what does ls see? It might see DCIM directory… you might have to cd down a couple of directories to see the filenames. Does it see the filenames?
  • If you can see filenames, try file statement on them, and try to copy them with cp.
  • if that fails we have eliminated the file manager as a problem source. It has to be a filesystem issue on your flash drive. You might try using Windows to copy the Sony flash drive to another flash drive, then try that new flash drive in Linux. That might sort out whether it is the Sony drive or the filesystem.
  • If you get right down to here and Linux still cant read the stuff, it has to be some sort of unusual filesystem or image format that Linux does not have drivers or libraries for. Check your package system to see if there are any packages supporting unusual filesystems or image formats that you have not installed.

I am running out of ideas. Lets see how far you get with that

Regards
Neville

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I NEVER do this and I NEVER have issues reading memory cards, I think we’re talking here about Sony Memory Stick right? I haven’t used that format for well over a decade, and closer to 20 years I reckon… I don’t actually recall trying to read Memory Sticks in Linux *
I’ve got bunches of Compact Flash, SD Card and MicroSD card - it’s been my experience, reading them in my USB 3 card read - 100% plug and play… Sure, the usually provisos, eject / unmount safely before pulling one of them out…

* in the early 2000’s I actually “wasted” quite a few bucks on a Sony combo USB 2 floppy drive (2.88 MB!) with a memory stick reader - that I haven’t used in over a decade (back the I mostly used Windows XP as my desktop OS), I occasionally run into it when I’m looking for something else… If I get around to it - I might hook it up - I have an old ice cream container with Compact Flash and Memory Sticks in it and see how I go… My current card reader only does CF and SD (both sizes)… I think the largest Memory Stick I have is 256 MB, when I used my Sony branded palm pilot as a music player…

5

So you are saying the stick might be non-standard because it is old , or the image file format may be unusual. Cant be too strange… Windows can read it.
It is weird that he can display the thumbnails, but not the images?

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@easyt50 Do you have a spare usb stick

1 - that the usb stick be loaded with said images and plug that usb stick directly into Linux Box

Avoid that combination used ATM if you can,( hopefully)

I would suspect that Mint would have the drivers, IF you could find out what the driver needed is then well is it in you Linux Box

2 - Another idea direct load the images from camera > cable > Linux Box

That’s all I can suggest

3 - What format are the images in from the camera ?

7

I’d start to investigate at dmesg.
So start dmesg -w, probably with sudo, if you are not root already…
sudo dmesg -w
After that plug in your reader with the stick.
Few lines will appear hopefully.
If those lines take you towards a solution, that’s great. Otherwise paste here those lines, so we can analyze it take a look at it. :slight_smile:

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@easyt50
Use Windows to retrieve the files, put them on a USB that works,
put the files on Mint.

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The one I use and have done for many years is this one. Memwah It just works.

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I want to Thank everyone for your suggestions. It got me thinking about the problem and as I said I “assume” Linux Mint was the problem. I will give an update later, but first I wanted to respond to all the helpful suggestion. I truly appreciate each response.

@nevj – Yes I use the file manager. In Mint it is Nemo. I only use the terminal when a GUI does not do the job. Yes, I can see the files names and I can copy the files to the desktop. It is only when I try to view the jpg when I have the problem. Both on the USB and on the desktop the pic will not display. Also plugging in the USB either before or after boot did not change anything.

@daniel.m.tripp – Your’re right. It is a Sony Memory Stick. So even tho it is a flash drive, it can not be plugged directly into USB port, but it needs to be plugged into a USB reader that compatible with the Memory Stick.

@artytux – The format of the pics are jpg. I copied the files to another flash drive that would connect directly into the USB port and got the same results. The pics would not display.

@kovacslt – Here are the last few lines from dmesg.
[ 3299.057186] scsi 4:0:0:0: Direct-Access SanDisk SDDR-117 1.03 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
[ 3299.057877] sd 4:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[ 3299.311120] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] 960512 512-byte logical blocks: (492 MB/469 MiB)
[ 3299.311822] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
[ 3299.311825] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
[ 3299.312507] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page found
[ 3299.312510] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through
[ 3299.316179] sdc: sdc1
[ 3299.318480] sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 3299.735240] FAT-fs (sdc1): Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Please run fsck.
easyt@Pro600:~$

@4dandl4 – Good idea. Below is what happen with the copy and an update.

@clatterfordslim – Thanks for the link. I already have 2 USB reader for the Memory stick. The problem happens on both readers.

Update.
Like I say all the response that were posted got me to thinking more about the problem.
I got my laptop out that also has Lint Mint installed on it. The Memory stick worked fine!
So that would tell me Linux is not the problem. Right?

I copied the files to the SSD on the laptop and then copied them back onto another flash drive that could be plugged directly into the USB port. I again got the same error.

So now I’m at a loss. I know the USB ports are working. I use them for external HDD, I can read other flash drives. I notice there was an error message at the end of dmesg, but Windows and Linux on my laptop displayed the pic.

The only thing I can think of now is that either there is something different about the PC or something different with Linux on this PC that is causing the problem.

I also installed Gpicview and it can display the pics. So now does that mean something is wrong with Nemo on this PC?

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What do you think, would it be possible to run an fsck on it?

(Edit: before doing it, get the useful data from it on your Windows, just in case…)

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@kovacslt here is the output of fsck.

easyt@Pro600:~$ sudo fsck /dev/sdc1
[sudo] password for easyt:
fsck from util-linux 2.37.2
fsck.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
/dev/sdc1: 218 files, 7350/14982 clusters

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I used to run with -f.
fsck /dev/… -f

BTW did it do something?
If not, try with -f. Then check how it behaves afterwards…

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Using -y or -f get the same output.

easyt@Pro600:~$ sudo fsck -y /dev/sdc
fsck from util-linux 2.37.2
e2fsck 1.46.5 (30-Dec-2021)
ext2fs_open2: Bad magic number in super-block
fsck.ext2: Superblock invalid, trying backup blocks…
fsck.ext2: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /dev/sdc

The superblock could not be read or does not describe a valid ext2/ext3/ext4
filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2/ext3/ext4
filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock
is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock:
e2fsck -b 8193
or
e2fsck -b 32768

Found a dos partition table in /dev/sdc
easyt@Pro600:~$ e2fsck -b 8193 /dev/sdc
e2fsck 1.46.5 (30-Dec-2021)
e2fsck: Permission denied while trying to open /dev/sdc
You must have r/w access to the filesystem or be root

With e2fsck

easyt@Pro600:~$ sudo e2fsck -b 8193 /dev/sdc
e2fsck 1.46.5 (30-Dec-2021)
e2fsck: Invalid argument while trying to open /dev/sdc

The superblock could not be read or does not describe a valid ext2/ext3/ext4
filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2/ext3/ext4
filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock
is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock:
e2fsck -b 8193
or
e2fsck -b 32768

1 Like
15

This suggests that the .jpg files are some old version of .jpg
What does the file statement say they are?

fsck.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
/dev/sdc1: 218 files, 7350/14982 clusters

It is a FAT filesystem
That second fsck with ext filesystem is rubbish

The only thing I can think of now is that either there is something different about the PC or something different with Linux on this PC that is causing the problem.

Yes.
The linux on this PC is missing something to do with reading FAT filesystems or .jpg images
Look for a package or a library to do with supporting FAT. or .jpg.
I think it is probably fat support that is missing, but check .jpg support too.

Regards
Neville

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First you tried fsck correctly on sdc1. Then with -f -y on sdc. Would you like to try -f on sdc1 ( on the partition, not on the disk)?

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@easyt50

No doubt you have tried things and if there is no terminal fix (sounds sortof wrong) terminal fix
anyway
Suggestion try perhaps running a live session of Linux
BUT
Try a distro that you don’t usually use go for more advanced (software not anything other than software oh and maybe kernel) distros use say Manjaro or EndeavourOS,
Both one step away from Arch, Both easy on Live Sessions
why,
well the software and drivers and kernel will be later versions and that might help to know what is going on

Instead of trying to find out why the images wont open because of this or that it could be permissions or would not be because of permissions
Alot of times a live session might ignore that
having permission to read and execute the directory
but not permissions to read or execute the file

instead a live session will have a go to open files

Oh nearly forgot if you want to, use the KDE desktop It’s more of a swiss army knife with bypassing permissions . . . and dolphin should show a reason why images wont open.

See this a classic case of Life is not Boring.

Good Luck Howard

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I hope not terminal.

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@easyt50
What are your file properties when you open, using Windows?

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Hi @artytux,
Not sure if I understand, but why would I want to try another distro or a live USB session.
The pics open fine on my laptop which has the same Linux on it and the pics open OK on windows.

Hi @4dandl4,
The file properties on Windows are;
Type of file: JPG File (.JPG)
Opens with: Photos
Size: 1.02 MB
Location, Created, Modified, and Accessed does not matter.

Hi @kovacslt,
Here is what I got with -f on sdc1.
easyt@Pro600:~$ sudo fsck -f /dev/sdc1
fsck from util-linux 2.37.2
fsck.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
/dev/sdc1: 218 files, 7350/14982 clusters

And here what I got with -y;
easyt@Pro600:~$ sudo fsck -y /dev/sdc1
[sudo] password for easyt:
fsck from util-linux 2.37.2
fsck.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
Dirty bit is set. Fs was not properly unmounted and some data may be corrupt.
Automatically removing dirty bit.

*** Filesystem was changed ***
Writing changes.
/dev/sdc1: 218 files, 7350/14982 clusters

1 Like