# [SOLVED] unknown partition table for usb-connected Kobo mini

## ogronom

Hi guys, 

Just bought a new Kobo mini. Everything works perfect on a windows machine, but I was not able to mount the device on my main linux laptop

```

$dmesg

[  151.000200] usb 5-1: new high-speed USB device number 3 using xhci_hcd

[  151.027361] usb 5-1: New USB device found, idVendor=2237, idProduct=4183

[  151.027375] usb 5-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3

[  151.027382] usb 5-1: Product: eReader-2.6.2

[  151.027388] usb 5-1: Manufacturer: Kobo

[  151.027394] usb 5-1: SerialNumber: N705313017656

[  151.031493] usb-storage 5-1:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected

[  151.031804] scsi7 : usb-storage 5-1:1.0

[  152.031721] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access     Kobo     eReader-2.6.2    0110 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2

[  152.034551] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0

[  152.041020] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] 2761728 512-byte logical blocks: (1.41 GB/1.31 GiB)

[  152.153394] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Test WP failed, assume Write Enabled

[  152.263529] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Asking for cache data failed

[  152.263541] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through

[  152.373545] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Test WP failed, assume Write Enabled

[  152.483448] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Asking for cache data failed

[  152.483460] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through

[  152.489008]  sdb: unknown partition table

[  152.603516] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Test WP failed, assume Write Enabled

[  152.713502] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Asking for cache data failed

[  152.713514] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through

[  152.713525] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk

```

```

$lsusb

Bus 005 Device 003: ID 2237:4183 Kobo Inc.

```

According to unofficial docs  http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo_Mini there should simple MBR partition, and I read that everything is ok on Ubuntu.

The only thing thatcomes to my mind -- wrong kernel setup. Any ideas?Last edited by ogronom on Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:53 am; edited 1 time in total

----------

## NeddySeagoon

ogronom,

I have a few ideas.

Check your kernel for 

```
[*] Probe all LUNs on each SCSI device
```

in case the device you are looking for is not on Logical Unit Number 0.

Secondly, if the partitions contain FAT filesystems, they can only be mounted at one place at a time.

If the Kobo mini has a filesystem mounted, you must not mount it on your PC at the same time.

This would not stop you seeing the partition table.

----------

## ogronom

Hi NeddySeagoon, 

Thanks for the response

CONFIG_SCSI_MULTI_LUN is conmpiled into kernel

```

$ zgrep CONFIG_SCSI_MULTI_LUN /proc/config.gz

CONFIG_SCSI_MULTI_LUN=y

```

I don't really understand your second remark.

As far as I understand the device should contain fat partition. Here is what I got

```

$ ls /dev/sdb*

/dev/sdb

$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

Password: 

Disk /dev/sdb: 1414 MB, 1414004736 bytes, 2761728 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00000000

This doesn't look like a partition table

Probably you selected the wrong device.

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdb4   ?  3945424221  5789171321   921873550+  8a  Unknown

```

----------

## NeddySeagoon

ogronom,

Thats fdisk interpreting whatever is in the partition table as a partition table and working out that 

```
This doesn't look like a partition table
```

Maybe the entire device holds the filesystem, so there is no partition table. Just like a floppy disk.

```
mount -o ro /dev/sdb /mnt/someplace
```

You must unmount the filesystem from the Kobo before you mount it on your PC or horrible things will happen to the filesystem.

Much as you prepare a mobile phone sdcard to be mounted by a PC.

----------

## ogronom

Hi, 

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Maybe the entire device holds the filesystem, so there is no partition table. Just like a floppy disk.
> 
> ```
> ...

 

Thanks a lot! This helped.

I never knew that this is even possible. I thought partition table (one or another) is necessary

----------

