gnome-format: Error opening /dev/sdc:permission denied

[sam tygier]

Binary package hint: gnome-format

this is the first time i have tried, so i am not sure how much is needed to trigger this.

i have a brand new CF card (4GB).
i put it a usb multiformat card reader, and then unmounted it
i ran a write badblock test on it (i am paranoid)
sudo badblocks -w -s /dev/sdc
(it found no bad blocks)

opened gnome-format.
selected the 4GB card
selected FAT
clicked format

received error
"Error opening /dev/sdc:permission denied"

i was not asked for a password at any time.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/gnome-format
NonfreeKernelModules: openafs
Package: gnome-format 0.1.1-0ubuntu5
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gnome-format
Uname: Linux 2.6.28-11-generic x86_64

[slm020 (slm020)]

I also have this problem, however to overcome it (although not a perfect solution) is to open terminal and use the "sudo gnome-format" command, this then works.

[s34n (s34n)]

My solution to this same problem:

/dev/sdc or whatever your flash drive is using is owned by user:root group:disk
By default in Ubuntu your user is not part of the group "disk"
As best I can tell, you can't add yourself to the "disk" group with System>Administration>Users and Groups. At least with Ubuntu 9.04 it seems. If anyone knows how, please let me in on it.
Still, what you can do is open Applications>Accessories>Terminal, and type:

sudo adduser s34n disk

! Replace s34n with whatever is your username !

Press Enter and give your password when prompted.

Now you need to log out and then back in again before it takes effect. Or reboot if you'd like.

Perhaps It would make it easier on new users if the error message would recommend adding your user to the "disk" group.

[Sense Egbert Hofstede (sense)]

Thank you for helping making Ubuntu better by reporting this bug.
I'm confirming it and linking it to the upstream bug.

The best solution would be to use PolicyKit. However, it's not very likely upstream will fix this since the development stopped and now GNOME Disk Utility, a plugin for Nautilus, is the official preferred method for formating your disks.

[Andreas Heinlein (aheinlein)]

Marking this as "Won't Fix" is no solution, as the package is pretty much useless in this state. If PolicyKit is no option, then the Ubuntu packagers could at least change the .desktop file to call gnome-format through gksudo. I know it's not the recommended way now, but people can expect packages that are contained within a distribution to work.