Linux: mounting of a FAT16/FAT32 USB flash drive

A while ago, I had to transfer a couple of files from a Linux machine where I did have console access, but no proper network access.

This was the sequence to get it connected and copy a directory to the USB flash drive:

1. Stick the USB flash drive in a USB port (duh <g>) on the Linux system
2. Run the fdisk  command to see on which device it got loaded:
   # fdisk -l
   It will give you something like this:
   Disk /dev/sdd: 8019 MB, 8019509248 bytes
20 heads, 16 sectors/track, 48947 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 320 * 512 = 163840 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 * 1 48948 7831512 b Win95 FAT32
3. Create a /mnt/USB directory to mount the device to using the mkdir command:
   # mkdir /mnt/USB
4. Use the modprobe command to make sure the vfat file system support is loaded:
   # modprobe vfat
5. Use the mount command to mount the device from the first step (/dev/sdd1) to the directory you created (/mnt/USB)
   # mount /dev/sdd1 /mnt/USB
6. Use the rsync command to recursively (-p) copy a directory maintaining timestamps (-t) and showing progress (-v)
   # rsync -rtv /home/user/directory/ /mnt/USB/directory/
7. Use the umount command to unmount the directory (and therefore the device)
   # umount /mnt/USB

–jeroen

via: Simple mounting of FAT32 USB Flash Drive.