This chapter covers how to use media such as hard drives, DVDs, CDs, and flash drives in Fedora.
Understanding
When you insert or connect a medium to your computer, Fedora automatically recognizes and makes it available for use: an icon is placed both on your desktop and in the Places menu.
When Fedora detects a new medium has been inserted or connected it mounts it as a volume. The hard drive that Fedora is installed on is mounted by default during start-up and cannot be ejected, or unmounted, like other volumes.
When you are finished using your media alert Fedora that you would like to remove this volume. To do this, right-click on the device's icon and then select Unmount Volume or Eject, depending on what type of media you are using; during this process any remaining changes to the data on the media is written to the device, allowing safe removal without data loss.
Exploring Media
To view the contents of a volume, double-click its icon on the desktop, or choose the volume name from the Places menu.
All of the contents of the volume are displayed in the window. Files on the volume can be opened with a double-click; further actions can be performed by right-clicking the file to gain access to the context menu.
Writing CDs or DVDs
Fedora includes support for writing to CDs and DVDs. To write to a CD or DVD:
Using Nautilus in GNOME
- Open a Nautilus window, by double-clicking Home or Computer (Nautilus is the graphical file manager).
- Select Places > CD/DVD Creator.
- Use the initial Nautilus window to navigate to the files you wish to burn, then drag and drop them into the empty CD/DVD Creator window.
- Click Write to Disc.
- In the dialog box, you can change the name of the disc and the write speed if they are incorrect.
- Click Write.
Using K3b in KDE
Both GNOME and KDE do not have K3b installed by default. To install using Pirut, refer to the chapter Managing Software With Pirut . With Pirut running, go through the menu Browse (tab) > Applications > Sound and Video, then click the Optional packages button and type k3b into the search field.
To install K3b using the console:
su -c 'yum install k3b'
When installed K3b is found under Applications > Sound and Video > K3b
In K3b there are action buttons in the bottom of the window:
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media k3baudiocd.png | To create a New Audio CD Project |
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media k3bdatacd.png | To create a New Data CD Project |
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media k3bdatadvd.png | To create a New Data DVD Project |
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media k3bcopycd.png | To Copy a CD |
When you are ready to burn the files or folders to disk click the Burn button.
To burn an ISO image file such as the Fedora 8 DVD installation image, use the Tools > Burn DVD ISO Image. Navigate to and select the .iso image, then click the Start button.
Using GnomeBaker in Gnome
GnomeBaker is not installed by default. In Pirut, install via Browse (tab) > Applications > Sound and Video, then click the Optional packages button and type gnomebaker into the search field.
To install GnomeBaker using the console:
su -c 'yum install gnomebaker'
When installed GnomeBaker is found under Applications > Sound and Video > CD/DVD Writer
In GnomeBaker there are three primary 3 buttons in the bottom pane of the programs window:
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media gnomebaker-data-dvd.png | Data DVD Use this to burn files and folders to a DVD . |
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media gnomebaker-data-cd.png | Data CD Use this to burn files and folders to a CD. |
| File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Media gnomebaker-audio-cd.png | Audio CD Use this to create an audio CD. |
- To burn a specific file to a CD click the Data CD, then drag and drop the file from the top pane into the right hand side of the bottom pane. Entire folders can also be dragged and dropped. Click the burn button to burn the files or folders to the disc.
- Burning an ISO image file such as the Fedora 8 DVD installation image is done through the Tools > Burn DVD Image menu. If the
.isofile is for a CD, choose Burn CD Image. Navigate to the image, select it, and click the OK button, clicking the Start button in the next window.
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