App removable-drives@cinnamonn.org doesn't pop up after mounting an ext4-formatted removable drive

[MenthaSuaveolens]

Distribution

Mint 22.3 Cinnamon

Package version

Cinnamon 6.6.4

Graphics hardware in use

Intel Corporation Atom/Celeron/Pentium Processor x5-E8000/J3xxx/N3xxx Integrated Graphics Controller

Frequency

Always

Bug description

After upgrading to LM 22.3, the applet doesn't pop up into the statusbar when an usb-stick is inserted. The stick is properly shown on the desktop and is mounted.

However when I inserted an usb-stick with a live lm-distribution, the app popped up. Then I tried to a FAT-32 formatted stick and the app also popped up. Conclusion, app doesn't work with ext4-formatted sticks

Steps to reproduce

Insert an ext4-formatted usb-stick

Expected behavior

Should show that a drive has been mounted

Additional information

No response

[emafed]

Same problem here. Also for NTFS disk. This happens for all devices that have RM=0 in lsblk

[mhjessen]

Same issue after 22.3 upgrade.

Prior to 22.3 any/all removable drives (USB thumb, external SSD, etc) were all visible and could be unmounted or opened with file manager from the 'Removable drives (removable-drives@cinnamon.org)' applet.

'Removable drives (removable-drives@cinnamon.org)' appears to still be there, and semi-active, because the icon becomes visible in 'Panel edit mode'. In 'Panel edit mode' I can right click on the icon and check the 'About..' information and the 'Remove Removable drives' will remove the applet.

However, even in 'Panel edit mode' it no longer shows either of my USB 3 external SSD drives as it always did prior to 22.3.

I've tried removing the applet and reactivating it. It's still only visible in 'Panel edit mode'.

While writing this I've discovered that it seems to only impact 'ext4' drives. I inserted a LM 22 USB stick that is 'iso9660' and the 'Removable drives (removable-drives@cinnamon.org)' icon appeared with both the 'iso9660' and 'writable' ext3/ext4 space showing. The LM22 USB stick is using the same USB 3 hub that the USB 3 external SSD drives are using yet 'Removable drives (removable-drives@cinnamon.org)' is only showing the LM 22 USB stick.

On the offhand chance it could be theme related I switched from 'Mint-X' to 'Mint-Y' and there was no change in 'Removable drives (removable-drives@cinnamon.org)' behavior.

Any ideas on how to resolve this?

[thegreatyellow67]

Same issue in LMDE7, with FAT32 usb disks systray icon appears, with ext4 nope!

[mbeeltje]

Same issue. Removable Drives works for a USB thumb-drive (exFAT), but not a USB SSD (exFAT).

[Tragedian]

Same thing happens for me with external HDD formatted by their manufacturers with the FUSE file system.

[thegreatyellow67]

Yes, but the question is: can someone explain to us why this applet NO LONGER works? One week ago worked like a charm!

[mtwebster]

ref: af72ce0

This was an effort to filter out drives that aren't generally used as actual removable devices. As a workaround, these mounts should still be visible and unmountable in Nemo's sidebar and the Desktop (if enabled there).

[mhjessen]

Sooooo... the 'Removable drives (removable-drives@cinnamon.org)' update eliminates the convenience factor the previous version(s) provided and basically renders this applet unreliable and irrelevant.

I guess it's time to just remove this applet and face going through the extra steps of having to manually go through Nemo to unmount removable drives in the future.

Very disappointing applet functionality 'upgrade' decision by the developer(s).

🙄

[thegreatyellow67]

If they're doing this, it's time to abandon Linux Mint too! What a shame! An applet that I used time to time, every time and every hour in my daily PC!!! But what's the point of a small, incredibly useful applet? Not to mention that if you disconnect the drive in Nemo it tells you that drive is busy! Really? Over 15 years of Linux Mint use, in all my house PCs, this is the final result!! Today I'm very upset with Mint Team, and if possibile I'll leave Mint!!!

😡

[BradB58]

This is unacceptable. Any drive that is connected by USB is a removable drive and should be shown as such in this applet. If this is the way its going to be, then the Removable Drives applet has just become useless garbage.

[spezold]

ref: af72ce0

This was an effort to filter out drives that aren't generally used as actual removable devices. As a workaround, these mounts should still be visible and unmountable in Nemo's sidebar and the Desktop (if enabled there).

@mtwebster Thank you very much for the explanation and pointer to the code change. As with others, I agree that the change probably did more harm than good. Regarding the proposed Nemo workaround: Apart from the already mentioned necessary extra steps, it does not seem to be a fully equivalent alternative. For example, when I unmount an external hard drive (a classical one, with spinning magnetic discs), it does not seem to be powered down when unmounting via Nemo's sidebar, while it actually is powered down when using (the previous version of) removable-drives – the latter makes me much more comfortable with actually unplugging the drive afterward.

As a suggestion: would it be an idea maybe, to make it configurable for the user which devices / kinds of devices should show up in removable-drives? And for the time being, maybe simply revert to the previous behavior?