Cannot mount USB disks due to "not authorized" error

Question

I have Ubuntu 12.04 (.2?) installed. I don't plan to need GUI after setup so I modified the grub to start in console. However, whenever I want to start up GUI I need to type startx. Simple/basic stuff. However I seem to be hitting a snag:

I am having trouble mounting/accessing USB flash drives in the GUI I started in the console. "Unable to mount location - not authorized".

Seemed like it should be an easy fix, but can't figure out how I'm overlooking it. Can someone help me out?

Solution

I am experiencing the same issue in the same scenery, modified my Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS in order to start in console and I start my XFCE via startxfce4, the same problem mounting external drives/usb. Hope someone drop an answer for a fix.

Meanwhile, I deliver this workaround for future reference:

We can gain access to the unmounted usb/external drives by dropping the next command in a terminal.

sudo -S palimpsest

I know that we should use gksudo instead of sudo but if you do it that way you'll receive an error as in the next screenshot:

After providing our user password, the Disk Utility will be presented so that we can choose the drive/usb memory that we wish to mount and gain access to its files via file explorer (nautilus or any other) for read/write.

BUT! For that purpose we need to click in the link provided in the lower right corner with the label "Mount Point: Mounted at /media/DriveName"

This also works for my additional SATA Drives, which got compromised after the change that I made to my grub in order to boot in console (text) mode. No. This change isn't reverted by removing the changes I made to my GRUB.

Let's wait for an answer and meanwhile I hope this works for you the same as it does for me and may help future visitors.

Good luck!

Comments

[Alex]

gksu palimpsest and su+nautilus was the only thing that worked for me. Lately nautilus and GNOME are really buggy, ffs.

[doff]

The post dropped the Username ref in the home path and before the 0 0