Mount error: "unknown filesystem type 'exfat'"

mount filesystem exfat

345,891

Solution 1

You get this error because the exfat filesystem is not installed in Ubuntu by default. exFAT is proprietary and patented by Microsoft.

Ubuntu 13.10 or higher

Since Ubuntu 13.10, this package is in the main repository. Just install exfat-fuse and exfat-utils:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install exfat-fuse exfat-utils

Ubuntu 12.04

For ubuntu 13.04 and lower, you'll need a ppa to install the exfat support. Installation procedure:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:relan/exfat
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install fuse-exfat

If you see the error gpg: "tag:launchpad.net:2008:redacted" not a key ID: skipping during the apt-add-repository step, then you'll need to manually install the signing key and run the apt-get update and apt-get install steps after that:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 4DF9B28CA252A784

Solution 2

As of November 25, 2019, this does not work yet in Ubuntu 19.10 Eoan, probably because apt just cannot grab exfat-fuse. I fixed this problem by downloading exfat-fuse deb directly. This is after installing a dependency.

345,891

wjandrea

By day: tech support. By night: Python student, folk singer, exotic soda collector. Je parle un peu de français. He/him My profile picture is the flag of Nova Scotia but with Saint Andrew's Cross (which is also used by the Russian Navy) replaced with the flag of Ukraine. Нет войне.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

wjandrea almost 2 years
When trying to mount an exfat filesystem, I get the following error:
```
Error mounting /dev/sda6 at /media/gkp/Backup: Command-line 
`mount -t "exfat" -o "uhelper=udisks2,nodev,nosuid" "/dev/sda6" "/media/gkp/Backup"' 
exited with non-zero exit status 32: mount: unknown filesystem type 'exfat'
```
Exfat is used on some USB sticks and camera sd cards. What can I do to mount this type of filesystem?
- Admin over 10 years
  
  Please provide the version of Ubuntu you are using. As you can see there is more than 1 answer for Ubuntu.
- Admin over 10 years
  
  see also askubuntu.com/a/85459/20972 (esp. for 13.10)
- Admin about 7 years
  
  ubuntu 14.04 is doing this.
- Admin about 6 years
  
  In my case, I had to also add the universe repository: sudo add-apt-repository universe sudo apt-get update
- Admin about 5 years
  
  Possible duplicate of How to get a drive formatted with exfat working?
- Admin over 2 years
  
  Ran into this today on Debian (bookworm/sid, 5.15.5-1) and noted suspicious error in /var/log/mesages: Jan 4 15:36:57 fractal kernel: [18438.261624] failed to validate module [exfat] BTF: -22
Philippe Paré over 10 years

looks like for 13.10 you don't even need the ppa it's just sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse ref: askubuntu.com/a/85459/20972
CoDe about 10 years

:) and after then sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdb1 help me to get mount. wait for few second it could time to mount.
Drew Noakes about 10 years

+1. On Ubuntu 14.04, no PPA is needed. I was able to sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse and, after installation, my 64GB SD CARD mounted as soon as I plugged it in.
Mariano L over 8 years

This worked in linux mint. thanls!
Luis Lobo Borobia over 8 years

It works in Ubuntu 15.10 too!
Potaito about 8 years

sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse exfat-utils Works on 16.04!
SDsolar about 7 years

And just like this it works on ubuntu 14.04 - Thank you! Love this database. You posted this message more than 3 years ago. TNX
user1993 almost 7 years

is there a solution in case the system is not connected to the internet
sleeper over 6 years

Worked for me. Ubuntu 17.10
Dɑvïd about 6 years

And now 18.04, still good. Yay! = sudo apt install exfat-fuse exfat-utils
dez93_2000 over 4 years

And since we're playing this game, 19.04 also!
JMK over 4 years

This worked, thankyou!
pspahn over 4 years

As of Dec 11, it does seem to fetch exfat-fuse properly.
Addison Klinke almost 4 years

FWIW my camera SD card reader in 18.04 only required exfat-fuse and not exfat-utils
Pierre ALBARÈDE over 3 years

Ubuntu 20.04 installing exfat-fuse and exfat-utils works. Yet I have this error FUSE exfat 1.3.0 ERROR: failed to read boot sector.
kana over 3 years

This is either because your device wasn't set up correctly, or could also be because your exfat device is somehow 'not good' e.g. corrupt, full, or physically malfunctioning. Try with another device you've worked with before and if that works then try remake the failed device
Pierre ALBARÈDE over 3 years

Upgraded to 20.10, installed exfatprogs. Mounting works randomly. Moreover, if the card is inserted directly (is SD slot of Macbookpro), it is always read-only. If it is connected through a card reader, write is possible.
kana over 3 years

I would bet on this being a firmware related issue unrelated to the question, it sounds like your device is supported partially on different platforms
Alan Corey over 3 years

I'm seeing something like it in Debian Bullseye although it worked in Buster. Somebody's screwing around with something again and breaking things. I have exfat-fuse and exfatprogs. Taking my card to a different box to read it.
Alan Corey over 3 years

On a Raspberry Pi with Buster the same card and reader worked fine. It's the card from my better Nikon, I use it fairly often.
Owl almost 3 years

DO NOT advise people to update their operating system to install some tools. Only if the tools fail to install should they do an update. This can break so much stuff...